Entrepreneur Priscila Baltar, responsible for MultVeg, a company that produces and sells plant-based products, lactose-free, gluten-free and sugar-free options, was the big winner of the Entrepreneur Network Pitch Day. She had just three minutes to present her business and another five to answer questions from the evaluators. With her win, Priscila will be entitled to consultancy with Business and People developer Daniel Costa.

The performance of those registered to take part in the Pitch was assessed by the Moinho's brand manager, Carmen Calheiros, digital marketing strategist Ciane Lopes, entrepreneur Diego Brugiolo, financial consultant Sávio Souza and Nexa Resources' environmental coordinator, Fernanda Amaral. The judges took into account the following criteria: innovation, social contribution, resourcefulness, clarity in the project and commitment to the proposed activities.

Priscila explains that she didn't expect to be the winner, as the competition was fierce. But she says that the recognition and the award came at a good time. " Moinho has always set out to help the community, and I've felt part of this project since the beginning. This award gives me a sense of accomplishment and I'm going to make the most of this consultancy. I'm sure it will open my mind to things I might not be seeing," says the winner.

 

 

In addition to Priscila, six other entrepreneurs took the opportunity to present their businesses and products. They were: the strategic design of brands and packaging, Rafael Lourenço Luz; Roberta Tertolino, who produces closed terrariums and mini-gardens; the sisters Sulamita Furtado and Ana Clara Furtado, who create and produce accessories and semi-jewelry; Juliana Fonseca, who works in the area of school tutoring; Danilo Oliveira, better known as DJ Kalango, and Carolina Monaquezi, from Poá Costura Criativa, who produces necessaires, wallets and purses.

 

Sharing good times

 

As the aim of the Entrepreneurial Network is also to share good ideas, in addition to the Pitch, the last meeting of the year featured a presentation by consultant Daniel Costa. He talked about the importance of meeting and interacting with other entrepreneurs and stressed how essential it is to know how to talk about your own business and products.

"You need to carry around your company card and tell everyone about it, because you never know when there will be an opportunity to come face-to-face with someone who can change your business," advised the consultant. Wallace Lucas, an audio engineer and music producer, told his story to further inspire and encourage the Network's entrepreneurs.

At the beginning of the pandemic, he said he found himself lost, as his area came to a complete standstill. In the third month of the quarantine, a word that, according to him, fooled many people, the engineer turned the difficulty into an opportunity.

"I did a bit of research into what might happen, and saw that the audio market wouldn't go very far during the pandemic, but the audiovisual market was all people would need. I bought a minimum of video equipment and two one-off courses, as I couldn't afford to spend too much. I already had prior knowledge of video and, with a lot of strength, will and assertiveness, I started to get people involved. I talked to a friend about the possibility of setting up a studio for not only musical but also corporate lives. So we created Estúdio 19 and held memorable events for large companies. The networking we did during this period was super important," said Wallace.

The Entrepreneurial Network Journey will resume in 2023 with many new features to stimulate and empower entrepreneurs even more. "This meeting marks the end of the first journey, which was a process of much growth, exchange and construction. I often say that acting as a network heals people and speeds up development and growth processes," celebrates Moinho's Community Manager, André Noronha, who is very satisfied with the results achieved in 2022.