About 2,8 million new CNPJs started their activities by the first half of 2024, according to data from Sebrae. To assist these new entrepreneurs, Marcelo Lombardo, CEO and co-founder of Omie, offers six pieces of advice focused on scaling companies in a structured way through strategic alliances and intelligent use of capital
Lombardo, influential figure in Brazilian entrepreneurship, founded Omie in 2013 and has already raised over 690 million reais in investments. In November, Marcelo was the winner in the Emerging category, from 27.1st edition of Entrepreneur of the Year, and in December was awarded by Forbes magazine in the Small Giants category. Check the tips below
1 – "If you want to receive investment", ask for advice
For entrepreneurs who are seeking investment, the CEO of Omie highlights this approach as a way to engage the investor, before actually asking for capital. He explains that, when asking for the opinion of a potential partner, he will give advice to grow the business and, at the end, you can suggest that the entrepreneur get in touch when starting a fundraising round
2 – "Seek strategic partnerships"The entrepreneur can benefit from infrastructure and a network of contacts to optimize resources. When sharing costs, knowledge and even distribution channels, it is possible to increase the efficiency and expand the reach of the product or service. "Sometimes, your biggest defenders are not your clients, but the people who influence them.In the case of Omie, the partnership with accountants was important to boost the number of clients of the ERP Omie, "once the professional is essential in decision-making in small and medium enterprises (SMEs)", Lombardo states
3 – "Always be attentive to opportunities"
It is necessary to be cautious, but, at some moments, overthinking can hinder entrepreneurial vision. In a competitive and constantly evolving world, opportunities arise at any moment and being prepared to recognize them can be decisive. The secret is to believe in intuition,develop the ability to analyze the scenario with a strategic mindset and be able to see beyond the difficulties
"With this mindset, it will be easier to accept the complexities and understand that what others see as a headache, you can turn it into an advantage, complete Lombardo
4 – "Bet on a scalable model"Betting on this strategy can still boost the territorial expansion of the business, especially entrepreneurs seeking long-term sustainable development. One of the milestones in Omie's growth was entering the franchise sector, that allowed us to expand geographically in a faster and more efficient way, adding more than 130 franchised units in various regions of Brazil, Lombardo states
5 – "Study and always stay updated"
Investing in courses, participate in events and stay updated, inclusive about legislative changes are fundamental actions. The entrepreneur should constantly seek study in diverse areas such as finance, people management and emerging technologies. Training is important not only for individual growth. When one wins, everyone wins, finishes Lombardo. In this sense, the CEO still emphasizes that in markets where awareness is low, the best way out is to educate first and sell later
6 – "Master the sales first"
It is important to remember that the same great product, alone, will not win the market. To scale successfully, building an organization with a strong culture and mastering the science behind sales is equally essential for business founders. In Omie, the focus of this area is to identify customer needs and make a personalized approach to close deals efficiently
