The Favela Entrepreneur 🇧🇷

■ BRAZIL, RIO DE JANEIRO: I've always preferred markets and street food over restaurants and modern shopping malls. The price is better, you're outside and you get served instantly without a wait. But what does it take to operate as a street vendor? Who are the entrepreneurs who go through the hassle of having to wheel a business into the desired location day after day, year after year? And what is it like to be an entrepreneur in a bureaucratic mess of a country like Brazil where there are more rules, laws and regulations on the books than citizens?

A couple of days ago I was introduced to Oberdan Santos by a mutual friend of ours. Mr Santos is an entrepreneur, father and volunteer at his local church, who a little under two years ago, left his hometown of Manaus to live in one of Rio De Janeiro's many favelas looking to improve his plight and job opportunities.

He started selling food and candy for established street vendors as he had done back in his hometown Manaus but quickly excelled to the point where he decided to start for himself selling Acai, an ice-cream type of snack popular where he was born.

As soon as he told his story I asked if I could tag along the following day to document his daily life as an entrepreneur on one of Rio's most famous beaches: Leblond.

This video shows everything that transpired on said day....

More vids from this part of Rio:
■ THE FAVELA BARBER OF ROCINHA: https://youtu.be/P9umScD5khI

■ Santos' instagram: amazonas.acai
■ My instagram: HeraldoBaldieri

Tags: Favela Entrepreneur, Brazil Favela, Rio De Janeiro business, Brazil street vendor, Brazil, Ri De Janeiro, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneur in Brazil