A survey conducted by Bling, LWSA's ERP platform aimed at SMEs, shows that after 60 months of operation, companies that use ERP have a higher chance of survival compared to those that do not use a management system. This month, the company introduces innovations such as"My Business", an intelligent dashboard to enhance small business management (read more below).

The diagnosis conducted by Bling includes a database of CNPJs that use the company's services, which were compared with the database of CNPJs registered with the Federal Revenue Service since 2020. In the comparison, companies that use ERP have a survival rate 10 percentage points higher (83.4%) compared to other companies (74%) in the market that have not adopted the use of an ERP.

Recent studies by Sebrae (Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises) highlight that 38% of companies close before reaching 5 years, with management being one of the main reasons for the business closure.

In this Bling survey, we aim to convey to companies and entrepreneurs how important it is to have efficient business management and, with technological advancement, having all of this digitized and gathered in a single environment makes this management more effective and is a key factor in the longevity of the business, says Marcelo Navarini, Bling's director.

Management solution for SMEs

With over 300,000 users, Bling is currently one of the main management solutions aimed at SMEs. In the 4th quarter of 2024, the sales volume through own stores and transactions on marketplaces via LWSA's ERP operations and marketplace integrators, such as Bling, reached R$ 19.5 billion, a 16.3% increase compared to the same period in 2023. In 2024, the growth was 18.4% compared to the previous year, reaching R$ 69.7 billion.

The data reinforce Bling's potential, which with "My Business" plans to offer a comprehensive and integrated view of operations for companies, with continuously updated data and interactive dashboards, without the need to use external tools. The feature was developed for retailers operating in one or more channels, whether physical store, e-commerce, or marketplaces.

The solution was created through the incorporation of Qint, an analytics startup founded by Bruno Leite and Daniel Hiraoka, who have been leading the initiative with the Bling team since 2024. "We see the need to simplify and optimize processes. In this regard, Meu Negócio was designed to provide more efficient management, focusing on the visualization of important operational indicators," explains Navarini.

The feature enables the generation of powerful insights into overall sales performance and performance by channel, salesperson, or product, as well as providing forecasts about stock behavior. "These dashboards help in making key decisions for any business. The information can be analyzed over various time periods, whether from a product or sales channel perspective, individually or grouped, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the company," says the Bling director.

Other insights include the analytical view of ABC curve for simple products or compositions, including the markup percentage applied and the contribution to revenue during the period, stock forecasts such as how long they should last, and purchase suggestions that ensure agility for companies with many items and compositions in their catalog.

It also allows the integration of data from up to 10 different Bling accounts, facilitating managerial oversight of companies with multiple operations, as well as more dashboard images on the desktop, WhatsApp chat images, and a use case video.

More than half of Brazilians who secured a job at foreign companies used LinkedIn, reveals the 'Brazilian Global Salary' study. Carried out byTechFX, the main exchange platform for professionals providing services abroad, the survey reveals that 53.65% of professionals used social media to find international opportunities. For the analysis, the company interviewed 1,611 Brazilians between November and December of last year, of whom 1,433 work for foreign companies.

In addition to the tool, recommendations from friends stood out as one of the main means of search, mentioned by 22.92% of respondents. Other channels, such as recruitment agencies (10.42%), job platforms (8.85%), and company websites (4.17%), complement the list.

According to Eduardo Garay, CEO and founder of TechFX, the high index linked to the social network endorses its role as an essential tool for finding remote work opportunities for companies abroad. "LinkedIn has established itself as the main gateway for Brazilian professionals in the international market, especially in highly qualified sectors. The numbers highlight the importance of investing in a strategic and active digital presence for those seeking employment in foreign companies. To do this, in addition to maintaining an attractive LinkedIn profile, it is essential to be well prepared for interviews and to have a well-crafted resume. Our partners at Trampar na Gringa, who assisted us in developing the research, are experts in helping professionals prepare for remote work opportunities with international companies."

Among the countries that hire the most Brazilians for remote work, the United States still leads comfortably, accounting for 85% of the opportunities. For comparison, the second place on the list is shared between Australia and Canada, with only 1.85% each.

The research also analyzed the cost-benefit ratio for seizing international opportunities. Comparing the current position and the professional's compensation package with the financial, physical, and emotional costs of performing the work, Brazilians living in Brazil and working for international companies achieved an average satisfaction score of 4.46 points, with 5 being the maximum score. This result is significantly better compared to professionals working within the national territory, who scored 3.66 points.

Regarding the work regime, the preference for remote work also appears with a significant advantage. According to the study, remote professionals have an average satisfaction score of 4.24 points, while hybrid and in-person occupations total 3.62 and 3, respectively.

In Garay's view, the sum involving salaries in strong currencies, geographical freedom, routine flexibility, and autonomy of international remote jobs results in a very attractive package for professionals. Not for nothing, the hiring of Brazilian professionals by foreign companies increased by 46% in the last year, according to Deel's Global International Hiring Report. "The career internationalization movement should be increasingly expanded, driven by a positive scenario for both the professional and the hiring company," concludes the CEO of TechFX.

Sextortion scams are becoming more threatening as cybercriminals exploit artificial intelligence (AI) and large-scale data breaches to develop them in highly convincing ways. A recent analysis of the Avast, leader in digital security and privacy and part of GenTM(NASDAQ: GEN), revealed that in 2025, so far, although increasingly sophisticated, there has been a 26% reduction in the risk of being targeted by sextortion scams in Brazil.

Avast researchers are observing how countries around the world are impacted by these highly manipulative scams. In the US, the likelihood of being targeted by sextortion scammers increased by 137% in the first months of 2025, while the risk in Australia rose by 34%. Avast also revealed the top 10 most vulnerable countries to these scams, with Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, Italy, Australia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Czech Republic facing the highest sextortion risk rates in the past calendar year.

New threatening and intrusive tactics

The criminals are refining their tactics, thanks to AI assistance and a wealth of personal data from victims available from recent large-scale breaches. As AI sophistication increases, so do the threatening explicit extortion emails sent by scammers. AI is being used by scammers to create imagesdeepfake, fake explicit photos created by overlaying a victim's face onto another body, along with threatening messages to distribute them.

Michal Salat, Threat Intelligence Director at Avast, highlights: "Our analysis reveals that victims of sextortion often receive threatening messages claiming access to their private videos and images. These scams become even more convincing with the use of passwords stolen from previous data breaches, creating an alarming sense of credibility."

"The fear of exposure, especially when personal details seem accurate, often pressures victims to comply with ransom demands. However, we strongly advise against engaging with these scammers, no matter how real the threats may seem," he concludes.

The use of Google Maps makes the approach more invasive and personalized

One of the most recent techniques used by cybercriminals involves Google Maps and is designed to employ a more invasive and personalized approach, which can truly shock and intimidate victims into complying with demands.

The criminals – using names, addresses, and emails readily available on the Dark Web due to data breaches – can create highly targeted emails for victims containing produced footage, disturbing information, and images of their actual homes. The scammers also claim to have gained access to the victims' devices to extort them, threatening to share sexual content or information about them. Cybersecurity specialists at Avast identified over 15,000 unique Bitcoin wallets associated with the Google Maps scam, although the scope of the operation is likely much larger.

Avast experts emphasize the importance of proactive protection against sextortion scams and urge people never to engage with messages that may be from scammers. The following actions help combat sextortion efforts

• Do not pay ransom demands, nor respond to threats.
• Do not engage with these emails, texts, or calls, nor open any associated PDF attachments.
• Always report the incident to the main cybercrime units. In Brazil, victims can contact local authorities and the National Reporting Center of Safernet Brazil.
• Use a trusted password manager to ensure unique passwords for all accounts and prevent reuse.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible to enhance account security.
• Monitor your data for violations using dark web monitoring services through products such as theAvast Secure Identity, to be alerted when confidential information is exposed and to act quickly, helping to protect your accounts.
• Don't panic – stay informed and take steps to protect your accounts.

As sextortion scams become more sophisticated, it is crucial for people to stay cautious and take steps to protect their digital privacy. Awareness and public vigilance remain critical in the fight against these threats.

There is no difference between men and women when it comes to corporate leadership. This is the main finding of the research conducted by Hogan Assessments and published this March. The study aimed to evaluate six myths about women's behavior in management related to ambition level, risk appetite, stress management capacity, strategic vision, and innovation.

The research was conducted based on the review of three large datasets of over 25,000 global executives, including personality scores, performance ratings, and key competencies. The study focused on understanding whether men and women differ in their personality traits, as well as identifying any gender differences in personality traits that predict leadership effectiveness.

It is incredible that even today society – including the media – reflects behavioral stereotypes regarding women in leadership positions, such as linking anxiety to being typically feminine and hindering decision-making. Recently, we even heard Mark Zuckerberg [CEO of Meta] say that companies need more 'masculine energy,' a phrase that has been endlessly repeated worldwide and has no scientific basis whatsoever, explains Roberto Santos, managing partner of Ateliê RH, a pioneering consultancy in the use of the Hogan methodology in Brazil.

In Brazil, data from IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) indicate that only 39% of women held managerial positions in 2022—despite the female participation rate in the labor market reaching 53.3% in that same year. In 2023, a study by the National Industry Observatory indicated that the number of women in leadership remained the same, even though they had a level of education twice as high as men.

Indeed, a similar discrepancy occurs worldwide. A global survey conducted by Grant Thornton International showed that in 2023, women held 33.5% of senior management positions worldwide, although they represent 42% of the global workforce.

The myths debunked by research

"In all the myths analyzed, the study proves that there are no personality differences between male and female executives. But unfortunately, women continue to face huge barriers to advancing in their careers – and these results are important because they reinforce the need to abandon outdated beliefs based on prejudices that prevent highly qualified women from reaching leadership positions," evaluates Santos.

The first myth evaluated was that of female ambition, often questioned as inferior to male ambition. Contrary to what is imagined, analyses of personality scores showed that male and female executives have similar levels of ambition, with no significant differences between genders. The measurement of ambition was conducted using the "Ambition" scale present in the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI). In practice, the results show that work performance, regarding this aspect, is the same for men and women.

Another point analyzed concerns decision-making and risk propensity, often associated with men. Hogan Assessments' research revealed that men and women are equally decisive and risk-taking, invalidating the idea that women are more cautious or indecisive.

Furthermore, characteristics such as excessive caution, which within the Hogan methodology refers to an excessive concern with criticism, as well as being obsequious—defined as being eager to please and reluctant to act autonomously—are equally detrimental to men and women.

The widely held belief that women are not natural leaders has also been challenged. Using scales related to the Big Five Model (Adjustment, Ambition, Sociability, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Prudence, Inquisitiveness, and Learning Approach), the data indicated that women exhibit the same essential leadership characteristics as men.

Another widespread myth is that women need to adopt traditionally masculine characteristics to be effective leaders. The study showed that characteristics considered masculine, such as dominance or assertiveness, do not confer a specific advantage to men; on the contrary, the performance of leaders of both genders is negatively affected by this trait.

Finally, the study also analyzed the ability of men and women to handle high-stress situations and their competence in innovation and strategy. The results revealed that there are no significant differences between genders in these skills, showing that both men and women perform similarly in high-pressure contexts and in the face of strategy and innovation demands.

In this way, Santos concluded, organizations must identify the real internal cultural barriers that limit women's access to executive positions because the most common myths regarding personality differences between genders are scientifically challenged by these and other studies.