Whether in communications, marketing, or the financial market, there are companies that only came to fruition thanks to partnerships between friends who shared dreams, challenges, and achievements. On this International Friendship Day, celebrated on February 14th, discover stories of businesses that were born from bonds of friendship and grew based on mutual trust and the desire to prosper together.
This is the case with NoAr, a communications agency specializing in accelerating brands; Wigoo, a digital marketing agency with a martech concept; ConCrédito, a leader in the payroll loan sector; and HUSTLERS.BR , a live marketing and digital strategy agency.
"One-on-one connection and innovation in deliveries"
In 2011, newly arrived in São Paulo, journalist Mariana Hinkel from Santa Catarina and public relations professional Marina Mosol from São Paulo founded their own PR agency. Their entrepreneurial spirit stemmed from their professional synergy and friendship, but, having not grown up in São Paulo, the challenge was to create a solid networking base.
“It seemed crazy to create a communications agency with few resources in a new city as challenging as São Paulo, but we knew it was time to take the risk,” says Mariana.
They invested in virtual telephone customer service while working from home. "If a client called, they were answered by our 'receptionist,' even in English," recalls Marina. Meanwhile, the partners participated in events and business meetings. "We built our network one business card at a time. We invested a lot of time creating connections, but that's what propelled us forward," reveals Mariana.
In its early years, the agency publicized curious and unusual projects, such as the launch of Michael Jackson's father's book in Brazil and a company that "made dreams come true," like that of a doctor who spent a week in Europe living as James Bond. As its network of contacts expanded, the agency began serving clients in e-commerce , digital businesses, and tech companies.
With 14 years in the market, NoAr is now a benchmark in the innovation ecosystem and has already won over significant clients in various segments such as Sony, Vtex, Boston Scientific, among others. For 2025, the company launched an exclusive report, AIres, which uses Artificial Intelligence to map more than 50 metrics and delivers an unprecedented visualization of the reach of PR actions.
"It was an instant match."
Built collaboratively by partners and co-founders Dib Sekkar and Gustavo Santana, the story of Wigoo, a marketing agency for major brands, began with a childhood friendship that blossomed into a business partnership.
The entrepreneurial journey began in 2016, when Wigoo established itself as a technology and data company, offering data and lead generation software for retailers.
Even with experience in the operations sector, Gustavo initially contributed by offering valuable advice—he had been instrumental in the digital consolidation of Sem Parar. But, after two years with the company, Dib realized that following Gustavo's advice wasn't enough and transformed their friendship into a partnership.
“Besides having met in childhood, we had an instant match of ideas and common goals in adulthood. The company grew little by little and with a lot of hard work, without external investment and sustaining itself with its own revenue. Our professional paths also crossed and connected with similar goals and dreams,” says Gustavo.
Today, Wigoo positions itself with the concept of martech, uniting marketing and technology through multichannel approaches, operating with 360º services, analyzing the needs of each client and focusing on being the ideal strategic business partner.
“Our purpose, and what makes us grow so rapidly, is to have 100% focus on our clients. We continue to do this with the same enthusiasm we had when we started, always looking for new ways to improve our deliveries and achieve our goals,” comments Dib.
"Growing together to prosper"
A friendship can be the starting point for great achievements. In the case of William, founder of ConCrédito, the path to entrepreneurship has always been linked to the people around him. Coming from a challenging background, he began his career as a car washer, newspaper delivery boy, and call center operator. With dedication and a vision for the future, he grew in the credit field, becoming a partner in a company even before founding his own business.
In 2016, ConCrédito was born in his bedroom, with improvised furniture, but a well-defined purpose: to offer fair and accessible financial solutions. From the beginning, William believed that growth should be collective. He brought friends into the business, trained people without experience, and created an environment where everyone could thrive together. "I always believed that true success is that which we share. When we grow together, we evolve faster and with more purpose," emphasizes the entrepreneur.
Today, ConCrédito is a benchmark in the payroll loan market, having already processed over R$ 1.5 billion in contracts and serving 100,000 clients monthly. But beyond the numbers, the company stands out for its commitment to the development of its people, encouraging studies, a growth mindset, and building a team that grows stronger every day.
"Transforming through plurality"
The relationship between executives Haynabian Amarante, known as Bibi, and Ramon Prado began in the live marketing market. "I was head of production at a company and I interviewed Ramon for the account management position. I never imagined we would become partners," says Bibi.
Through recruitment and daily conversations in the workplace, Ramon and Bibi discovered a strong connection between their personal values and the teachings passed down by their families. This affinity sparked in them the desire to undertake a business venture aligned with these principles, incorporating them into both the business culture and the work environment.
HUSTLERS.BR project aimed to balance my skills with the events circuit. When I started working with Bibi in 2019, we realized it was time to transform the market with an agency specializing in Live Marketing, Digital Strategy, and focused on diversity in teams and projects. In 2020, we officially founded HUSTLERS.BR in its current corporate structure, completely reorganized in its operations and purpose,” says Ramon.
Currently, entrepreneurs are expanding projects with major brands, having worked with corporate events and large companies such as Google and Warner Bros. for four years. HUSTLERS.BR projects an increase of over 30% for the year 2025.
