By Ronaldo Goulart
The journey that began with selling peanut candies at a traffic light reveals principles applicable to any business: constant action, data analysis, focus on relationships, and a long-term vision.
Entrepreneurship is rarely a comfortable endeavor. In my case, the starting point was simple and straightforward. R$230 in my pocket, a package of peanut candies, and the decision to no longer depend on financial help from my family or wait for the ideal opportunity to appear. Faced with necessity, two clear options emerge: complain or sell. I chose to sell.
The experience of selling at the traffic light was neither improvisation nor desperation. It was a rational decision. The environment offered a high flow of people, direct contact with real objections, and immediate feedback. Within a few days, a basic rule of any commercial operation became clear: those who don’t show up aren’t remembered. Movement generates visibility, and visibility generates opportunity.
This initial learning brought a central insight into consumer behavior. People don’t just buy products. They buy context, intention, and trust. When selling a peanut candy, the value was less in the product itself and more in the story presented. When the customer understands the purpose of the offer, the price ceases to be the main decision factor. Clarity of purpose is one of the foundations of sustainable sales.
Another fundamental pillar is the willingness to do what most people avoid. The routine included sun, rain, and a constant sequence of rejections. Each “no” served as raw data. Adjustments in approach, tone of voice, narrative, and presentation arose from this continuous observation of public behavior. Efficient selling is born from systematic observation and rapid adaptation.
It was this state of constant action that generated the first formal opportunity. Still during the traffic light period, I received an invitation to work as a salesperson in an electronics store. The opportunity didn’t come through a resume or a traditional recommendation, but through the practical demonstration of attitude and resilience. In sales, being in motion significantly increases the probability of new doors opening. In retail, the sales counter served as advanced training. The role extended beyond simply being a salesperson; the mindset was that of a business owner. Extended hours, after-sales service, analysis of product turnover, and detailed observation of customer objections became part of the routine. Over time, it became clear that mastering sales requires an integrated understanding of operations, logistics, service, and finance.
The transition to owning a business was a direct consequence of this accumulated learning. The operation started lean, with the entrepreneur assuming multiple roles, from purchasing to customer service, from delivery to financial control. Growth came with long hours and decisions made without guarantees. The months of high revenue that attract attention today don’t reveal the process of building the business behind the numbers.
The skills developed at the beginning remained the competitive advantage: constant presence, personalized service, building trust, and focusing on long-term relationships. Profit came to be understood as a means, not an end. It sustains growth, but it doesn’t define the purpose of the business on its own.
Currently, the operation in the electronics sector has consolidated its position as a benchmark in Curitiba and, during periods of peak performance, reaches monthly revenues of nearly R$ 1 million. Even so, the strategy remains anchored in the same logic as the beginning: structured growth, market expansion, and, at the same time, preserving the execution-oriented mindset, close customer relationships, and continuous market analysis.
The main lesson from this journey is clear: You don’t need to wait for the ideal scenario to start. Strategic clarity emerges with practice. Values are non-negotiable; ethics and consistency remain valuable business assets. And, above all, businesses thrive when there is continuous action. What many call luck is, in practice, often the result of repeated action, constant adjustment, and well-executed sales.
