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Female Business: The Challenges Small Entrepreneurs Faced During Covid

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter.

Giving up a formal job to set up a business can be hard and challenging. During the pandemic, some people became entrepreneurs and others who already were in the business needed to fit into a different scenario. 

Amanda Borges, 25, has been an entrepreneur since she was fifteen. She started selling muffins and cupcakes at school but now she’s CEO of the travel agency FLY&co. “I undertook for real after I made a trip. I was working for a travel agency and it was a short eurotrip. I traveled thinking like a customer and writing down things that I would resolve if I had my own travel agency. I arrived in Brazil with a business idea, so, at 22 years old, I opened it”.

Due to the pandemic, people started using more the Internet to work or just to not get bored. According to ITU data, the official source for global ICT statistics, in 2020 Internet users grew by 10,2 percent. Thus, having a business account on social media and on the Internet is very important to be a successful entrepreneur, explains Amanda. “The pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation very intensely. An entrepreneur today has to be aware that their business has to be completely integrated with the Internet.”

Entrepreneurs need to know their public to have a more successful business, says Borges, who has an account on Instagram and a consultancy where she helps these people. “By studying your audience properly, knowing where your audience is, being in the same place as your audience, speaking their language, the chances of successful communication are much greater”, she explains.

In the beginning, it’s challenging to know how to manage everything. Over time the difficulties can be others. “In the beginning, it was hard to balance my finances. The problems that appear now are even more bureaucratic, but I already have a greater awareness of the business that gives me who to look for and where to look.” 

People start to undertake for many causes. To some of them, it’s because of necessity, but they may not have time to study how to administer it. “Entrepreneurs by necessity end up making basic mistakes due to lack of training, opportunity or time to learn before putting the business to work. Many people had to undertake so quickly that they did not have time to stop and study”, explains the business woman.

Therefore, the owner of FLY&co taught some essential tips for those who are setting up a business. “In the beginning, you have to know the answers to 3 questions: why do I want to undertake, what do I want to undertake (what product) and for whom do I want to undertake.” For her, entrepreneurs need to be aware that sometimes it will be hard. “Who starts in the pandemic will know that the market is not easy. And that from time to time an undermine will happen. Having an entrepreneurial mindset is very important, but having a down-to-earth entrepreneur is also fundamental”.

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The article above was edited by Giovana Lins Barbosa.

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Camilla Guerreiro

Casper Libero '24

Camilla is studying Journalism at Cásper Líbero. She is passionate about books, series, music and traveling.