When you got a job to do, you got to do it well.
This narrative is about my hybrid journey in developing skills while diving deep into both the human behavior and technology worlds. I am a blend of curiosity, technical proficiency, leadership, and deep commitment.
My first professional step was diving into the editorial world as a graphic designer in 1994, on my first job at a large company named CPAD. The way I entered this company still brings me good memories. It happened like this:
I saw a book and, as an advanced Photoshop user at the time, thought, "I can do this!" So, I took a bus to the company's address, talked with a security guard who led me inside a building, and, after meeting a sequence of three people, the third was the man who shaped my executive mindset. His name is Ruy Bergstein. He got straight to the point: "What do you want?" followed by "Do you know how to do that?" and then "Come with me." He presented me with a challenge: a task no one inside the company had been able to accomplish, giving me a 24-hour timeline to demonstrate my competence. I spent all day and all night on it, only to find that I wasn't able to apply anything I thought I knew; my skills were suddenly frozen! I managed to produce something, though. It didn't work and wasn't approved in the end. However, he said to me these exact words, without looking at me: "You don't know what you think you know, but I think you can go beyond that. I could open a position that doesn't exist today, and let's see what happens. What do you think?" At that moment, I realized two things: I had a very limited time to respond, and it was a yes/no question. Thinking that "going beyond what I think I can do" was the path to take, I responded with a new question: "When do I start?" For the first time, I managed to make him stop multitasking and focus solely on our conversation. He looked straight into my eyes and said, "Tomorrow, you start at 22h." I need to pause here to highlight an important life lesson I learned: having an executive mind always means being pragmatic and assuming risks beyond average beliefs. That was the beginning of my career.
Working night shifts, from 22h to 8h, during my routine journey home, I used to cross paths with the multitude of "normal" day employees. After 10 hard months, I got promoted and became one of them. By this point, I had mastered all the workflows and tools for building books, newspapers, and any printed or digital product the company worked with. This included mastering Photoshop techniques, PageMaker, and even the printing workflow from PDFs to Speedmaster industrial printers' job queues. I mastered every step in the company's product flow, from start to delivery.
After some time, I developed a feeling of being "done" with static things and wanted to move on to the new world of web and dynamic content that was just starting for us. I then started to connect myself with folks on Flash forums to become an ActionScript master, something powerful enough that allowed me to do advanced programming and design at the same time, and for the web! That was a period of high speed and learning, when my foundations were being built. Once again, I found myself in some sort of loop, wanting to go further, but using my knowledge, which leads me to the next level.
With a dynamic career shifting from printed world to digital, now I was in the eLearning industry as a versatile developer and swiftly advancing to Engineering Manager at EduWeb, I've always been propelled by a drive for innovation and excellence. This drive was instrumental in EduWeb's ascent to the pinnacle of the Brazilian market, culminating in its evolution into Affero Lab, the largest eLearning provider in Latin America. Throughout this journey, my role expanded to encompass LMS infrastructure, coding, content development, and team leadership, laying a solid groundwork for my subsequent ventures.
In 2012, I made a pivotal shift towards mobile development, focusing on the Apple platform, while continuing to contribute to the eLearning sector on a freelance basis for notable clients. This period of dual engagement enriched my expertise and set the stage for my tenure at Enjoei and Peixe Urbano. At Peixe Urbano, I initiated and led a transformative campaign to overhaul the mobile app experience for iOS users. This endeavor not only significantly improved our product but also helped increase the app's contribution to company revenue from 30% to approximately 70%. This success paved the way for my roles as Mobile Manager and, eventually, CTO of Peixe, navigating the company through significant growth and acquisition phases.
My commitment to driving value through collaborative leadership was further demonstrated during my tenure at Delivery Much. Where my first initial challenge was solve metrics and transparency for Product and Engineering areas. My strategic realignments fostered a culture of performance and open communication. This approach restored the company's trajectory towards product innovation and operational efficiency.
Additionally, my entrepreneurial spirit led me to co-found QRTraining, where I spearheaded technology development, showcasing my ability to innovate and scale solutions in competitive markets.
After Peixe, I joined Singu as CTO, skillfully guiding the company through a critical transition culminating in its acquisition by Natura. This experience underscored my expertise in aligning product and engineering visions with broader business objectives, ensuring seamless integration and value creation.
In 2022, facing my daughter’s health challenge, I momentarily stepped back to support her, showcasing my ability to balance professional responsibilities with personal commitments. This episode not only strengthened my resilience but also deepened my appreciation for life’s priorities.
Recently, starting early in 2023, my passion for Artificial Intelligence has led me to engage with cutting-edge technologies, including OpenAI's GPTs, and to develop AI-driven solutions that enhance user engagement and operational efficiency. This endeavor is not only a testament to my continuous learning ethos but also positions me at the forefront of technological innovation.
As a humanitarian and technologist, my contributions extend beyond the professional sphere. My involvement in WinEver, an AI Coach for League of Legends players, and the development of an AI-powered assistant to support children affected by leukemia, illustrate my commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit.
In summary, my career is characterized by a blend of technical proficiency leadership, and a deep commitment to societal impact, making me a valuable asset to any organization poised for transformative growth.
