An Argentine businessman changed his life and revived his business thanks to a message from superstar Lionel Messi on Instagram.
Guillermo Fernandez, a small businessman in San Miguel, Buenos Aires, had been going through tough times when his barbecue grill company was on the brink of bankruptcy. The economic crisis in Argentina and the impact of the pandemic had caused a severe drop in sales, forcing him to consider closing down after years of operation. But one day last December, a message from Lionel Messi’s Instagram account changed everything.
In the message, Messi asked for a larger oven for his home in Miami, writing: “Hi, my friend recently bought an oven from you and sent it to Miami. I want to order a larger one, can you do it?”
At first, Fernandez couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the account with 499 million followers sending this request. He shared: “My wife and children were paralyzed. We didn’t know what to say, the feeling was indescribable.”
Fernandez quickly set to work on a special oven for Messi. The oven was meticulously designed with personalized details, including a graphic of Messi celebrating a goal, three stars representing Argentina’s three World Cup titles, and the names of Messi’s wife and three sons. He also included a small oven as a token of appreciation.
After Fernandez shared his remarkable experience on social media, Labohierro’s reputation exploded. From a small, little-known business, Fernandez’s company received orders from all over the world. The company’s Instagram account quickly grew from a few thousand to more than 155,000 followers in a short period of time.
” Messi has brought light at the end of the tunnel. He is not only a customer but also the person who saved my family. He knocked on the door of a small and humble company like ours, among countless options out there. That is the greatest encouragement, giving us more motivation to continue on the difficult business journey,” Fernandez emotionally shared with local media. “Messi is the most simple and humble Argentine I have ever known.”
When asked humorously by netizens if Fernandez would give Messi the grill for free, he said: “I really wanted to give it to him, but Messi refused and insisted on paying in full, even including the shipping costs from Argentina to the US.”
This is not the first time Messi has helped small businesses in his homeland. He has previously ordered flip-flops and churros from small businesses in Argentina, helping them grow.
As the hero who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup championship after 36 years of waiting, Messi has affirmed his position as a global football icon. At the age of 36, he also owns a record of eight Golden Balls and is praised by many experts as the greatest player in history. Currently, Messi is playing in the US for Inter Miami.
