Maria Inês runs an art gallery and event space in her own apartment, is a co-founder of a networking group for entrepreneurs, and coordinates a Facebook page aimed at mothers with adult children who have already left home, what we call empty nesters in English.
Simone is a writer, Marketing & Success mentor, and co-leader of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Committee of the Grupo Mulheres do Brasil, New York chapter.
Priscilla is an architect specialized in interior design, bringing Brazilian style to homes she decorates in various countries.
What do these three businesswomen, who operate in different fields, have in common besides being Brazilian?
Maria Inês Moraes
apArt Gallery
http://apartprivategallery.com/newyork
Maria Inês is a multi-talented professional with an unconventional career path. Graduated in Chemistry in Brazil, shortly after graduation, she decided to spend a year traveling across the United States. That’s when she fell in love with the country and found her calling in the hospitality industry.
Determined to achieve her dreams, she settled in New York and sought a job that motivated her, working in education and participating in various philanthropic activities. Always managing work and family, after seeing her children graduate, the need for a new challenge arose, leading to the idea of opening an art gallery in her own home.
Attentive to opportunities, Maria Inês met in São Paulo the entrepreneur Thais Marin, owner of the Apart Gallery in São Paulo, a business branch very similar to what she had envisioned. In no time, they became partners, and Maria Inês inaugurated the apArt gallery in her apartment in New York.
Ready for the challenge, the gallery’s opening was marked by music shows, fashion shows, photo sessions for Vogue magazine, and, of course, exhibitions of various contemporary artists.
Believing in the importance of corporate philanthropy, part of the gallery’s revenue is redirected to her foundation, Da Terra, in Brazil, which provides assistance to the elderly and people with disabilities.
“I have always felt inspired by the women living in underprivileged communities. They are strong women who work hard to meet their families’ needs. Many are single mothers; they are incredible and true entrepreneurs without even realizing it,” says Maria Inês.
Her most recent venture, the Global Networking Empire group, was created to connect professionals from various fields through events and social gatherings.
For Maria Inês, the greatest source of inspiration is being able to help women invest in their dreams, even when their realization seems like an impossible mission. “While many women in Brazil struggle to survive, they carry passions and great entrepreneurial potential.” Maria supports these women by boosting their self-confidence: “When you want something, and you want your business to succeed, you have to create courage and start working,” she concludes.
Simone Mitjans
Grupo Mulheres do Brasil
www.grupomulheresdobrasil.org.br
If someone finds themselves confused or paralyzed in trying to start their own business, Simone is the ideal person to turn to. A writer, mentor, and business consultant, Simone knows the difficulties women face in this field. Trying to balance dedication to family and work, Simone found in entrepreneurship the possibility of caring for her family while being her own boss. “I always knew I wanted to follow my dreams,” she says.
While trying to balance the launch of her business with family life, Simone was invited to meet the Grupo Mulheres do Brasil (GMB), created by entrepreneur Luiza Trajano, president of Magazine Luiza S/A, to support Brazilian women worldwide. For Simone, the organization filled the need to connect with other women while also being able to help her community.
Founded in 2014 in São Paulo, GMB is now represented in 19 countries. In New York, the group has nine committees: Combating Violence Against Women, Communication, Culture and Art, Education, Entrepreneurship, Events, Immigrant Insertion, Public Policies, and Health.
As co-leader of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Committee in New York, Simone provides assistance to women by creating a networking network composed of Brazilian professionals, supporting small business initiatives and offering mentoring services.
For her, the recipe for the committee’s success lies in identifying and supporting existing projects and foundations in Brazilian communities: “We are not going to reinvent the wheel,” she concludes.
As a mentor for new businesses, Simone gives her advice: “Do your homework, prepare yourself, study the market, and talk to people who have experience in your area. Luck doesn’t hurt, of course, but preparation becomes an essential tool for facing the difficulties of launching a new business.”
Priscilla Rossetti
Rossetti Design
@Rossettidesignnyc
Graduated in Architecture, Priscilla has had a special interest in decoration since an early age. After several specialization courses in New York, she identified a need in the American market for decoration professionals who offered a clean and contemporary style: “Rosetti Design was created to serve the Brazilian community living in New York and surrounding areas. Many clients sought us to redecorate their homes. Our focus was to bring the warmth, personality, and contemporaneity of Brazilian style, incorporating the characteristics of each state, so they would feel at home, even while away.”
Priscilla served most clients in person and used online services only for clients in Brazil and Portugal: “My first international client was the owner of a restaurant in Manhattan who liked my work and invited me to decorate his house in Portugal. Our online service began to develop from there.”
With the pandemic, Rosetti Design’s online service became the flagship, attracting new clients interested in adapting their spaces to accommodate family activities, which, with quarantine, began to work and study from home: “Online work requires greater client participation, who needs to clearly explain their needs, goals, and follow the step-by-step development of the project.”
Priscilla believes that changes are here to stay and that adaptations in workspaces and the possibility of working from home offer her an advantage and the chance for a balanced life.
The biggest challenge she faces is the language, which can often hinder communication with clients or suppliers. As an immigrant, she emphasizes the importance of investing in education and training. She suggests courses offered at the New York Art Institute. She also highlights the importance of staying up to date with new trends and stimulating creativity. To do this, she recommends visits to galleries, fairs, and museums.
All three businesswomen share a common trait: flexibility to adapt to the needs of the moment; a keen eye for the opportunities that arise; and the courage to create space for women to expand their businesses and creative projects in a world full of challenges.
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ILANA LIPSZTEIN
Journalist & Entrepreneur
ilevents2@aol.com
Instagram: @ilana_wip