Here is the wonderful text from my first guest, my friend and provider of excellent digital marketing services Phelipe Santos, owner of AMPLIA Soluções e Consultoría (https://amplia.derybr.com.br/), to be published on my blog.
As Phelipe is not firm yet with the english language, I have personally translated his text:
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.” Steve Jobs’ words resonate deeply in my story.
Throughout my life, there have been times when challenges seemed insurmountable and decisions seemed disconnected.
However, today, when I look back, I see how each experience, each obstacle and each victory connect, forming the path that brought me here.
This is the story of how the dots in my life connected, transforming difficulties into opportunities and guiding me in the direction that I now follow with confidence and purpose.
My name is Phelipe Santos, and today, as I reflect on this journey, I find myself in Brazil, in a small town in the interior of São Paulo called Bom Jesus dos Perdões, on a cold morning of August 12th.
It was here, with my mind focused on the invitation that Klaus made to me a few days ago, that I decided to share a little of my story with you, so that, when you look back, you can also find the points that connect your own path.
I was born in November 1992, in Itaquera/SP, but I grew up in Vargem, a small town in the Bragança region. From an early age, I accompanied my father as a street vendor selling potatoes.
I got my first official job in 2010, at a bakery in the city of Vargem. I worked at the counter, swept the floors, took customer orders at the table, washed dishes, and even prepared snacks and coffee.
In January 2013, I got my first job in the field I was passionate about: Graphic Designer at the Gazeta da Cidade newspaper, in Extrema, Minas Gerais.
That same year, I met the woman of my life, Luciana Kühn. It wasn’t easy to convince her to date me, but with patience and effort, a year later we were together. In 2016, we got married and were blessed with our daughter Laura in 2018, and our son Vitor in 2020.
Phelipe and Luciana’s Wedding
My personal and professional lives have intertwined in a unique way.
When I met Luciana, she was about to graduate in Civil Engineering, while I hadn’t even finished high school (because at 17, I dropped out of school after being diagnosed with a brain abscess that led to three surgeries and almost took my life).
It was Luciana’s strength and support that inspired me to return to school, and in 2015, I began my degree in Social Communication with a focus on Advertising and Publicity, graduating in 2018.
My college friends
The beginning of my life as an entrepreneur
My journey as an entrepreneur began in November 2016, when I tried to run my own agency/consulting firm, still without much of a clue as to what entrepreneurship really meant. I only had willpower, determination, and most importantly: the support of Luciana, who often believed in me more than I believed in myself.
Working with Laura on my lap
Between 2016 and 2022, I balanced jobs at 3 companies with my agency, until in 2022, Professor Estevão Vernalha, Advertising Director at UNIFAAT (https://www.unifaat.com.br/institucional), invited me to coordinate the art team at his advertising agency, Vitalle.
There, I learned about improvement processes, leadership, and mainly, how to apply advertising creatively. This learning opened doors that I never imagined.
With the experience and knowledge accumulated, I came to master all the technical areas related to marketing, advertising, and even business strategies.
However, the work overload made me realize the importance of balancing professional and personal life.
I started working long hours, reaching 18 hours on some days, which affected my relationship with my family. It was a wake-up call that I needed help and I started to seek balance.
I recently had the honor of being referred to Klaus by VULKAN’s Marketing Manager, Elisângela, and he quickly became a key mentor in my journey.
Under his guidance, I expanded my agency, AMPLIA, building a talented team that now meets the demands of large companies.
Today, what I sell to these companies is much more than paid traffic management. I sell a strategic vision of brand positioning that is capable of transforming their presence in the market.
And this was only possible thanks to the lessons I learned along the way.
My family’s first meeting with Klaus and Selma at our house in Extrema.
Klaus is, without a doubt, the friend and client who has invested the most in my growth, both professionally and personally.
With his mentorship, I have learned to manage not only my business, but also my life, and I am excited about the new possibilities that arise every day.
Reflection and gratitude
On my journey, I have gone through different roles and responsibilities and I have learned that each step, no matter how simple or complex it may seem, is an essential point in building our path.
It is important to remember that success is not only found in large projects, but in the attention to detail and dedication we put into each task.
Looking back, I realize how these small actions formed the solid foundation on which we built our careers.
Therefore, never underestimate the power of small decisions and daily actions; they are the dots that, in the future, will connect to form the trajectory of your success.
The pressure for immediate results can make it seem like each decision is a leap in the dark. However, my journey has shown me that it is by looking back that we understand the true impact of our choices.
The decision to balance my career at different companies with the development of my agency was difficult, but in the end, each step proved to be a crucial piece in the puzzle of my growth.
This means that strategic vision is not just about predicting the future, but about trusting the process and learning to connect the dots in retrospect. It is in the sum of each challenge overcome and each lesson learned that you build a solid and visionary leadership.
Starting my own agency was a leap of faith, fraught with uncertainty and challenges. Without much experience, I relied on my desire to learn and the trust that my wife, Luciana, placed in me.
Owners of small and large companies know what it is like to feel the weight of responsibility, but my story shows that support and belief in one’s own potential are essential.
When we look back, we can see that bold decisions, even those made with little experience, are the ones that define the future of our business.
Therefore, believe in your abilities and always be willing to learn and grow, because that is how you will transform your company into something that goes beyond expectations.
When I was invited to coordinate the art team at the Vitalle agency, I learned the importance of leading with empathy and creativity.
Each team member brings with them a set of dots that, when connected correctly, form a powerful network of talents and skills.
For team leaders, the lesson is clear: it is not just about delegating tasks, but about understanding how each person contributes to the whole.
As I reflect on my experience, I see that the true success of a team comes from the leader’s ability to identify and connect these dots, creating an environment where everyone can thrive and grow together.
Work overload almost made me lose the balance between my personal and professional life, but this was one of the most valuable dots I connected throughout my career.
Working long hours may seem necessary, but true productivity and success come when we find a healthy balance.
For all professionals, the reflection here is on the importance of taking care of yourself while pursuing your ambitions.
Looking back, I realize that balance is not just a choice, but a necessity to maintain the energy and creativity that drive long-term success.
Luciana is the “beautiful thing” that gave meaning to my journey, and it is with her that I continue to write the next chapters of our lives.
I would like to thank Klaus for inviting me to share my story on his blog. It was an honor to be able to share a little of my journey with you.
To continue following my work and the latest news from AMPLIA, follow me on Instagram @phelipeosantos and also follow @ampliamktg. I hope to see you there!
