For a long time, I believed that entrepreneurship was synonymous with financial freedom.
That success lay in the numbers, in achieving goals, in accelerated growth.
And, of course, all of that has its value.
Financial results are important; after all, they sustain the dream, give the project momentum, and open up new possibilities.
But over time, I realized that the true meaning of entrepreneurship lies not only in what you achieve, but in why you choose to achieve it.
Money is good fuel, but a terrible destination. It motivates you at the beginning, but it doesn’t sustain the journey. Because after the goal is reached, what makes you continue?
It was this question that led me to see entrepreneurship in a different way.
When I founded SEDA, the initial motivation was practical: to create a real opportunity for those who, like me, wanted to live an experience outside of Brazil and learn English in an accessible way.
But over time, I realized that what truly motivated me wasn’t the business itself, but rather the impact it had on people’s lives.
Entrepreneurship with purpose means understanding that financial success is a consequence, not an objective. It’s when the “why” comes before the “how much.”
It’s knowing that the product or service you offer needs to solve a real problem, transform lives, and generate value.
And this requires sensitivity to see what people truly need, not just what the market is demanding.
Throughout my journey, I’ve seen many brilliant entrepreneurs give up not for lack of results, but for lack of meaning.
When purpose is lost, work becomes a burden. When purpose is clear, even difficult days gain meaning.
It’s what keeps you standing when things don’t go as planned, and what reminds you why it’s worth continuing to try.
Today, I understand that entrepreneurship is an act of service. It’s using your skills, your vision, and your energy to build something that goes beyond yourself.
It’s about contributing to something bigger, whether in people’s lives, in the community, or in the world.
And when that happens, financial success ceases to be the end of the journey and becomes just one of its fruits.
Purpose is what gives soul to the business. It’s what gives the company an identity, the brand a voice, and the work meaning.
And it’s also what transforms the entrepreneur into someone better, more conscious, more mature, more human.
In the end, entrepreneurship isn’t about earning more, it’s about making more value.
It’s about creating something that endures, even when the numbers change.
Because money fades. Impact doesn’t.
