ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS DIFFERENT FROM MANAGEMENT

I know many people who have money and spend their time following people who promise to help them start a business.

There's someone in my neighborhood who opened a gourmet bakery. He bought the best meat slicer, the best industrial kitchen equipment, built an excellent setup for cold cuts and beverages, and hired a great chef. In total, he invested more than half a million Brazilian reais.

He followed the advice of his consultants, people who had already helped other businesses succeed. But there's one detail: many of these consultants make their money precisely by providing consulting services, while the investor is the one taking the risk of putting everything into practice.

Most businesses need time to mature. There are rent payments, installments, employees, suppliers, taxes, and countless other expenses that don't wait for the business to start making a profit. Sometimes it takes three or four years to achieve financial stability.

But is every investor prepared for that?

My acquaintance's bakery didn't even last six months.

The problem is that many people believe that having money to invest and experienced professionals on their side means they already have everything they need to become entrepreneurs. Then, when things go wrong, they blame the government, the economy, or anything else, without necessarily examining their own decisions.

And I'm not saying the government has no responsibility or that every consultant is bad. I'm saying there's an enormous difference between knowing about businesses that have succeeded and understanding the reality of someone who is putting their own money at risk.

Money can't buy the daily routine of running a business. It can't buy the experience of dealing with everyday problems, the patience to wait for results, or the ability to make difficult decisions when things don't go according to plan.

And sometimes these people even consider themselves smarter than everyone else.

When I talk about selling a car or some other asset that's just sitting around, I'm talking about being aware of what we own, what we need, and where we want to go. It's about understanding that an asset can also represent money tied up in something, and that, depending on the circumstances, letting it go may make more sense than continuing to hold on to something that doesn't contribute to our goals.

You have to be realistic. Think with your brain, not your liver.

I'm doing this myself. But I know where I want to go, and I'm trying to make decisions that are consistent with that goal. I'm not simply getting rid of things because I need money or because someone told me I should. I'm evaluating what makes sense for my reality and the path I've chosen.

That's precisely where the difference lies.

No consultant, coach, or specialist can make these decisions for you. They can teach, guide, and present possible paths, but they don't live your daily routine, they don't know all your limitations, and they won't face the consequences of your choices on your behalf.

Theory can teach you how to start a business. But reality will show you whether you know how to keep it running.

And you don't learn that simply by listening to people who have already succeeded. You learn by understanding your own circumstances, knowing your limitations, making conscious choices, and having the patience to build something without confusing investment with a guarantee of results.

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