Contacts, Coffee and Conversations: My Experience of Business Culture in Spain

¡Hola! Greetings from sunny Madrid. My name is Victoria, and I study International Business Administration at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, majoring in Marketing and Sales. I am currently completing my five-month professional internship at the Finnish-Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Madrid, where I work in marketing, communications, and event management.

I have now been in Madrid for 3,5 months, and this is my second internship blog post. In this article, I share my observations about Spanish business culture based on my experiences organising one of our company's biggest annual events. If you would like to read about my first impressions of living and working in Madrid, you can find my previous blog post on the FinnCham blog page.

Networking Opens Doors

During my ongoing internship in Madrid, I had the opportunity to organise one of our company's biggest annual events: the Summer Party. Coordinating the event gave me a firsthand look at how business is done in Spain, as I worked with catering company, sponsors, florists, printers and decorators. Throughout the planning process, I quickly realised that one factor stood out above all others: the importance of personal connections.

In Spain, business is built on relationships. Having a strong local network makes it much easier to find reliable suppliers, solve unexpected problems, and discover new opportunities. Recommendations from mutual contacts often carry more weight than online searches and working through existing relationships can even lead to better prices or "friend discounts."

For Finnish companies entering the Spanish market, investing time in networking is essential. Attending industry events, meeting professionals from different sectors, and participating in activities outside work are all excellent ways to build valuable connections. Speaking Spanish also makes a significant difference. While plenty of professionals understand English, relationships become much stronger when you can communicate in the local language. It demonstrates commitment, builds trust, and helps create more genuine connections.

A Different Approach to Time

Another lesson I learned while organising the event was the difference in working schedules and attitudes towards time. Compared to Finland, where projects are usually confirmed well in advance, many arrangements in Spain come together much closer to the deadline.

This does not mean that nothing gets done. Instead, I found that planning should start early so there is enough time to wait for responses, confirm details, and adapt to changes. Spanish professionals generally seem less stressed by uncertainty and trust that everything will come together in the end. The same mindset is reflected in event registrations, with many participants signing up only during the final days before the event.

Relationships Before Business

The emphasis on relationships is also visible in everyday working life. Meetings often begin with friendly conversation before moving on to business, and business lunches can easily last two hours if the discussion is productive. Unlike the more direct and schedule-driven Finnish style, small talk and building personal connections are considered an important part of doing business.

This approach reflects a broader cultural value: enjoying life is not separated from work but is naturally part of it. Although the pace may appear more relaxed from a Finnish perspective, my experience has shown that the work gets done, just with greater flexibility, less stress, and a stronger focus on relationships.

Contact info:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/victoriakalaeva

Email: office@camarafinlandesa.com / victoria.kalaeva@gmail.com