Being an entrepreneur in Brazil is never easy, but no one ever said it would be so difficult. With each passing day, new difficulties arise and we have to deal with various issues, many of which are beyond our control. The biggest example of this is the current economic crisis the country is facing, which leads to rising inflation and high interest rates, potentially severely harming various sectors and business models.
However, despite the adversities that may arise along the way, people do not give up trying. According to data from a survey conducted by Sebrae (Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises) based on data from the RFB (Brazilian Federal Revenue), Brazil registered 874,000 new microenterprises in 2024, representing a 21% increase compared to 2023.
The truth is that this scenario shows an attempt to revive the Brazilian economy, focusing on outsourcing activities and the range of services offered today, whether by new companies or by entrepreneurs who work basically alone, like in my case. Even in the face of inevitable risk, entrepreneurship remains an alternative for generating income, but it can cause fear and apprehension.
When I think about my career, before deciding to become an entrepreneur, I considered elements that would no longer be certainties and also the uncertainties that would come to exist, which I wouldn't know how to handle at the beginning of my professional journey as an OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) management specialist. Therefore, I listed my two biggest nightmares as an entrepreneur:
1st nightmare: not having a salary deposited into your account
I worked for years at a company, and like every employee providing their service, I was sure that the salary would be deposited into my account every month. However, when I decided to start my own business, I lost control over that issue. After all, it can happen that one month has no clients, or more revenue in one month and little in another, and thus, the money doesn't come in. At first, I didn't know how I would react to this. Some people may feel anxious, but it is necessary to trust the process and work hard to make it happen. It wasn't easy for me, but just the fact of bringing this to consciousness has already helped me a lot in dealing with the subject.
2nd nightmare: not being chosen
Naturally, we know that we will not always be chosen in the quotation process. I know it can happen, but it bothers me. Wow, really? I am different, I am better. We have to find that within ourselves, don't we? So when a prospect doesn't choose me – which is rare – I always reflect on the criteria used and try to see the situation from the person's perspective, in order to perhaps try a different approach next time, evolving and improving more and more.
These are points I have had to deal with from the beginning, to a greater or lesser degree of awareness. Many other points may arise depending on the person and/or the context in which they are found. However, the most important thing is to actively work on bringing to consciousness what might hinder your process later on, or simply cause mood swings that could impact your family. All an entrepreneur doesn't need is to fight against the inherent difficulties of the activity outside the home and to struggle with others that arise inside the home due to the pursuit of this dream.
