For almost twenty years, Juan Martín Boll and Nano García have been two of the most influential—and, at the same time, understated—figures in Spain’s LGBTQ+ community. Although the general public associates them with Pride and Mr Gay España, behind these projects they have built a company specialising in communications, tourism, consultancy, and strategy for brands and institutions—a business that operates 365 days a year.
Long before words such as diversity, inclusion, and purpose became fixtures in corporate strategic plans, the couple were already working to demonstrate that these values could also be part of a successful business model. They did so without seeking the limelight, growing one project at a time until they had turned JN Global Project into a leading consultancy in Spain and internationally.
Entrepreneurs first and spokespeople second, business partners before public figures, the two have built a track record that extends far beyond the events for which many people know them. Their story is that of two entrepreneurs who recognised a social transformation before businesses realised it would also bring about an economic one. Above all, it is the story of two people who have turned a deeply held conviction into a business without ever abandoning the purpose that made it possible.
QUESTION: When people introduce you as “the men behind Pride”, do you feel that label does justice to your work, or does it oversimplify what JN Global Project does?
Juan: We feel proud of it because Pride has been a very important part of our lives for almost twenty years. It is a project that has given us so much and shaped our journey. But it is also true that this label rather oversimplifies what we do today.