the luxury sector. These challenges have been overcome by having a very high quality product that has quickly gained the respect of customers. How has the U.S. market changed in the last three years and how has it affected RIVA? With the pandemic our market has boomed as people spend more time at home and want a space where they feel comfortable, which leads them to look for high quality materials. This new scenario has been clearly beneficial for RIVA. How has the business culture in the U.S. evolved with the pandemic and how has it affected your company? The business culture has been greatly affected by a low unemploy- ment rate, which has created an extremely competitive labor mar- ket. Finding talent has become increasingly difficult. At RIVA we try to be more competitive by offering greater benefits to the team and recruiting young talent, mainly from Spain. We give them the oppor- tunity to create a successful career in the United States. What are the main differences and similarities between the U.S. and the other markets where RIVA operates? The U.S. customer is very cautious at first, but loyal as time goes by. It is difficult to enter the US marketbut, once you raeinit, soild long-term relationships can be established. Our clients are looking for simplicity and practicality, and we have adapted to these priori- ties by investing in technology, introducing our own sales manage- ment software to facilitate processes, and an online visualizer for architects, designers, and the end customer. How have customers responded to RIVA’s products and services, and how do you explain RIVA’s success? The response has always been good in terms of product quality and very critical in terms of design and service. Being a product 100% 48 ON THE SPOTLIGHT BY EFE COMUNICA