Join us as we get together with a fantastic group of startup founders to talk all things entrepreneurial. Biraj Nakarja, our host, guides us through the lively conversation, along with co-hosts Tijana Momirov and Pedro Guimaraes.
We open up this hour-long session by welcoming Fabio Rodrigues. He is a founding partner and CEO of U5 Marketing and the author of the book Na Dúvida Não Empreenda. Let’s dive right into the heart of the discussion.
Meet Fabio Rodrigues
Prior to founding the U5 Marketing agency, Fabio was a senior executive at Microsoft and Nokia. “I always had a dream of becoming an entrepreneur,” proclaims Fabio with passion.
Where he grew up in Brazil, everyone was raised to be an employee and work for another company. But he always felt that his purpose reached far beyond the norm of his home city- even in youth.
Starting Early
Fabio harnessed his entrepreneurial spirit at a very young age. Which, in hindsight, kept fuel on the fire to propel him into the success he has achieved to this very day. At age ten, Fabio was selling candies at school. By age fifteen, he was hosting parties in his mom’s yard to make money.
So, he had the vein of entrepreneurship within him without even realizing it. But, as Fabio says, it was still far from his ultimate ideation of being an entrepreneur. We all have to start somewhere.
It’s interesting how an individual can be overflowing with an entrepreneurial spirit, yet they remain almost blind to it until something awakens within them.
The Road to Success
If Fabio wants to stress anything, it is that the road to success is not an easy one. Many people would ask him, “Are you rich already?” while he served a Director position- even before founding his own company. They were focused on the potential earnings rather than what it takes to sit in that role.
“What I miss most about being an employee is 'out of office'", laughs Fabio. He implies that as a C-Suite professional or business owner, there is no such thing as taking off for holidays or leaving things up to your boss to handle. You are the boss.
There is a whole realm of responsibilities that one must adhere to. Sitting in a high-level position, especially as a business owner, is not all fun and games. However, the reward can be worth the time and energy spent when you see the fruits of your labour and hard work come to life.
Listen to the Full Episode
Our mission is all about sharing unique experiences from startup founders across the globe. As a solopreneur, investor, or business professional, information and expertise are the two components that can push a venture forward. So, we encourage you to listen along to the podcast and soak up its wealth of knowledge for yourself.
P.S. Don’t miss out on the book for all startups! You can get Fabio Rodrigues’ book by clicking here.