Whether due to economic uncertainty, which is global, or due to changes in the market in recent years that still require adjustments, 2023 will be a year of challenges for entrepreneurs from different segments.
In technology, companies from different niches have already started internal initiatives to ensure more sales, retain talent, engage teams and seek partnerships.
Companies are investing in marketing automation, inclusion and diversity practices, strengthening governance and consolidating the flexible work model and building good networking. Get to know some of the initiatives in startups and technology companies and advice for entrepreneurs:
Planning and strategy: it is necessary to focus and concentrate on the company’s goals
In the opinion of Guilherme Reitz, CEO and co-founder of Yungas, a technology company specialized in the management and communication of large franchise networks, it is important for entrepreneurs to focus on their planning and strategies, avoiding spending time and energy with the turbulent political scenario- country’s economy.
“In turbulent and polarized times like we have been experiencing in Brazil in recent years, it is common for some entrepreneurs to wear out and make wrong and hasty decisions in the face of uncertainty”, he comments.
“The truth is that Brazil has always had numerous problems and political-economic challenges, and unfortunately this will probably not change in the short term. Entrepreneurs, especially small entrepreneurs, in my view, must channel all their energies into adapting, executing your plan, make your business grow and not let the ills of Brasilia get in the way of your focus.”
In twelve years of entrepreneurship, I learned that the important thing is to focus on strategies and goals, regardless of the political scenario”, concludes the CEO. “Ultimately, the focus on executing these plans is what will actually bring significant results to the company.”
Marketing: automation to sell more
The global scenario of recession predicted for 2023 is one of the concerns of the companies’ sales sector. In this context, André Floriano, country manager for edrone in Brazil, recommends focusing on customer retention, which requires less investment than acquiring leads.
“We see great potential in Brazilian e-commerce among SMEs and in 2023 it could be a good opportunity for these companies to use digital marketing strategies to strengthen the relationship with the consumer. The main tip for those who sell online is to know their customer and establish contact close to him. Betting on omnichannel, with sales on different channels, stimulating feedback and evaluations, creating loyalty benefits and sharing knowledge are actions that can be automated. The automation of Marketing activities, in addition to saving time and effort for the team, generates results much better than traditional practices. The cost-effectiveness is unbeatable”, suggests the country manager.
M&A: startups need to adapt governance
For Rafael Assunção, founder and Managing Partner of Questum, there should be a significant expansion in the profile of companies that seek, through the acquisition of startups, to access new business models, products and teams in 2023.
“We believe that 2023 will be a year of selective resumption of IPOs, which brings liquidity to potential buyers and opens up more M&A opportunities for startups. In addition, some regulatory changes may accelerate movements in certain segments. We highlight the Central Bank’s Open Finance agenda, which should continue to accelerate opportunities for fintechs. Along the same lines, the new regulatory framework led by the Superintendence of Private Insurance (Susep) tends to accelerate the insurtechs segment”, says the executive.
For entrepreneurs to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities, however, it is necessary to anticipate and improve aspects of corporate governance, taking the startup to a level of tax, labor and corporate practices adequate to the demands of publicly traded companies.
“From the buyers’ point of view, the biggest challenge is finding startups that have the right size and level of governance to make an operation viable. On the side of the startups, it is the construction of M&A transaction models that are capable of realizing the planned synergies”, advises Assunção who advised, together with Questum, the sales operations of the startups PagueVeloz (for Serasa Experian), Lett (for Neogrid ), Ipê Digital, Effecti and Mercos (for Nuvini), Mercadapp (for Linx) and Zipper (for CRM&BONUS).
HR: Talent retention and attraction
In the Human Resources area, the beginning of the year is an important time to define priorities and ensure that they are aligned with the company’s strategies.
In the technology sector, after a year of labor volatility, the focus of Hexagon’s Agriculture division, which develops digital solutions for the field and forest, is to build more attraction and retention actions.
According to the manager of the division’s strategic HR project, Luciano Campanha, it is first necessary to assess whether there are resources needed to carry them out and, if necessary, negotiate the budget for carrying out these actions.
“At the beginning of the year, we prepared a work plan containing all actions and planned dates for each HR area (recruitment, training, security, benefits, etc…).
This plan is discussed with the President and then, after being approved and adjusted, the projects are presented and distributed to the entire team”, he explains. He also recommends reviewing priorities at least quarterly and adjusting them whenever necessary.
In addition to attracting and retaining talent, leadership development and inclusion and diversity actions will also be the company’s focus this year.
“We seek to promote a work environment that is increasingly inclusive, welcoming and motivating for everyone. A major challenge for companies today is monitoring this new hybrid work environment (face-to-face and home office) and how to keep our organizational culture alive and the engagement of our employees in this new scenario”, he explains.
Flexibility: Consolidation of remote work and its challenges
It is already a fact that remote work is here to stay. If there was still distrust about the home office, after it proved to be efficient during the Covid-19 pandemic, this reality has changed, but it still requires adaptation by companies and employees.
According to Maria Gabriela Souza, the company’s People Business Partner, the main challenge of the remote work regime for HR is to engage teams.
“When we are not together in person, this contact of seeing the person, feeling how they are is missing. So, we need to create ways to maintain and measure engagement through tools and also ceremonies / rituals and benefits for the team”, he completes.
Networking: entrepreneurship is strengthened together
Entrepreneurship is done within an ecosystem and, therefore, in conjunction with peers from the public and private sectors and civil society. For Fabiano Dell Agnolo, executive director of Join.Valle, these partnerships guarantee important connections to develop business in the long term.
“Being in contact with other people allows the entrepreneur to understand the context of the market in which he is inserted, outline strategies for his company and make himself known to potential customers, investors and partners that help to leverage the company. It’s about keeping in touch, communicating and positioning yourself to generate relevance in the market, above all, helping with the pain of your partners and customers. The entrepreneur must know which places are strategic to be”, explains the executive.
The interaction options are many, in several different spaces: local entrepreneurship movements, events and business fairs, specific lectures on the market and acceleration programs.
Entrepreneurs need to be informed about initiatives and their program and event schedules, to actively seek connections.
Source: Press office