Note sponsored by Las Golondrinas - Cover photo: ISA/Jimenez 

At the same time that Lele Usuna achieved an impeccable top 31 finish at the ISA World Surfing Games held in El Salvador, he opened the fourth hotel in his chain there, which he opened with his brother in 2023, Las Golondrinas.

A great example of the stage of life he's currently going through, both as a professional surfer and as a hotel owner with a chain that already had locations in Mar del Plata, Cabarete, and Ayampe.

For Lele, this is a natural stage in his life. He says he knew being a professional wasn't going to last forever, and that's why he gradually added tasks outside of surfing to his life—like school, camps, being an ISA broadcaster, or a member of the athletes' commission.

For someone who gets along easily with people, the role of being the face of the hotel chain and networking to attract more clients is something that comes naturally to her, something she enjoys, she says.

Below he comments on the entire process that led him to where he is.

How are you experiencing the transition from being a professional surfer to a hotel entrepreneur?
I'm already at a stage in my life where I'm transitioning from becoming a professional athlete to pursuing another career. I started my surf school a few years ago, I'm doing some personalized coaching, I've run a few surf camps, and starting in 2023, my older brother, Gerónimo, and I are opening a hotel chain.

It's a transition I've adapted to pretty quickly. I've been working away from being a professional surfer for a long time because I know it's something that ends; I feel like it's a cool transition to something I love. I'm passionate about having hotels with that style of surfing, that style that has carried me through so many years of traveling. And also having my friends as ambassadors for each hotel is really cool.

I adapted very quickly to the change.

I'm learning a lot of things, but it's something that I love and am passionate about.

You're very good at human relations, very charismatic. How much does this help you in your role as an entrepreneur?
I think that above all, you have to be a good person. That's something my father instilled in me from a very young age: that it doesn't matter how good you are at sports, or how much money you have, or how much strength, but the most important thing is to be good. And that has stayed with me forever, and that's what makes me so well-liked and helps me when doing business. I'm a person they can trust, with good references. I've shown a lot of respect throughout my life in many places around the world, so when I go anywhere, I'm well-endorsed, like the hotels I own in El Salvador, Ecuador, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic. I'm not only friends with the locals in the area, but also with the country's representative, and that has helped me tremendously to get a good start in each place. With integrity and being an honest and well-liked person.

When you look back and see that you already have four hotels under your brand, how does that make you feel? How do you experience it?
And the truth is that it's incredible to be able to have four hotels in such a short time, and all four in places I've traveled to a lot, places I love, and where I have some of my best friends.

The truth is that it feels incredible, it feels like a very cool achievement, very interesting, it's a long road, we want to continue growing, but, as I said at the beginning, it's a project that we are passionate about and being able to build four hotels in such a short time is something that surprises me and I know that we can do many more things following the same path of doing things well, always with the surfing vibe and supporting the local community and that is the most important thing; it's impressive what we have done and what is to come.

A few days ago you opened the Las Golondrinas hotel in El Salvador. How do you feel about that hotel in particular?
El Salvador is a destination that has always excited me. I've been going to El Salvador since I was a child, starting with the ALAS program in 2006 and 2007, and I've seen how the country has changed from an unsafe place to a super safe one.

"El Salvador is a destination that has always excited me. I've been going since I was very young, since the ALAS program in 2006 and 2007, and I've seen how the country has changed from an unsafe place to a super safe one."

The waves have always been there and will always be there, and ever since my brother and I saw the country growing in 2018, we already had our eye on it when we started opening hotels. Being able to have one in El Salvador—a place that welcomes us so well, offers so many waves, is growing, is safe, and has a bright future—is something that makes me very proud. I'm very happy to be able to open a hotel that's so dear to me and to our entire surfing community.

How do you and your brother complement each other? Tell us a little about each of your roles.
He's my best friend. We've shared a lifetime together, always connected by the same passions, like surfing and skateboarding. In California, we mingled with that community, and today we each have our own roles. I'm the face of the project at the brand level, and I'm making connections around the world through so many competitions, so many trips, and so many friends.

My brother is the more entrepreneurial side. He's been working in the board sports industry for a long time, a long time, and he knows a lot about how business is done. He's the more negotiating side, and I'm the one who makes contacts and takes the brand to different places. He's the one who closes the deals.

And Geronimo is the one who brought the idea of ​​opening hotels, this style of hotels, and creating the application of uniting the surfing community within one place.

It's interesting because, in some ways, even though you're a professional, all aspects of Lele are enhanced, and so are your ventures. How do you see it?
I haven't hung up my fins yet (laughs). I recently went to the World Championships and finished 30th out of I don't know how many others who were registered. Argentina finished eighth; we had a very good result.

I continue to deliver results at the professional level for Argentina. I'm not so focused on racing the entire professional circuit, but rather on deciding which events to attend. I think that's reflected in my endeavors because people know me, know who I am, and that I'm a good person. I've dedicated myself a lot to professional surfing, and it's taught me that results take time and you have to enjoy the journey.

"I haven't hung up my fins yet (laughs). I recently went to the World Cup and finished 30th out of I don't know how many others who were registered. Argentina finished eighth. We had a very good result."

Surfing taught me that you want to go win championships, but plan B is knowing you're having fun with your friends. You always learn and never lose, and that's what I bring to business.

One person can paddle a little, but we all paddle much harder. That friendship, that honesty between friends and family, is what I felt in surfing, and I apply it today.

What percentage of a professional, entrepreneur, and sports leader (your role in the ISA) are you?
I don't know if I can put it into numbers, but let's say 60% professional, 30% business, taking away from the others, and with the ISA as commentator and part of the athletes' commission the remaining 20%.

Will Lele retire from professional surfing or will it never be announced?
It's something that will never be announced. I will always continue competing. I want to continue competing, no matter what, in the Masters, or in other South American or Pan American tournaments. I will always be dedicated to the sport, on or off the court, as a coach or helping the ASA... And I will surf forever.

I don't know if there will be an announcement because I'm always going to do some tournaments (laughs).