It was a way to democratize access to credit in Brazil and to eliminate the debt caused by credit cards that Pagaleve was created. In an increasingly technological and connected market, Henrique Weaver saw the opportunity to meet the needs of millions of Brazilians who 1) do not have a credit card 2) have a low available limit or 3) simply do not like the traditional payment method, by developing a quick and easy installment method that does not require credit cards. And better: use Pix as a payment platform.
Pagaleve has a B2B2C operation and connects to retailers (both online and brick-and-mortar stores) through integrations with their e-commerce platforms to offer consumers installment payments via Pix, without the need to use a credit card.
The company has major investors such as Banco do Brasil, Salesforce Ventures, OIF Ventures, Founder Collective, Entrée Capital, among others. The fintech was recognized as the biggest innovation in credit in Brazil in 2022 by Cantarino, and the best credit solution for e-commerce in 2023 by FIDinsiders. Recently, Pagaleve also announced the structuring of an FIDC (Credit Rights Investment Fund) of R$250 million, led by the Belgian investment platform Credix Finance.
Henrique Weaver attributes the company's success to the high acceptance of Pix Parcelado by consumers, especially among young people who avoid using cards during their purchases, whether due to personal preference, access restrictions, or credit limitations. "Having a vision in the business world and understanding your target audiences very well is essential to identify opportunities before they become obvious and to anticipate trends that will shape the future," he/she/they considers. He says that this thought was shaped by his entire professional journey.
During his Business Administration college at the University of Brasília, Henrique interned at Brasil Telecom in the Contracts and Bidding department. Right after graduating, his first experience was as a Trainee at Coca-Cola, where he worked for a few years in different cities across Brazil. After completing an MBA at the University of California, in 2012 he started a career in strategic consulting at McKinsey & Company. In 2016, Henrique was invited to contribute to the structuring and expansion of Uber in Brazil, serving as General Manager for a little over two years. Soon after, he served as CEO Brazil for the Indian hospitality unicorn OYO.
With a long trajectory and a consolidated career in the business world, when asked about the main skill a professional should seek to develop, Henrique Weaver points out that there are several skills that are fundamental for a successful career: extreme resilience, curiosity, boldness, and financial proficiency are some of them. But if I had to choose one, it would undoubtedly be the ability to extract value from your network of contacts.
"Observing successful leaders in the business world, I see that this is the skill with the greatest intersection among the various profiles of leaders I have met or read about. This skill does not mean being extroverted or charismatic. Much less does it mean 'using' people in a selfish way. It actually means (1) dedicating significant time and energy to getting to know new people, (2) maintaining connections with people you already know, (3) being very organized and strategic in recording who is in your network of influence, and (4) taking the initiative to ask for opinions and help systematically – both with people in your professional circle – e.g., members of your team – and with people with less exposure," explains Weaver.
He also highlights that in situations where there is a challenge to be resolved in the company, for example, a person's ability to strategically ask for opinions, combine opinions with their perceptions, reach a new level of understanding and do this whole cycle again, is extremely powerful and can be the big difference between being successful or not in achieving a specific objective.
Henrique Weaver adds: “I would also advise focusing on the things that were actually some of the main reasons I got to where I am today: (1) Being more ambitious than might seem reasonable; (2) Making sure you are communicating in the most strategic way possible; (3) Working hard – Unfortunately, a successful career is not built from 9 am to 5 pm. (4) And last but not least: investing a disproportionate amount of time and energy in developing good connections. Absolutely every important achievement in my career was directly or indirectly influenced by some connection I developed throughout my 18-year career. Doing this well is both a science and an art,” concludes the CEO of Pagaleve.
