June 27, 2025 • 17 mins
We met recently at the Campinas Innovation Week where it was a pleasant surprise to see and chat with Mari Savedra as proof that networking never gets old. Mari Savedra, International Business Innovation Specialist, Innovation Strategist at Venture Hub, Owner Mari Savedra Business Consulting, CEO Speedy Kids method. https://linkedin.com/in/mari-savedra Speedy Kids Method
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Talk to Brazil with Tom Rioch, the business
connector to business in Brazil. Talk to Brazil podcast talks
with business experts throughout the world. I'm Tom Rear, connecting
people from my studio in Brazil. Joining us today from Campinas,
Brazil is Marie Savedra, International business innovation specialist, innovation strategist
(00:25):
at Venture Hub, owner of Mary Savedra Business Consulting, and
founder of Speedy Kids Method. We met recently at the
Campinis Innovation Week, where was a pleasant surprise to meet
you again. Marie. You are proof that networking never gets old.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
It's true. Thank you for being here today to talk
to you. We've talked before and you gave me lots
of very good interesting heck, so I will follow in.
Thank you very much. We met it. We met each
other twenty thirteen for the first time. I was in
(01:07):
the city hall as director of Economic Development. You went
to the city Hall. I we talked a little, It's true,
and then I was invited for a mission in the
US by the American Chamber of Commerce. So I went
to the Silicon Valley, I went to the Sea, and
(01:28):
I also went to Austin. I was in the City Hall.
There we were invited by Natalie and I saw you there.
I saw you there also, and I thought, well, he's
in Campetas and he's also in Texas. This is an
international this is an international man. So I was surprised.
(01:48):
There I got the I got the citizenship of honor
from Natalie. I was very happy and surprised. I was
not expecting to get such an honor. You know, I
have worked for Companias for many years, six years. I
(02:09):
did a lot of good projects. I never I never
got such an ownership. But I got in Austin, and
Natalie has thanked you for the opportunity, and I thought, wow,
we've met, we've talked to each other. But I didn't
thank you. You know, I regret that I didn't thank you.
(02:30):
And well, twelve years later, at the Compania's Innovation Week,
which has happened for two weeks, I saw you and
I came to you because I had to say thank you.
I never forgot that you were responsible for this ownership
from Texas, from Austin, and I thank you. And you
(02:52):
gave me a new gift to be here today and
talk a little bit about myself about my experiences that
means network never gets old, right. It's important to take
care of your network very good. And I think it's
important to say thank you to give the other opportunities
(03:15):
to show up, show off, and that's what you were
giving me. Thank you, Tom Well.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I want to thank you because actually you helped me
remember a long series of things. Part of those started
here actually in Compenas. Natalie Colford, you mentioned that she
was here. She visited Campionis years ago and I had
the pleasure of meeting her here in Campionas. And at
that time she was part of a group that was
(03:42):
responsible for economic development in Austin, Texas, and she had
come to Brazil because they had made a study and
came to the conclusion that the city of campan has
had so many different similarities with Austin from a innovation
stand endpoint, communication standpoint, from a number of different things.
(04:04):
And they had made that study and because of that
came here to see Campenis And actually I had the
pleasure of meeting her here, showing some things, taking her
to city Hall, the American Chamber, and showing her a
little bit of touching to see really what Campenis is
all about. And it still is, it was and still
(04:25):
is an innovation center. So and it was that point
of then me being invited to Austin to talk to
people in Austin about Campinis. So networking is ongoing. The secret,
there's no secret to it, is to establish connections, but
(04:48):
to make those connections, register those connections so that we
can over time follow those connections. Because people and this
is our experience. All right, we've known it each other
for like twelve years. But during those twelve years, you
have had your own journey, your own professional journey from
city Hall. You're a consultant, your innovation strategist, adventure hub,
(05:13):
you're in compenists, You've created an online site for teaching
children or parents. So you've done a whole lot of
different things over the twelve years. So how can I
follow you in what you're doing? It could be that.
So it was really surprise to me to walk into
a stand at the Innovation Week and have you come
(05:33):
up to me. All right, amongst I think there were
twelve or fifteen different people, they're all dressed the same,
and it really impressed me as wow, this is really exciting.
Then you started talking about Austin, and so that's where
the clicks came. That's where those the unique words come
together that help us remember where do we max? We
(05:54):
actually met in competes, but you started talking about Austin yeh.
So those are the things we remind each other when
we meet people over time, we have to help them
remember where we met because we're always most people are
in a different place today than they were when we
met them. That's been my experience. So that's one of
(06:14):
the things I like to do is use LinkedIn actually
to be able to follow people through their professional journey.
And I have many connections, and I have those connections
over many years and have been able to follow those
people as they go and they've been able to follow me.
So and that's what helps make networking always fresh, so
(06:36):
it never gets old. So that was the pleasure in
meeting you. Obviously we have a relationship through venture Hub.
Our adventure Hub is also one of the prime examples
of innovation in campions in the Campionist region. They've expanded
throughout the country in Manaos and they were one of
(06:58):
the co sponsors of the event. Yeah yeah, so, and
that's again some things have happened over time. So that's
the plus so that was the real excitement of not
only seeing you. Obviously that was the high point, but
there were so many people there. What really impressed me
about Innovation Week. This is the people from everywhere, all
(07:23):
right from throughout Brazil. And what impressed me was the
amount of young persons visiting. I'm talking out a lessons
high school, probably early college was full of them, all excited,
always looking, checking and there were a number of stands.
There was a lot to do there at the Innovation Week,
(07:45):
so that was really exciting. The group that you were
part of was really exciting. They were really high energized.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yeah, that's right. It's a great accelerator and Victory Hub
has accelerated more than six hundred startups since the beginning,
so it's a very it's a very interesting place to
work where the energy entrepreneurship is always there. And I
have also the chance to help many startups through Venture Hub.
(08:15):
We also prepare companies to be sold, so that's really
a good activity that I love doing. And the Venture
Hub was responsible also for the organization of Competits Innovation Hub,
and this event has had more than twenty thousand people,
and I'm also surprised to see that many are interested
(08:38):
in entrepreneurship and having their own business. So the mentality,
the mindset is changing. People are not only thinking about okay,
getting a good job, but having their own companies. And
I love it, I really love it. I was that's
been my dream for many years. I have worked as
(09:01):
public servant for more than ten years, as you know,
but I also wanted to have my company one day.
And when I left the public service twenty twenty two,
I was in Germany. I started my company there. I
gave classes in a German school. I was a teacher there,
(09:22):
but I also had my company, my business company, working
mainly with financials because people they need really financial education.
So I saw a great opportunity to help Brazilian and
also German people with their finances. When I got to
(09:43):
Brazil again twenty twenty four, I was invited by venture
Hub to work there. So I have two activities Ventory
Hub it's one thing and it's very important, it's my
main activity. And also have my company where I also
to offer financial services to small and medium companies in Brazil.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Well, that's actually the way that businesses are today. We
are all what I sell multi personas and we can
do several things at the same time, and modern business
actually requires most companies and persons to have multiple experiences,
(10:28):
ongoing experiences because as you mentioned, and Campanists is it's
one of the focal points of Compianists because of the
university structure that we have, of the University of Companists.
When we come, we have a massive amount of students
who graduate and then stay in the region, and then
(10:48):
as they stay here, they start up a company. And
the focuses has been as you said, they want to
have their own company, they want to do their own thing,
they have their own idea, and so the innovation part
of Compenists is that it helps mature the ideas and
as venture come venture Hub does as an accelerator, it
(11:11):
helps those people with ideas put it all together. Because
what I've seen even my experience there, everybody has a
good idea and fantastic ideas, but if you don't structure it.
And one of the points that you mentioned, you know,
how you going to pay for where's the money come from,
how do you keep how do you get other people
to help you? So that's how do you structure a startup?
(11:33):
And Companists has become a global reference for that. So
many of the companies in the region have have grown.
And I mean to talk about a venture ubbout others
Eye Food for one is become global. Uh see ii
T is another global operation that's here and they're everywhere,
(11:53):
and they all started from university students someday graduating and
having an idea. So that was the point that Natalie
found through her experience and research in Austin. She says, hey,
there's something there happening. Unfortunately, what many people in Brazil
(12:14):
don't do. They don't talk about it. They just do
it and they're having success or being successful like you
and many others. But sometimes they need to tell others
about that success or show others about that success. So
that's it. And the opportunities as you had. You got
to see Silicon Valley. The American Chamber helped and taking
(12:36):
groups to the specifically to the United States, but other
countries have the same thing of taking Brazilians to other locations.
Germany all right, to make contact with persons with companies
and to open up. So anyway, it was fantastic to
meet you. And what I say is what would you
(12:59):
say now, not only to the people out there, but
specifically to those out in the world. What would you
say about Campanas. How would you say Campanis can attract
other persons and businesses to the region.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Well, it's a fantastic city where you meet high skilled people.
You know, we have more than nineteen colleges and universities
here in Campanas. I think it's quite the same number
in Austin. In Austin we have twenty one colleges and universities.
I saw it. They are very Similaranas in Austin. They
(13:34):
have lots of similarities. Just as you said, It's the
city where I made career and my family. So I
love this city. This is in my heart. It's a
very good city to do jobs, to establish a company,
you know. We Campanas is crossed by the most five
most important highways in Brazil. It's very pologistic. There is
(13:59):
also and airport here via Corpus. No great companies, fifty
companies from the one hundred greatest companies in the world
biggest companies are here in the region. So we have
lots of attraction factors that make investing Companas good. And
(14:19):
it's not that bureaucratic, just just as other cities. So
of course there is bureaucracy. You have to know how
to invest here so that you don't lose money in
Brazil as well. But it's very good to invest and
to live in to raise your children. I love this
city and I'm very thankful to this city for every
(14:41):
everything that I got in my life.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Very good. Well, we hope that more of our listeners
can share that and come either to visit or to
start their company. Yes, so again, Mariy can our Where
can our listeners find you?
Speaker 2 (14:55):
So? Well, I'm the LinkedIn Marisa Vedra. This is my
LinkedIn account, so you're going to see a little bit
about me I have. I'm a multitask woman, so you're
going to see my financial side, my startup side through
ventry hub, and I also developed I have also developed
(15:16):
a project for kids. So kids that spent a lot
of time using their cell phones and playing video games,
so I have developed developed a method to make them
read more and play less. It was based on my
personal experience with my kid. So he spent lots of
(15:37):
time playing with his cell phone and he couldn't read.
He was eight years old and he couldn't read. So
I have developed a method so that he could read
more and it worked, so I turned I turned a
big problem to an opportunity. So I developed a course
for parents to help their kids reading more and playing less.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
And are changing playing into learning.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah. Yeah, I don't prohibit playing because it's part of
our reality today. But kids have to read more, they
have to have more experiences with a book. So that's
what I try to construct with my son and it
has worked because he has good grades at school. So
(16:26):
I'm very happy to see his improvements.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Very good. Well, congratulations with that fast as well, Thank
you very much.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
And I also work with finances. I love financials. People don't.
People don't have time to spend with their financials and
company and their company, so that's the reason they get
financial problems. So I think there is a lack of
financial education in Brazil. They think it's more important. It's
very important to manage your cash flow, to take good decisions,
(16:59):
not to get debts. So that's what I do. Also
helping being profitable.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Lots to do so thanks again, Marie, thank you very much,
and again for our listeners. It is Mari Savedra m
A r I. The last name s A v E
d r A. Find her on LinkedIn is Maris a Vedra.
Talk to Brazil is brought to us by Focus on
my Market Intelligence, specializing in market research for the Brazilian
(17:27):
agricultural market. More about them at f O c USMI
dot com. Remember when you talk to Tom, you talk
to the world. Goodbye and thanks for listening. Thanks for
listening to Tom Riok on Talk to Brazil, the business
connector to Brazil.
Welcome to Talk to Brazil with Tom Rioch, the business
connector to business in Brazil. Talk to Brazil podcast talks
with business experts throughout the world. I'm Tom Rear, connecting
people from my studio in Brazil. Joining us today from Campinas,
Brazil is Marie Savedra, International business innovation specialist, innovation strategist
(00:25):
at Venture Hub, owner of Mary Savedra Business Consulting, and
founder of Speedy Kids Method. We met recently at the
Campinis Innovation Week, where was a pleasant surprise to meet
you again. Marie. You are proof that networking never gets old.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
It's true. Thank you for being here today to talk
to you. We've talked before and you gave me lots
of very good interesting heck, so I will follow in.
Thank you very much. We met it. We met each
other twenty thirteen for the first time. I was in
(01:07):
the city hall as director of Economic Development. You went
to the city Hall. I we talked a little, It's true,
and then I was invited for a mission in the
US by the American Chamber of Commerce. So I went
to the Silicon Valley, I went to the Sea, and
(01:28):
I also went to Austin. I was in the City Hall.
There we were invited by Natalie and I saw you there.
I saw you there also, and I thought, well, he's
in Campetas and he's also in Texas. This is an
international this is an international man. So I was surprised.
(01:48):
There I got the I got the citizenship of honor
from Natalie. I was very happy and surprised. I was
not expecting to get such an honor. You know, I
have worked for Companias for many years, six years. I
(02:09):
did a lot of good projects. I never I never
got such an ownership. But I got in Austin, and
Natalie has thanked you for the opportunity, and I thought, wow,
we've met, we've talked to each other. But I didn't
thank you. You know, I regret that I didn't thank you.
(02:30):
And well, twelve years later, at the Compania's Innovation Week,
which has happened for two weeks, I saw you and
I came to you because I had to say thank you.
I never forgot that you were responsible for this ownership
from Texas, from Austin, and I thank you. And you
(02:52):
gave me a new gift to be here today and
talk a little bit about myself about my experiences that
means network never gets old, right. It's important to take
care of your network very good. And I think it's
important to say thank you to give the other opportunities
(03:15):
to show up, show off, and that's what you were
giving me. Thank you, Tom Well.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I want to thank you because actually you helped me
remember a long series of things. Part of those started
here actually in Compenas. Natalie Colford, you mentioned that she
was here. She visited Campionis years ago and I had
the pleasure of meeting her here in Campionas. And at
that time she was part of a group that was
(03:42):
responsible for economic development in Austin, Texas, and she had
come to Brazil because they had made a study and
came to the conclusion that the city of campan has
had so many different similarities with Austin from a innovation
stand endpoint, communication standpoint, from a number of different things.
(04:04):
And they had made that study and because of that
came here to see Campenis And actually I had the
pleasure of meeting her here, showing some things, taking her
to city Hall, the American Chamber, and showing her a
little bit of touching to see really what Campenis is
all about. And it still is, it was and still
(04:25):
is an innovation center. So and it was that point
of then me being invited to Austin to talk to
people in Austin about Campinis. So networking is ongoing. The secret,
there's no secret to it, is to establish connections, but
(04:48):
to make those connections, register those connections so that we
can over time follow those connections. Because people and this
is our experience. All right, we've known it each other
for like twelve years. But during those twelve years, you
have had your own journey, your own professional journey from
city Hall. You're a consultant, your innovation strategist, adventure hub,
(05:13):
you're in compenists, You've created an online site for teaching
children or parents. So you've done a whole lot of
different things over the twelve years. So how can I
follow you in what you're doing? It could be that.
So it was really surprise to me to walk into
a stand at the Innovation Week and have you come
(05:33):
up to me. All right, amongst I think there were
twelve or fifteen different people, they're all dressed the same,
and it really impressed me as wow, this is really exciting.
Then you started talking about Austin, and so that's where
the clicks came. That's where those the unique words come
together that help us remember where do we max? We
(05:54):
actually met in competes, but you started talking about Austin yeh.
So those are the things we remind each other when
we meet people over time, we have to help them
remember where we met because we're always most people are
in a different place today than they were when we
met them. That's been my experience. So that's one of
(06:14):
the things I like to do is use LinkedIn actually
to be able to follow people through their professional journey.
And I have many connections, and I have those connections
over many years and have been able to follow those
people as they go and they've been able to follow me.
So and that's what helps make networking always fresh, so
(06:36):
it never gets old. So that was the pleasure in
meeting you. Obviously we have a relationship through venture Hub.
Our adventure Hub is also one of the prime examples
of innovation in campions in the Campionist region. They've expanded
throughout the country in Manaos and they were one of
(06:58):
the co sponsors of the event. Yeah yeah, so, and
that's again some things have happened over time. So that's
the plus so that was the real excitement of not
only seeing you. Obviously that was the high point, but
there were so many people there. What really impressed me
about Innovation Week. This is the people from everywhere, all
(07:23):
right from throughout Brazil. And what impressed me was the
amount of young persons visiting. I'm talking out a lessons
high school, probably early college was full of them, all excited,
always looking, checking and there were a number of stands.
There was a lot to do there at the Innovation Week,
(07:45):
so that was really exciting. The group that you were
part of was really exciting. They were really high energized.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yeah, that's right. It's a great accelerator and Victory Hub
has accelerated more than six hundred startups since the beginning,
so it's a very it's a very interesting place to
work where the energy entrepreneurship is always there. And I
have also the chance to help many startups through Venture Hub.
(08:15):
We also prepare companies to be sold, so that's really
a good activity that I love doing. And the Venture
Hub was responsible also for the organization of Competits Innovation Hub,
and this event has had more than twenty thousand people,
and I'm also surprised to see that many are interested
(08:38):
in entrepreneurship and having their own business. So the mentality,
the mindset is changing. People are not only thinking about okay,
getting a good job, but having their own companies. And
I love it, I really love it. I was that's
been my dream for many years. I have worked as
(09:01):
public servant for more than ten years, as you know,
but I also wanted to have my company one day.
And when I left the public service twenty twenty two,
I was in Germany. I started my company there. I
gave classes in a German school. I was a teacher there,
(09:22):
but I also had my company, my business company, working
mainly with financials because people they need really financial education.
So I saw a great opportunity to help Brazilian and
also German people with their finances. When I got to
(09:43):
Brazil again twenty twenty four, I was invited by venture
Hub to work there. So I have two activities Ventory
Hub it's one thing and it's very important, it's my
main activity. And also have my company where I also
to offer financial services to small and medium companies in Brazil.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Well, that's actually the way that businesses are today. We
are all what I sell multi personas and we can
do several things at the same time, and modern business
actually requires most companies and persons to have multiple experiences,
(10:28):
ongoing experiences because as you mentioned, and Campanists is it's
one of the focal points of Compianists because of the
university structure that we have, of the University of Companists.
When we come, we have a massive amount of students
who graduate and then stay in the region, and then
(10:48):
as they stay here, they start up a company. And
the focuses has been as you said, they want to
have their own company, they want to do their own thing,
they have their own idea, and so the innovation part
of Compenists is that it helps mature the ideas and
as venture come venture Hub does as an accelerator, it
(11:11):
helps those people with ideas put it all together. Because
what I've seen even my experience there, everybody has a
good idea and fantastic ideas, but if you don't structure it.
And one of the points that you mentioned, you know,
how you going to pay for where's the money come from,
how do you keep how do you get other people
to help you? So that's how do you structure a startup?
(11:33):
And Companists has become a global reference for that. So
many of the companies in the region have have grown.
And I mean to talk about a venture ubbout others
Eye Food for one is become global. Uh see ii
T is another global operation that's here and they're everywhere,
(11:53):
and they all started from university students someday graduating and
having an idea. So that was the point that Natalie
found through her experience and research in Austin. She says, hey,
there's something there happening. Unfortunately, what many people in Brazil
(12:14):
don't do. They don't talk about it. They just do
it and they're having success or being successful like you
and many others. But sometimes they need to tell others
about that success or show others about that success. So
that's it. And the opportunities as you had. You got
to see Silicon Valley. The American Chamber helped and taking
(12:36):
groups to the specifically to the United States, but other
countries have the same thing of taking Brazilians to other locations.
Germany all right, to make contact with persons with companies
and to open up. So anyway, it was fantastic to
meet you. And what I say is what would you
(12:59):
say now, not only to the people out there, but
specifically to those out in the world. What would you
say about Campanas. How would you say Campanis can attract
other persons and businesses to the region.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Well, it's a fantastic city where you meet high skilled people.
You know, we have more than nineteen colleges and universities
here in Campanas. I think it's quite the same number
in Austin. In Austin we have twenty one colleges and universities.
I saw it. They are very Similaranas in Austin. They
(13:34):
have lots of similarities. Just as you said, It's the
city where I made career and my family. So I
love this city. This is in my heart. It's a
very good city to do jobs, to establish a company,
you know. We Campanas is crossed by the most five
most important highways in Brazil. It's very pologistic. There is
(13:59):
also and airport here via Corpus. No great companies, fifty
companies from the one hundred greatest companies in the world
biggest companies are here in the region. So we have
lots of attraction factors that make investing Companas good. And
(14:19):
it's not that bureaucratic, just just as other cities. So
of course there is bureaucracy. You have to know how
to invest here so that you don't lose money in
Brazil as well. But it's very good to invest and
to live in to raise your children. I love this
city and I'm very thankful to this city for every
(14:41):
everything that I got in my life.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Very good. Well, we hope that more of our listeners
can share that and come either to visit or to
start their company. Yes, so again, Mariy can our Where
can our listeners find you?
Speaker 2 (14:55):
So? Well, I'm the LinkedIn Marisa Vedra. This is my
LinkedIn account, so you're going to see a little bit
about me I have. I'm a multitask woman, so you're
going to see my financial side, my startup side through
ventry hub, and I also developed I have also developed
(15:16):
a project for kids. So kids that spent a lot
of time using their cell phones and playing video games,
so I have developed developed a method to make them
read more and play less. It was based on my
personal experience with my kid. So he spent lots of
(15:37):
time playing with his cell phone and he couldn't read.
He was eight years old and he couldn't read. So
I have developed a method so that he could read
more and it worked, so I turned I turned a
big problem to an opportunity. So I developed a course
for parents to help their kids reading more and playing less.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
And are changing playing into learning.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah. Yeah, I don't prohibit playing because it's part of
our reality today. But kids have to read more, they
have to have more experiences with a book. So that's
what I try to construct with my son and it
has worked because he has good grades at school. So
(16:26):
I'm very happy to see his improvements.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Very good. Well, congratulations with that fast as well, Thank
you very much.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
And I also work with finances. I love financials. People don't.
People don't have time to spend with their financials and
company and their company, so that's the reason they get
financial problems. So I think there is a lack of
financial education in Brazil. They think it's more important. It's
very important to manage your cash flow, to take good decisions,
(16:59):
not to get debts. So that's what I do. Also
helping being profitable.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Lots to do so thanks again, Marie, thank you very much,
and again for our listeners. It is Mari Savedra m
A r I. The last name s A v E
d r A. Find her on LinkedIn is Maris a Vedra.
Talk to Brazil is brought to us by Focus on
my Market Intelligence, specializing in market research for the Brazilian
(17:27):
agricultural market. More about them at f O c USMI
dot com. Remember when you talk to Tom, you talk
to the world. Goodbye and thanks for listening. Thanks for
listening to Tom Riok on Talk to Brazil, the business
connector to Brazil.
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