In the new episode of our podcast “Connecting the RURAL to the world”, Pedro Abad, CEO of Asteo Red NeutraPedro Abad, CEO of Asteo Red Neutra, talks to Juan Barbed, co-founder of Rooral. Juan, born in Bilbao and with a professional past that took him halfway around the world (from San Francisco to Bali or Bangkok), brings us a deep reflection on teleworking, human connection and the future of our rural Spain, not emptied.
From the outset, Juan launches a powerful idea that sums up the spirit of the project: “Having roots is what makes you truly free”. A reflection that questions the traditional narrative of success associated exclusively with the city.
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The rise of digital nomads and “slowmad”: a new life for the rural world
For years, the collective imagination has placed success in urban environments. However, this episode poses a profound revision of that model. As Juan explains: “I saw the great challenge in rural Spain. Half of the towns are in a very challenging, even terminal phase. Many of them.”
Faced with this reality, an opportunity emerges: reconnecting the urban world with the rural world through teleworking. It is no longer just a matter of working remotely, but of doing so from places with identity, community and purpose.
Digital nomads, authenticity and the “slowmad” phenomenon
The episode delves into the evolution of the concept of digital nomad. Beyond the constant travel, a new trend emerges: the slowmad, a profile that seeks more authentic, sustainable and connected to the environment experiences.
In Juan’s words: “There are also families of digital nomads. Now there is also talk of slowmad.”
This transformation responds to a growing need: to find meaning, belonging and real connection with places. In fact, he warns about the risks of global homogenization: “In the end, you end up changing local identity a bit. You can now order avocado toast in all these places, but you don’t know where you are.”
ROORAL: connecting people, peoples and purpose
Rooral was born precisely to respond to this context. Its proposal connects teleworkers with villages that offer an authentic, inclusive and human experience.
The project not only has an economic impact, but also a social and cultural one, revitalizing communities and fostering exchange between visitors and locals. As Juan highlights, “The focus is how we tell that story so that it reaches more people and make it easy for people to try it.”
Technology, telework and rural future
Technology plays a key role in this transformation. Without connectivity, this model would not be possible. But the approach goes beyond infrastructure: it is about designing solutions adapted to the rural environment.
In this sense, the podcast highlights how teleworking is opening new opportunities to fix population, attract talent and generate activity in traditionally forgotten areas.
Recovering local identity and value
One of the main messages of the episode is the importance of preserving the identity of the people in the face of globalization. The differential value of the rural world lies precisely in its authenticity, diversity and cultural richness.
Juan sums it up clearly by pointing out that what is truly valuable is at risk of disappearing: “It is the foreigner who finds our peoples sexier or more exotic. What is in extinction is not the animals and it is not the shepherds.”
A new narrative for the rural world
This episode invites us to rethink how we talk about the rural world. In the face of discourses of “empty Spain”, a narrative of opportunity, innovation and future emerges.
The podcast itself is positioned as a key tool for this change of narrative, making visible real stories that inspire and transform.
The conversation with Juan Barbed leaves us with a clear idea: the future of the rural world depends on connecting technology, community and purpose. Digital nomads, slowmad and teleworking are not just trends, but real levers of change. And, above all, he reminds us that perhaps the real luxury today is not in moving without stopping, but in finding a place to put down roots.
