5 Essential moves for all entrepreneurs

October is the month of the Entrepreneur and, more than an opportunity to celebrate the date, it is a reminder that entrepreneurs always need to be connected with their business and with what happens in the market.Themes such as the development of AI, the remnants of the pandemic and the disruption of production chains have been impacting the business world and need to be fully understood by company leaders.

As a fintech founder and basketball player, Rodrigo Tognini, CEO of Simple Account, Brazilian platform for expense management and corporate credit card, points out that the sport helped him to reinvent himself several times as a leader.“Be on the court or in the executive chair, the skills needed to win involve a lot of training and sweat, failure and overcoming. A captain, whatever the team is, should seek to take the team ahead, knowing its composition and needs”, he says.

To inspire other entrepreneurs, the executive listed five essential tips for those who want to start a business. Check:

1. Vision 360o

In an increasingly technological and data-rich reality, company operations demand an integrated and comprehensive look that provides informed decision-making.Tognini compares this 360-degree view to that of the point guard in basketball, who is an athlete who needs to know exactly what is happening in the game, predict movements and execute winning plays. 

“In a match or in the volatile business world, having accurate information and the right statistics is no longer an option, but an impossible need to dribble”, he reinforces. “It is simply what defines whether your team will advance to the next phase or fall out of the championship, whether your startup will survive the 'Death Valley’ or become a unicorn, he adds.

2. Innovation & creativity

Because it is increasingly competitive, the market requires entrepreneurs to escape from the standards and create unique and personalized products and services, which really solve a market's IORECTOR.In this sense, the CEO equates the role of these professionals to that of the guarding wing, citing great names from both universes:

“As well as this player, the entrepreneur needs to think differently if he wants to create new moves. This is always how he goes down in history: we are talking about Jordan and Kobe Bryant, Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos”, he says.

3. Adaptation power

Adjusting strategies is another key characteristic for those who want to undertake, since technological advancement continues to change consumption habits around the world. As Tognini points out, “the degree of adaptability in entrepreneurship dictates how much the person is able to seek new opportunities”.

He adds: “In a match, the power forward is who will try to create gaps where there does not seem to be any. It shows how important it is to be decisive and take advantage of what each context can offer, a reference that works both for the regulation time of a game and in a startup”. 

4. Reference point

Factors such as empathy and listening skills are being more valued by teams in their leaderships. The new generations of professionals have been compacting this management style by the simple fact that they see a good example to be followed, reproducing their attitudes in everyday life. 

“No one is born a leader, but, yes, becomes a leader”, emphasizes the executive of Conta Simples.“As a pivot, which is a reference point for the team on the court not only because they know how to observe, but also because they know how to listen, the manager needs to understand that collaboration and close communication with their followers create a network of trust and efficiency unequaled”, he adds.

5. Resilience

Finally, the way a leadership overcomes the impending adversities of a business is also a decisive aspect.The ability to continue even in the midst of difficulties is what ensures that the company reaches unprecedented levels of success.

When the final whistle sounds, few remain standing”, reflects Tognini.“In basketball, giants like LeBron James often advance in strength, even with hard blocks.This is a daily exercise for entrepreneurs: whenever they fall, raise”, he concludes.