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Couple leaves banking career, invests in gastronomy, and creates an integrated business model that reaches annual revenue of R$ 4 million.
What was supposed to be just a new chapter after retirement ended up turning into a successful venture. A couple of former bank managers decided to leave their careers in the financial market to invest in gastronomy and created a complex with four integrated operations.
The result was the formation of the GattoFiga Group, a business that today records an annual revenue of approximately R$ 4 million and bets on efficient management to boost growth.
Couple found a new opportunity to entrepreneur in gastronomy
The story of Edson Leite and Cida Montanher began in 2003, when both worked at the same financial institution. Over time, their coexistence turned into a relationship, then marriage, and later, a partnership in the business world as well.
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After retirement, the couple decided to invest in a completely different segment from the one in which they built their careers.
To put the plan into practice, they traveled to Italy in search of knowledge about traditional Neapolitan pizza, undergoing training in Naples to learn all the stages of dough production and baking process.
The commitment to authenticity also motivated the importation of a specialized electric oven directly from Europe, equipment considered essential to reproduce the characteristics of the original recipe.
Investments gave rise to a gastronomic complex
To open the pizzeria, the couple invested around R$ 1 million. Later, with the consolidation of the brand, they allocated another R$ 1 million to the creation of new operations, including a gourmet emporium and a wine bar.
The project also included the participation of Davi Leite, Cida’s stepson, who joined the partnership bringing operational experience to complement the ex-bankers’ knowledge in financial management and administration.
Before the opening, the team received training focused both on pizza production and on customer service and wine service, aiming to offer a differentiated experience to customers.
Expansion happened to better utilize the existing structure
After the consolidation of the pizzeria, the couple noticed that many customers were waiting for a table on weekends. Instead of seeing the queue only as a problem, the entrepreneurs decided to turn it into an opportunity.
This is how a gourmet emporium and a wine bar emerged, allowing consumers to stay on-site while waiting for service.
“We have a lot of waiting at the pizzeria on weekends. It’s the moment to invite that customer to get to know our spaces,” explained Cida Montanher.
Later, the group expanded activities again by opening an executive restaurant aimed at lunchtime.
According to Edson Leite, the proposal was to use the existing structure throughout the day, increasing the utilization of the property, equipment, and team.
Integrated management helps reduce costs and increase revenue
One of the differentiators of the model adopted by the couple is the centralization of administrative processes.
Areas such as purchasing, financial control, receipt of goods, and security simultaneously serve all group operations, reducing expenses that would be higher if each business operated independently.
Another important factor is the flexibility of the team. As demand increases in a particular area, employees can be reassigned to reinforce service, making the operation more efficient and better utilizing available resources.
“The employees help each other. If there are many people to attend to, we reassign the waiter to work alongside the maître who works at the wine bar,” explained Edson Leite.
Expansion happened in a planned way
For those wishing to invest in new businesses, the entrepreneurs argue that growth should occur gradually. According to them, consolidating the first operation before opening new fronts allows for identifying opportunities more safely and reduces risks during expansion.
“It is important to make things happen gradually. You adapt to a first business, then you see the opportunities, you already master that business and start opening other fronts,” reveals Montanher.
The couple’s journey demonstrates that planning, management, and adaptability can be decisive in transforming a career change into a large-scale enterprise, capable of bringing together different operations into a single business model and achieving million-dollar revenue.
