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Article published  at the Boca Raton Tribune

By Carlo Barbieri

 The Consulate General of Brazil in Miami, in partnership with the Florida Citizens’ Council and other entities, has just launched the “How to Take on Florida” Guide, and it’s a must-read for members of the business community.

Ambassador Adalnio Senna Ganem and other authorities spoke about the content and importance of this new reference manual at PIB First Brazilian Church Florida event Feb. 16 at the First Baptist Church in Pompano Beach.

The Guide is a free informational tool aimed at helping the small- and medium-sized Brazilian entrepreneur do business in Florida. I was particularly impressed by how extremely useful it was to be able to see some significant facts about Brazil’s relationship with Florida. It is a very detailed publication that is sure to help the Brazilian business community in Florida, creating more jobs and bring more business to the Sunshine State.

The Guide also shows the importance government attaches to this relationship between the state of Florida and the nation of Brazil.

Ambassador Adalnio Senna Ganem did a wonderful job leading the event. It’s important to point out that he has met many times with officials from the state of Florida, including the governor and representatives of universities, business entities and the cultural community, to enhance and strengthen the relationship between Florida and Brazil.

 Another significant point was the fact that this work and the entire event had been coordinated by the Council General of Brazil in the State of Florida, which is composed of the main leaders of the Brazilian community who advise the Consul General about what to discuss and how to obtain results from meetings with members of the Brazilian community.

 The event, which brought together some 400 businessmen and professionals, was the largest ever conducted by the business community in the state of Florida. It was an excellent platform for demonstrating the good things that can be done and the progress that can be made when Florida has the support of the Brazilian business community within the state.

 For me it is an honor as the President of Oxford Group, the largest Brazilian consulting firm in the United States, and the coordinator of the Entrepreneurship Council of Citizens be helpful in the event.

I felt it was important to point out that there are about 30,000 Brazilian companies in Florida, firms such as Embraer, Cutrale, Taurus and Bunch of Brazil, among others. In addition, Brazil is significantly involved in many American companies, including Burger King, Budweiser, Heinz and thousands of small diversified firms in almost all business sectors.

Representatives from the Small Business Administration (SBA), Heather Hines, and its Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), George Gadson, explained how these important entities could help the development of enterprises and businesses.

The SBA is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission is “to maintain and strengthen the nation’s economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses and by assisting in the economic recovery of communities after disasters.” The agency’s activities are summarized as the “3 C’s” of capital, contracts and counseling.

Small Business Development Centers provide assistance to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the United States and its territories.

Exposure to this information provided necessary data for improving integration of material within the community that will provide greater growth of Brazilian companies in the state of Florida.

Following the event, hundreds of Brazilian entrepreneurs could relate better among themselves and develop initial contacts with companies and American businessmen which surely will be mutually interesting and productive, leading to the generation of more jobs in the state and more profit for these companies.

For those who didn’t have the opportunity to receive a guide. Please click here to read the guide in Portuguese : Como empreender na Florida 

Following are a few pictures of the event.