The 1st Meeting to Support Microentrepreneurs brings knowledge and tips to market professionals.

On the last day of November 23rd (Saturday), ESEG College hosted the 1st Meeting to Support Microentrepreneurship, an event produced by students of Administration and of Economy and supervised by Professor Filippe Delarissa, as part of the integrative project included in the undergraduate curriculum.

The initiative aimed to provide essential guidance to micro and small entrepreneurs – or those who wish to become entrepreneurs – who seek to strengthen their skills and face the challenges of entrepreneurship in Brazil.

In the program planned for the entire Saturday morning, participants were able to follow the Opening panel with the theme "Challenges for micro-entrepreneurs and how to overcome them"“, as well as workshops with experts who shared essential tips for micro-entrepreneurs.

The coordinator of Administration and Economics at ESEG, Professor José Guilherme Campos praised the work of the students and their advisor., ...as well as the support of the entire administrative team of the Faculty who contributed to the success of the event. "I am sure that the students are proud of the project they carried out this Saturday and have renewed self-confidence, knowing the capacity they have to put the actions into practice," he highlighted.

Panel with experts

During the opening panel, Mariana Rodrigues, Advocacy and Government Relations leader at Entrepreneurial Alliance, He strongly emphasized the importance of being aware of current government programs and laws for micro-entrepreneurs, as well as the relevance of networking and building connections to gain strength to expand businesses.

The founder and president of Meio Institute, Lars Diederichsen emphasized how necessary strategic and financial planning is for the success of a venture, as well as knowing how to deal with unforeseen events that occur along the way. “Dreaming big is fundamental, but planning is essential. In a business, it's necessary to set aside resources for reinvestment, savings, and also for emergencies that arise. In life, difficulties will always exist, but it's necessary to have willpower, organization, and a desire to innovate to persevere,” the expert highlighted.

Isis Bertoli, micro-entrepreneur and founder of Infinity Beauty Advanced Aesthetics, shared her successes and failures in entrepreneurship with those present, as well as commenting on the insecurity of starting a business on one's own. “Fear exists and is necessary to be proactive in the face of significant risks and to think ahead about solutions to potential problems. However, it cannot be an impediment to moving forward. It is necessary to take calculated risks. Without risks, we don't get anywhere,” she commented. The biomedical esthetician also emphasized the importance of metrics for mapping results and profits, as well as the need to be attentive to possible unnecessary losses that generate unexpected expenses for the business.

Finally, coach Valney Aparecido, a professional dedicated to the personal and professional development of micro-entrepreneurs, presented techniques for dealing with the fear, anxiety, and insecurity of entrepreneurship, as well as discussing the influence that the perfect life portrayed on social media can have. “The perfect life only exists on social media. Nobody shows the behind-the-scenes of real life, what didn't work out, and how long it took to get there. Only the good results are exposed. Therefore, you need to be careful. There is no recipe for success. Everyone needs to pursue their dreams with knowledge, skills, and the right attitude to be an entrepreneur. There are many possibilities for courses and programs for professional growth,” he emphasized.

For Guilherme Moreno, a micro-entrepreneur in the business of catering for corporate and social events and a 6th-semester Production Engineering student at ESEG, the panel was "fantastic in bringing together diverse knowledge from various areas, people with different experiences, and speaking in a language that was accessible and clear to everyone present." He believes the knowledge gained at university has greatly helped his business, and Saturday's event further expanded his knowledge, especially in digital marketing and pricing.

A lot of knowledge and experience

In the second half of the event, attendees were invited to participate in... seven workshops led by experts The areas are organized with essential themes for micro-entrepreneurs:

* Access to credit, with Edison Feghali;
* Financial Management, with Jeferson Brás;
* Artificial Intelligence applied to micro-enterprises, with Rafael Budaibes;
* Digital marketing, with Ananda Vitória;
Advantages of being a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur), with Sheila Flores;
Factors that affect pricing, with Gabriela Cruz;
* Success in entrepreneurship: knowledge and talent, with Chef Andréa Copcinski (IGA Vila Mariana).

Gabriela Lopes, micro-entrepreneur of Passionata Dolce and graduate of Business Administration from Faculdade ESEG, participated in the Digital Marketing and Pricing workshops and commented on how the content helped her understand points she was unfamiliar with or had little knowledge of.“I loved today's event., "Because it was essential for me to understand several points I still had doubts about. I currently work as a CLT employee at Johnson & Johnson, but I started my own business in parallel. So, the tips I received here were fundamental to understanding how to best leverage my business and the path I can follow," he stated.

Joana D'arc, a fourth-semester Business Administration student, explains that the Business Administration and Economics students were responsible for defining all the topics covered in the workshops, as well as selecting the panelists, establishing partnerships, and everything else related to organizing the event. "We also learned a lot from this event because we had a..." an experience very close to market reality.. "I consider it a distinguishing feature of our degree program," he emphasized.

Kaiky Dias, a 4th-semester Economics student, adds that the central idea of the event arose from understanding the need to support these micro-entrepreneurs who truly want to make a difference in the lives of the population and society. "To deliver today's event, all the support was of paramount importance." theory that we learn in the classroom”The young man emphasized.”.

The Integrative Project

Through this course, students had the opportunity to plan, experience the organization, and execute a real event aimed at an external audience. During the preparation, in addition to complementing their academic training, the students had to... To practice your negotiation, communication, creativity in problem-solving, resilience, and teamwork skills..

The coordinator of the Administration and Economics courses, Professor José Guilherme Campos, explains that the evaluation of the course took place from the planning stage to the success of the event, based on the feedback from the participating audience, just as it happens in real-world businesses. “Being a real event, all the effort would have been in vain if the practical execution hadn't been so good. This depended on the collective effort of the entire group. The result was an event with very rich content and well-organized,” the professor emphasizes.

Professor Filippe Delarissa, responsible for guiding the students in this project, says that he was able to closely follow the individual and collective development of each student, as well as the practical application of much of the content previously studied in the classroom. “It was very interesting how the students overcame the challenges of integration between the various working groups to deliver this unique project, which was the event. I am sure that…” It provided many lessons., "Besides demanding a lot of energy and dedication from everyone, this initiative made for an excellent morning. I am very proud of the classes and the semester's results," he emphasizes.

For Vitória Ribeiro, a fourth-semester Economics student, the event was challenging. Although they had already participated in other integrative projects, this time the experience was different. “In other situations, the classes were divided into independent working groups. However, in this project, each group depended on the actions of the other. So, We felt like we were actually working for a company., "...in which each area depends on the work of another area," commented the student, who added: "We had to learn to deal with people who disagree with our ideas and adapt to different realities. I take these skills with me for life and I can put them into practice in my professional experience. That's what ESEG provides to its students.".

The overall feeling among the students involved in the project was one of relief, gratitude, and a sense of accomplishment. They concluded the experience with many lessons learned and were able to put into practice all the knowledge acquired in the classroom.

This is the purpose of ESEG College, to develop the technical and behavioral skills of their students. so that they become highly skilled professionals in the job market.