Just over 45% of early-stage ventures in Rio Grande do Sul can be characterized as belonging to ‘solo entrepreneurs,’ since the only job created by the business is that of the entrepreneur themselves. On the other hand, around 55% of early-stage entrepreneurs in the state were leading businesses that generated at least one job for another person.
The numbers come from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) survey by the National Association for Entrepreneurship Studies and Research (Anegepe) and were released at the end of 2024. According to the study’s data, 60.5% of the population in Rio Grande do Sul agrees that, in the coming months, there will be good opportunities to start a business in the city or region where they live.
According to businessman and behavioral change expert Italo Rickes, the data shows a cultural shift and even a change in the mental framework of Brazilians, who are beginning to see entrepreneurship clearly, demystifying the notion of owning a company or generating profit. However, Rickes notes that much of this entrepreneurial movement is driven by necessity.
“Perhaps this will never change. It’s not wrong for someone to feel the need and seek a way out, and entrepreneurship can be one of them. However, the second step must be taken—to embrace it as something that will elevate one’s life rather than the opposite. What I see most in the consulting and immersion programs we offer is the ‘me-preneur’ phenomenon. It’s a playful term we use with our clients. In other words, the hardest step—deciding to become an entrepreneur, starting from scratch, building even a minimal structure, and stepping confidently into the market—has already been taken. But entrepreneurs don’t always have all the tools they need, so they must seek knowledge to structure financial planning, sales, cash flow, and all the foundational elements that will help the business grow and expand beyond borders,” he explains.
Rickes is part of Gestão de Impacto, an immersion program for entrepreneurs that will bring together over a hundred business owners in Gramado, in the Serra Gaúcha region, from February 23 to 24. The focus is on boosting businesses and achieving high performance through management strategies and tools.
“Pure and simple necessity-driven entrepreneurship has lower chances of thriving. However, most entrepreneurs take this path because they see an opportunity. But then you look at the scenarios like pandemics, floods, the economic rollercoaster—it’s undeniable how challenging it is. Nevertheless, we often say that rough seas make skilled sailors. That is, entrepreneurs must recognize the importance of planning, cash flow, and being prepared to face these tougher times—and, above all, to grow,” he explains.
