Business Sense

This is not the only time that the business world has experienced an existential void. The relentless pursuit of success causes many companies to stray from the path and, consequently, lose the essence of what they do. Giving meaning to work, through values, principles and, above all, the alignment of the personal ideal with the company’s mission, is a logical way to seek true business success.

Pope Francis himself has dedicated himself to guiding businessmen and entrepreneurs in giving meaning to their businesses. In August he proposed praying for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in the post-pandemic and post-war recovery scenario, extolling the important mission they have because of the jobs they generate and the social responsibility they exercise. More recently, in October, he advised young Spanish entrepreneurs to look at their businesses with a culture of caring. According to him, through entrepreneurship we can care for people, contemplating prophecy, the relationship with God and the relationship between Work and Poverty in this entrepreneurial journey.

In this sense, and consistent with what our Church asks of us, we held, on October 29, the II National Congress CIEES Brazil with the title: Entrepreneurial Mission – When Success Meets Saintliness. On a sunny day, at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Atibaia/SP, a group composed of more than 30 people, including businessmen, entrepreneurs and executives, shared experiences and lessons learned that have enriched their businesses.

Strategic Planning: Clarity in Mission, Focus on Execution

This was the very timely topic that opened the II National Congress of CIEES Brazil. Presented by businessman André Luis Nassif, the participants were able to analyze the quality of their “execution” in four important areas of life (Family, Religion, Social and Professional Connections) and applied the knowledge acquired in an exercise that helped each one to prioritize and focus on two of these areas.

Another important moment was the afternoon lecture given by the president of CIEES Brazil, Guto Kater. With the event’s topic, he led the participants to reflect on the relationship between the personal ideal and the entrepreneurial goal, drawing a parallel between the search for individual saintliness and the consequent impact of this on true entrepreneurial success.

Covenant of Love

The II National Congress of CIEES Brazil ended with a Mass presided by Father Marcelo Aravena (Schoenstatt), and we had the joy of sealing another covenant of love in this Mass, which was the product of formation work carried out with businessmen during the past year. This fruitful result fills us with joy because through our business meetings many people are sealing their Covenant of love.

A business trip from Brazil to the world

At the conclusion of this II National Congress of CIEES Brazil, we are sure that our journey has just begun. Each entrepreneur or business executive who participated can provide a great contribution with their testimonies, sharing experiences and, together, we can go even further, because we are in alignment with CIEES International.

The next step is for us to be able to support each other in order to carry this forward by sharing experiences and giving meaning to our businesses, as well as living our faith in the workplace as well and offering a testimony of life to those who coexist with us.