From mukherista to warehouse owner

Cidália’s story is one of grit and perseverance, and epitomizes the ability to transform a

problem into an opportunity. Before starting her entrepreneurial journey, she was a “mukherista”, dividing her time between her small business selling shrimp and a job. Step by step, her business grew and, with the profits from “xitique” and some support, she opened a grocery store and established contracts with Coca-Cola. Shortly after, she needed to increase her physical space and have a warehouse. Then, came a contract with 2M. Attentive to the market, demand and opportunities, Cidália found solutions and focused her business where it could flourish: Garlic was one of her focuses- she considers herself the first woman to import garlic from China in 2011 and even imported a container every 15 days.

Today, she owns a warehouse and four commercial spaces – a unisex hair salon, a grocery store, a boutique and a stationery store wherein she employs several employees. The experience at Femtech left her with several management skills related to Planning and Goal Fulfillment, through Cash-Flow Projection. In addition to these more practical components, Cidália claims to have left ideialab with “more learning and much more confidence in her business, with another look at human resources management… and definitely knowing how to take advantage of new opportunities that come along the way, mainly through the network of Femmies that has been a community of mutual support, inspiration, and sharing since 2016.”