Recent edition of the Multi Sector Fair, held in Mariana, features discussions on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation

Entrepreneurs had the opportunity to exchange experiences and attend lectures and discussions on the latest topics in the world of entrepreneurship

The 12th edition of the Multisector Fair of Mariana – MultiSet 2017, which took place between November 30 and December 2, has positioned itself as a showcase for entrepreneurs from Mariana. There were three days of business roundtables, technical and motivational lectures, courses and trainings, as well as cultural attractions, with diversified programming. In total, 40 exhibitors participated in the fair, organized by the Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural Association of Mariana (ACIAM) / Chamber of Shopkeepers (CDL-Mariana).

On the first day of the event, the former volleyball player, Tande, presented the lecture “Life is a game”. With clear and motivating analogies, he showed that dedication, perseverance, and discipline are keywords for achieving dreams. “There are people who want to be the best in their street, in their town, in the state. Since I was seven years old, I wanted to be one of the best in the world. When you really want it and you do it from the heart, you succeed,” he said.

The mayor of Mariana, Duarte Junior, who attended the opening ceremony of the event on Thursday (30/11), highlighted the importance of the fair for the strengthening of the local economy. “I’m happy to see how entrepreneurs who have gone through extremely difficult times have overcome the crisis, reinventing themselves day by day. A fair like this shows that our businessmen believe that it is time for a change,” he points out.

For entrepreneur Adilaine Melo, promoter of Cachaça Temperada de Minas, the 2017 MultiSet Fair generated more than profit: it meant an opportunity to take the product abroad. “It was great, especially because of the visibility we had. The stand was busy during all three days. We managed to reach the goal, which was to reach wholesale customers and we even received an invitation to take our cachaça to events in Paris and Portugal. Such an opportunity for a new business “, says Adilaine excitedly, emphasizing that the cachaça was launched only six months ago.

The Fair also gave local entrepreneurs the opportunity to gain access to the knowledge and positioning that are guiding the current corporate world. Hugo Bethelem, head of Conscious Capitalism Brazil (CCB), reaffirmed the importance of putting the purpose above the result, the profit. “To undertake with purpose requires passion, to do the thing you love. It is knowing that what I am producing will generate wealth, which is different from profit. It is knowing that your product benefits those who work with you, your suppliers, the customer,” he explained.

Owner of the restaurant “Minas de Hoje”, Andréa Calazans is an example of perseverance. She presented her story during the fair: “My dream, since I was little, was to have my own business. The thing I most enjoy doing is cooking. After working all my life as a maid, I gradually built my restaurant. First very small, learning from mistakes. I’m growing, increasing the number of tables, increasing the menu.” She has a tip for future entrepreneurs: “Do not wait until you have something big to start. You can start in your own kitchen by making take-out food, sweets, something small. The important thing is to start,” she said.

PARTNERSHIP 

This year, the Renova Foundation partnered up to promote the MultiSet Fair and presented lectures and panels to the public that aim to stimulate the local economy and foster innovation and technology actions. Renova’s program director, Marcelo Figueiredo, was thankful for the opportunity to support an event that, above all, motivates entrepreneurship. “The Renova Foundation is committed to encouraging local entrepreneurship, as well as programs and projects for training and fostering the economy. We thank the Mariana Commercial Association for the opportunity to be together in this event and the public authorities and society for welcoming us in these initiatives,” says Figueiredo.

The president of ACIAM/CDL Mariana, Geraldo Carvalho, emphasizes the importance of the Multisector Fair for the promotion of Mariana’s economy. “This is ACIAM’s contribution to stimulate local commerce.  The programming of the event was designed in a way that businesspeople and entrepreneurs could easily contact reference entities and get to know their work, identifying ways to create partnerships to strengthen the local business environment. Participating on stage were CEOs, superintendents and presidents of entities such as the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises (Sebrae), Minas Gerais State Industry Federation (Fiemg), Federation of Commercial and Business Associations of the State of Minas Gerais (Federaminas), Federation of Chamber of Shopkeepers of Minas Gerais (FCDL-MG), Union and Organization of Cooperatives of the State of Minas Gerais (Ocemg), Federal University of Ouro Preto (Ufop), Dom Cabral Foundation(FDC), and others, as well as business consultancies and cases of local success stories.

INNOVATION

In addition to participating in the fair, Renova presented the Senai Lab Truck to the public. This truck transformed into an open laboratory: an educational environment about new technologies and innovation in which students and entrepreneurs participated in workshops and experiments aimed at discovering new possibilities of business and/or market action.

According to Paulo Rocha, Economy and Innovation leader of the Renova Foundation, MultiSet is important because it is one of the main business promoters in Mariana and region. “Micro and small businesses play a key role in regional development and, certainly, settings for exchanging experience, sharing knowledge and business opportunities are fundamental for them to fulfill this role,” he says.

The 12th Multi-sector Fair of Mariana was sponsored by the State Government of Minas Gerais, through Cemig, and supported by Vale and the Municipal Government of Mariana.