Gaspar Sempere: The energy efficiency innovator from Elche

Today, we will get to know José Gaspar Sempere Valero, a native of Elche and passionate about his city, being a regular collaborator in the events and festivities taking place there. Gaspar has extensive experience in various sectors and currently serves as the CEO of Expertos en Ahorro Energético, a company in Elche dedicated to energy efficiency. There, he is responsible for conducting personalized studies for their clients with the aim of offering them the best possible deal with Plenitude, the company for which he is an authorized distributor.

C&B: Describe your activity.
Gaspar Sempere: Well, as the CEO of the company, my role is to coordinate the human team that we form at Expertos en Ahorro Energético, to lead the sales team that represents us throughout Spain, and to oversee the correct development of our service. We offer all kinds of energy efficiency services, changes of suppliers, power optimization, solar solutions, replacing sodium vapor lights with LED technologies, among others.

C&B: How has your career/business evolved?
Gaspar Sempere: My family has been involved in the wholesale fruit and vegetable trade all their lives. I was born into a family of merchants, and that made me like commercial work. In 2007, I entered the electricity sector after a vast experience in all kinds of sectors. In Spain, the sector was liberalized in 1997, offering customers the possibility to negotiate with over 300 electric companies. Currently, with over 15 years of experience in the sector, my idea is to position ourselves as an important and reference company in our area, dedicated to solving the problems of our neighbors.

C&B: What were your visions in childhood/adolescence and what are they now?
Gaspar Sempere: In childhood, like everyone, we have many dreams. Some want to be footballers, others bullfighters… I, on the other hand, always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I grew up, as I told you earlier, in a very small family business and my dream was to develop it nationally and internationally. For various reasons, I had to move to the private company, and later, I entered the world of energy. In my opinion, the most beautiful thing in my work is when you see the client grateful because you manage to offer savings with our energy efficiency solutions.

C&B: What are the life and business principles you follow?
Gaspar Sempere: Out of family habit, I wake up early and my work schedule starts at 6 in the morning. I check emails, see the daily incidents of the sellers and different problems during contracting. In addition, I send out the renewals to be done daily. From 6:30 to 7:00, I prepare to go to the office to supervise the human team. My phone works all day to provide attention to sellers, clients, workers. In my free time, I like to play sports, mainly walking. This allows me to disconnect from the daily stress. I do 10, 12, and even 15 km on days I can – it helps me to be physically and mentally prepared for the next day.

C&B: Have the pandemic and economic crises affected your activity?
Gaspar Sempere: We, in Spain, were about two years with a national problem that caused us to close the office and forced us to work from home. The entire team switched to teleworking, and it was hard because you were day by day closed in the house. Otherwise, the current work for photovoltaic solar installations was paralyzed until the end of the pandemic crisis. For companies that had pre-approved loans, the work was no longer done, and their loan was canceled, etc. The war in Ukraine, rising costs, everything was a difficult barrier for our work.

C&B: Can you share any amusing situations from your activity?
Gaspar Sempere: Our anecdotes are day by day, it’s very beautiful to offer a saving of 50% or even more. It generates personal satisfaction to help entrepreneurship, SMEs, and all kinds of citizens. I think of my parents, an elderly couple who are concerned about not spending much on their bill and who need to find the best possible price.

C&B: You have a potential client/partner or employer in front of you. What is the phrase with which you convince them?
Gaspar Sempere: I am a proponent of convincing through experience, to say who we are, what we do, and to show the client our personal and close treatment. Today, electric companies are very cold, the point of attention for the client is very distant. We differentiate ourselves through personalized treatment, preferring to sit in front of the client and tell them the advantages without criticizing the competition. Our role is to defend the client against the large electric companies.

C&B: What advice do you have for those who are just starting or undecided?
Gaspar Sempere: My advice to people would be to get educated, to acquire knowledge because it will be useful, and we encourage them to do so in the world of energy efficiency. We have a very interesting present, where you can end up earning a lot of money. Offering energy solutions without initial investment, paying that loan from the savings on their bill.

C&B: What is your opinion about society and its evolution?
Gaspar Sempere: In the past, studies were focused on work, offering theories oriented towards a professional exit. Today, perhaps the training is not so focused on this. There is a lack of qualified personnel. I think training should be directed to cover these needs.