The study “Women's Entrepreneurship – From the Perspective of the Continuous PNAD,” conducted by Sebrae based on IBGE data, indicates that Brazil reached 10.4 million women entrepreneurs in 2024, the highest number in the historical series and representing a growth of approximately 42% compared to 2012. Despite this progress, female participation is still below its potential: although 51.7% of the working-age population is composed of women, they represent only 34.1% of business owners in the country.
In this context, the trajectory of Juliana Stephani, from São Paulo, stands out as an example of how passion can be transformed into a business opportunity and a benchmark for innovation. A veterinarian by training, with specializations completed outside of Brazil, Juliana combined two of her greatest passions, animals and travel, to found PETFriendly Turismo, an agency specializing in the transportation of dogs and cats.
“Women bring a humanized, detail-oriented, and innovative perspective to business. The growth of female entrepreneurship in Brazil is an opportunity to show that we can increasingly occupy strategic spaces and generate a positive impact on society,” comments Juliana.
The company offers complete solutions for families who need to move their pets within and outside the country, operating from route planning and development to issuing international documents, airline tickets, ground transportation, accompaniment during the journey without the owner, and the sale of essential items such as carriers and transport bags.
The business model has shown impressive results. In 2024, PETFriendly Turismo recorded revenue of R$3.5 million, with more than 7,000 services performed and 1,900 clients served. Currently, the agency organizes an average of 70 trips per month and projects reaching 100 trips per month by the end of 2025. To achieve this, it is betting on an expansion plan that foresees 15% growth next year.
The founder's goal is to transform the company into a complete ecosystem, capable of offering everything involved in transporting pets with comfort, well-being, and safety. Among the new areas under study are on-site support services at airports, issuing certifications and visas for pet owners, as well as apps that facilitate communication with airlines.
