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When failure is part of the plan: how we humanize success with FEMSA

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At Fuckup Nights, we've always believed that the best stories come from the most uncomfortable moments. The ones that don’t make it into resumes, but build more empathetic, grounded leaders. So when FEMSA reached out to co-create a private event focused on failure, we knew something transformational was about to happen.

The challenge: Create a pilot event for 70 employees to explore failure in a space built on trust and aligned with FEMSA’s culture. 

That’s how "The B-Side of Success" was born: an intimate, honest and deeply human event, where FEMSA collaborators opened up, learned from failure, and heard from leaders—both internal and external—who dared to share their real stories.

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Leaders Who Dare: Stories of Failure from the CEO of Amazon Mexico and FEMSA’s General Counsel

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For this edition, used our classic corporate-adapted format:  a private Fuckup Night featuring high-level speakers, tailored story curation, and moderation led by internal leadership.

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The speakers included:

• Pedro Huerta  CEO of Amazon Mexico.
• Alejandro Gil  General Counsel of FEMSA.

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With moderation by José Daniel Díaz  Managing Director of Venture Capital & Growth Equity at FEMSA.

Fuckup Nights helped FEMSA craft a unique space—not for applause or recognition, but for genuine learning. One that redefined failure as a powerful tool for growth and culture-building.

Our methodology and brand made it possible for FEMSA employees to connect through vulnerability and shift how they see mistakes—not as dead ends, but as part of a valuable learning cycle.

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The Power of Falling and Getting Back Up: Lessons from Two Corporate Giants

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Pedro and Alejandro’s stories brought liberating laughter and raw insights as they shared tough moments from their careers. Their takeaways still present in FEMSA's spaces today:

• “Bad news should take the elevator. Good news, the stairs.”
• “If we don’t fall, we don’t learn to get back up.”
• “Hire the strategic handyman—not the handyman without strategy, nor the strategist who can’t execute.”
• “Asking for help doesn’t make you less of a leader.”
• “Thinking and acting on a 10+ year horizon builds great companies—not perfect ones, but ones that improve by 1% each day.”

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These stories created a safe space for the audience to talk and reflect on professional lows that later sparked innovation and propelled careers. As FEMSA shared on their social platforms:

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"When vulnerability has a space, innovation becomes more humane and powerful."

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And in the words of FEMSA's event planner,  Silvia Rodriguez:

"There was no applause for achievement yesterday...just uncomfortable laughter and deep learning.”

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Driving a Culture of Learning and Innovation

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What could’ve been a moment of shame turned into a celebration of honesty. FEMSA didn’t just open the conversation about failure—they made it part of their leadership culture.

It was a powerful reminder for everyone that embracing mistakes and sharing them authentically makes us stronger—professionally and personally.

From Human Resources to the technical areas, the impact was transversal. As Yuriko Venegas Leal - from FEMSA's Culture & Performance team told us:

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“Success is not linear. Learning to fail smart is part of growth.”

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This was only the beginning. The goal now is clear: bring The B-Side of Success to more teams, more departments, and more leaders willing to show up vulnerably. Because when learning from failure becomes the norm, innovation naturally follows.

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"Let's imagine a world where talking about failures is as natural as celebrating success. That's the future we're building!" - Aldo, Group Head, Compensation, Benefits, Mobility & HRBP at FEMSA

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At Fuckup Nights, we design events that foster authenticity, resilience, and leadership through real and moving stories.

Want to create a space where vulnerability becomes a pathway to innovation and inspiration?

Let's co-create a unique experience for your team.

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