Xandão is a young entrepreneur who participated in the “Jovem Empreendedor” Workshop of the PROFOR Incubation Program, with experts in business management and personal development.
“In five years I see myself with my own company, better organized, and maybe I’ll even have time to teach others how to produce my product” Alexandrino de Freitas, 26, is putting some plans in place for his future, supported by the Profor program for community businesses in Brazil. Those who meet him today can see his enthusiasm, despite the daily challenges he faces living in a rural settlement in Chorozinho, in the Ceará countryside. “Xandão” (as his friends call him) is the grandson and son of farmers and thanks to an agriculture course he discovered a plant, typical of the region, that gives a flour rich in nutrients. He did research and started producing it during the course, carrying out the entire process, from extraction to drying to selling to customers. The young entrepreneur then had the opportunity to participate in the PROFOR Workshop in his region and from that moment he understood the importance of structuring his company in a more orderly manner, from financial management to that of production processes. “Financial management it wasn’t for me – he jokes – but in this workshop I learned how to properly calculate costs, sales prices and how to keep track of income and expenses.” But beyond the practical teaching, Xandão also found a synergy between social impact entrepreneurship, promoted by the EoC – Economy of Communion, and his values. “For me, entrepreneurship is not just a question of money and this training confirms it. Entrepreneurship is knowing how to look at people’s needs and believe that it is still possible to have a better society. Money for me is a tool of work, it is not the center of my life, it serves to satisfy needs. What matters is my health, my courage and the willingness to help others.” Today, Xandão is looking for start-up capital for his business, to have more stability and its own space to open up to trade, going beyond current customers, expanding internationally through cooperatives. “I have a great product and thanks to this workshop, I was able to understand that I have a gold mine in my hands, both financial and social. With my work and my business, I can contribute to giving work to others and that means improving their lifestyle, their health, their diet and their general well-being” Article published in: https://www.anpecom.com.br/xandao-um-jovem-empreendedor-social-do-interior-do-ceara/ and in Italian in “Amu Notizie” – n° 3-4 2019
