“The greatest successes come from having the freedom to fail.”
Reading this quote from the speech of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg reminded me of a text I wrote about not being afraid to make mistakes. Today, in a completely different situation from when I wrote that text, I still fully agree with that thought of mine.
Very briefly, I will tell my story: in 2012, I created an innovative business in Brazil, and in its early years, I achieved incredible growth and results. I started with no money, no planning, and most importantly, no fear of making mistakes. Like any novelty in the market, my business was quickly replicated in several cities across Brazil, and I, who started with less than 5,000 reais and had never obtained any major investment, was unable to keep up with all the competitors that emerged in the market by 2016.
In 2016, an opportunity arose that seemed incredible to many young entrepreneurs. A venture capital firm discovered us and showed us possibilities that, until then, we had not imagined possible for a company born in Florianópolis. To be the largest in Brazil? To replicate the business abroad? Yes, these and other opportunities came up in conversations. And for a moment, I strayed from what I had always believed in, what I had always sought—something that had nothing to do with money or power, but rather with a purpose.
Without going into too much detail about this chapter in the history of my recently former company, things did not go exactly as we had hoped, and for the first time, I found myself in a situation I had not experienced in five years: a moment of failure. In 2017, a new opportunity arose: selling the company. Something I had never even considered until just a few months prior, after all, for many years my time and my heart had been practically dedicated to this.
Decision made: we are going to sell the company. In the eyes of some, this shows weakness, and for a while I thought I shouldn't give up, but when I realized it, I wasn't giving up; I was making an important decision to close a chapter. That was when I was sure. My love for the company was no longer the same, and my motivation to continue being the leader I had to be for so long was waning. Therefore, the decision to have new managers take over was important for me and for the company.
Entrepreneurship is this: having the courage to start something, the strength to face the many stumbles along the way—and there will be many, you can be sure of that—and a lot of love for what you are building. If that love ends, do not be afraid; it happens. You either find a way to learn to love it again or move on to a new love.
Reading time: 2 minutes
