Santiago Tejedor, is the founder of Horas y Minutos a Spanish language blog.

1. Describe briefly your childhood.

I must have had a very uneventful and, therefore, happy childhood because I have nothing worth mentioning, other than being the third of eight siblings. I remember living in a small flat where seven of us would sleep in the living room that became our dining room, our playroom, our homework room and in the evening, our bedroom. And spending many days with my grandfather, who was particularly good at making and repairing things. He made my first bicycle out of pieces of other broken bikes. I guess that’s where my taste for mechanical things comes from.

2. As a child did you have any driving ambition?

I really, really wanted to be Spiderman and an astronaut. And a goalkeeper. And a drummer. I managed to be two of the four for quite some time (non-professional), so I consider myself lucky.

3. What is your first significant memory as a child?

When I had an operation on one eye. The day after, despite firm orders to no do it, I lifted the bandage on my eyes slightly and I saw a brand-new Spanish guitar on my lap.

4. Have you ever had another profession?

I have had a career in sales for a long time, first in the automotive market and then in the currency market. Even now I have a small business -nothing to do with the watch market, though.

5. What made you decide to go in the direction you are currently in?

A passion for watches and a passion for writing, I guess. After writing for others, I felt I could do it my own way, and that’s why I created HorasyMinutos.com.

6. What’s the worst job you’ve had to do?

Working at my grandfather’s cafeteria when I was young. We would get up at 5:30 in the morning and close at 10:30 in the evening. Ever since then, I’ve always felt I was privileged to complete my studies, go to University and do what I do.

7. What’s been the hardest moment in your life so far, and how did you overcome it?

Seeing how deeply my divorce affected my eldest son without me realizing then, and trying to get him out of the black hole he ended up in.

8. Who has had the strongest influence on you?

That varies throughout your life, but if I had to choose only one, it would be Aurelio Labajo, my school teacher of language and literature. He instilled in me a love for words and taught me how to speak in public.

9. What are you most proud of?

What: getting my webpage to where it is now. Who: my kids and my wife.

10. What advice would you give to a 20 something someone thinking of taking a similar path as you?

Be ready for three things: work hard, work hard and work hard.

11. Name three things on your bucket list.

I want to travel extensively throughout Japan, write something non-watch related and, above all, read.

12. Where do you think the watch industry is going to be in 10 years time?

I think it will be very polarized: smart-watches on one end and on the other, a few very high-value brands. And also, very few brands in between.

To learn more about Santiago Tejedor