Over time, I’ve learned that entrepreneurship isn’t just about strategy, innovation, or courage; it’s about emotional balance.
With each challenge, I realize that the true test of an entrepreneur isn’t in the market, the competitors, or external conditions, but in how they react to what they can’t control.
Emotional intelligence, for me, is what truly separates those who survive from those who get lost along the way.
When I decided to start a business outside of Brazil, I imagined the biggest obstacles would be technical: understanding the language, the laws, how the system worked.
And, of course, all of that was a challenge.
But what demanded the most preparation from me wasn’t outside; it was inside. It was dealing with the loneliness of decisions, the fear of making mistakes, the responsibility of leading even when I didn’t have all the answers.
I learned that the success of a business is directly linked to the leader’s ability to remain calm in chaos.
Emotional intelligence is what allows us to move forward when the plan changes. It’s what prevents the ego from making decisions that should come from reason.
It’s what helps to recognize mistakes without being paralyzed by guilt.
And, above all, it’s what keeps empathy alive, because without it, leadership becomes just control, not inspiration.
Throughout my journey at SEDA, I learned that leading is not about knowing everything, it’s about knowing how to deal with everything. It’s understanding that you don’t control people’s behavior, but you control how you react to it.
That it won’t always be possible to please everyone, and that, often, silence is wiser than an immediate response.
Emotional intelligence is the art of acting consciously, not impulsively.
I also realized that the fastest-growing companies are those guided by emotionally mature leaders.
Because these are the leaders who create environments of trust, where people feel safe to make mistakes, suggest, disagree, and evolve.
An emotionally balanced team is born from leadership that sets an example and shows that vulnerability and strength can coexist.
In the end, emotional intelligence isn’t an extra skill; it’s the core of everything.
It’s what keeps you standing when results are slow in coming, what helps you celebrate with humility when things go right, and what teaches you to keep learning when things go wrong.
Today, I believe that entrepreneurship is, above all, an exercise in self-knowledge.
Because the world changes, businesses change, but those who don’t learn to manage their own emotions will hardly be able to lead those of others.
And that’s why, for me, emotional intelligence isn’t just a skill; it’s the foundation of any building that intends to last.
