#HerImpact: It Starts With Education
Endeavor Entrepreneur and Fortbrasil Founder Juliana Freitas works to educate and encourage other women to pursue entrepreneurship
Endeavor’s #HerImpact series is part of our ongoing commitment to increase gender diversity within the Endeavor network. #HerImpact is devoted to elevating the voices, sharing the perspectives, and showcasing the professional expertise of women in Endeavor’s global network. Learn more about how you can get involved with Women in High Impact Entrepreneurship at Endeavor here: endeavor.org/whie
The scene plays out in many conference tables across the globe. Out of a group of 10 executives debating a major business decision, only two women sit in chairs and take part in the conversation. During a recent meeting, Juliana Freitas, CEO of Fortbrasil — company that offers financial products to middle and lower income levels individuals— was an integral part of this scenario. And from what this Endeavor Entrepreneur sees in the meetings she attends, the number of women in leadership roles hasn’t been growing as it should.
In Juliana’s experience, the hostile environment and lack of empowerment has discouraged women from occupying leadership roles and, as a result, becoming business owners.
“We have to start educating children in a different way,” she said, reflecting on trends she has seen in Brazil. “Families have a key role: if you have a son and daughter and you tell the girl that she needs to get married, and the boy that he needs to run a business, the girl won’t have the same dream of engaging in entrepreneurial activity,” she explains.
When it comes to Juliana’s trajectory, she is the exception to her own rule. She holds the leadership position, though she runs Fortbrasil alongside her brother, Marcelo Filho, and partner, José Neto.
Encouragement Comes with Effective Parenting
Juliana was inspired by her grandmother’s restless go-getter and entrepreneurial spirit, which inspired her to see a future of leadership in the business world. Her grandmother made haute couture wedding dresses and was forced to raise her children by herself when she became a widow.
She rolled up her sleeves, built her own house and provided her children with the opportunity to grow.
Even at 90 years old, she still visited communities in her region in order to volunteer in social work. Such a real-life, tangible role model in Juliana’s day-to-day made her realize the meaning of empowerment.
The myth that it is impossible to balance one’s personal and professional life, in Juliana’s point of view, discourages many women from pursuing higher positions within an organization. This balance between both universes is no easy feat, she confesses. Especially when you take on a role of responsibility where breaks or free time are luxury items. Given the responsibilities that Juliana has today as CEO, even when she is taking time off from the company, ideas, decisions and concerns follow her everywhere she goes. It’s part of the game.
“It’s crucial to have the support of the people who are by your side. Entrepreneurial life is a 24/7 job. You end up carrying your problems everywhere you go and, during those times, family is key to ensure a daily balance.”
Growing, and Helping Others Grow with You
To Juliana, one of the greatest challenges she faces as a women in leadership is to know what and when to delegate. The entrepreneur has to be present, train the team and, above all, make room for mistakes. Many entrepreneurs will not distribute tasks because they believe they can do a better job and never want something to go wrong.
“If you want to do everything, you’ll never do anything,” warns Juliana.
When the company is smaller, entrepreneurs concern themselves with product acceptance. Now, in the fastest growing stage, the challenge relies on management, culture and other less tactical concerns that link the strategy to the big dream. To that effect, leaders at the helm of a business need to form entrepreneurial teams. They need to focus on developing partnerships to lead with people who are trying to achieve the same dream together.
Female Leadership and Culture of Equality
In her journey of building a team she could rely on, Juliana maintains that what has made her the happiest is finding her “right hand women.”
“I feel like it is my job to empower women so that they feel capable and encouraged to take on leadership roles within the company,” she said. “Our work is an exchange. I inspire them and they inspire me. Today, I am proud to say that 60% of the leaders at Fortbrasil are women.”
This mindset ends up making some standards more flexible and leads to a revision of work relations. When it comes to maternity, for example, Juliana believes it is necessary to find new ways to keep female professionals engaged. For instance, an employee who just had a baby is pioneering the first full-time home office experience in Fortbrasil.
“We don’t want to lose her because she is a key member of the team, so we monitor her development remotely and she takes part in weekly meetings,” said Juliana.
But her concern with employees is not restricted to women. In order to create an egalitarian culture, there are no policies that are specific to women — this is a natural part of the care that leaders have with the well-being and life of each member of the team, male or female. For example, Fortbrasil’s business manager, who is also a father, felt the need to reconnect with his daughter. The company allows him the flexibility to take one day a week off from work to spend quality time with his family and cultivate the bonds of fatherhood.
These stories illustrate what Juliana believes to be one of the company’s most latent values: respect for human beings, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
“In order for people to be happy, it is very important for them to feel free at the workplace, to be who they really are,” she said. “At Fortbrasil, we dream big and that’s why it’s so important for us to share in an environment where we can be free.”
Empowerment Goes Beyond
When Juliana thinks about her legacy as an entrepreneur and the biography she is writing every day, she is proud to say that she works to empower not only her female employees, but also her clients.
“Currently, 70% of our clients are middle and low income women. We are empowering these female customers through the credit solutions we offer so that they may have financial independence.”
