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Discover the story of the entrepreneur who swapped 20 years in the financial market for a successful sustainable e-commerce. Learn how she achieved R$ 35,000/month.
What began as a professional turnaround ended up becoming a consolidated business. At 53, Eliane Araguês left behind a two-decade career in the financial market and ventured into entrepreneurship with a focus on sustainable consumption and artisanal production.
The initiative gave rise to Canto Eco, a virtual store dedicated to selling artisanal products. Currently, the company records a monthly revenue of about R$ 35,000, a result of the change in direction adopted by the engineer after leaving the Stock Exchange.
The turning point and initial inspiration
The decision to start her own business did not happen overnight. According to the entrepreneur, the corporate environment no longer made sense for her lifestyle: “I think I reached a point where I no longer wanted to work for other people.”
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Daughter of merchants, she always knew that entrepreneurship was her path, only needing to define the niche. The turning point occurred during a sabbatical year in Ireland.
There, she discovered beeswax wrap, an efficient substitute for plastics in food preservation, known for its healing, emollient, and waterproofing properties.
“That stuck in my mind,” recalls the entrepreneur, who was already planning to start a business upon returning to Brazil.
The entrepreneur’s business model
The project began in Piracicaba, in the interior of São Paulo, and was developed gradually, prioritizing low investment and sustainable expansion. The first steps required an investment of less than R$ 1,000, used to purchase fabrics and other materials.
Initially, sales occurred through WhatsApp and to consumers in the local region, allowing the testing of product acceptance and quality improvement. With growing demand, the brand expanded its presence by entering marketplaces like Shopee and Mercado Livre.
By 2021, the business took another step towards professionalization by gaining visual identity and its own website, a project that received an investment of about R$ 1,500.
Regarding planning, the founder states: “I already wanted to sell online. I was sure I didn’t want to set up a physical store. I didn’t want rent or costs that would weigh heavily. I wanted to open a business where I didn’t have to invest much and could grow gradually.” This vision allowed avoiding unnecessary fixed costs, such as renting a physical store.
Diversification and Social Impact
As the e-commerce gained market space, Eliane began to expand the reach of Canto Eco. Instead of focusing the operation solely on her own production, the entrepreneur opened up space for other artisans to sell their products on the platform.
The proposal was to strengthen small producers, especially women and entrepreneurial mothers, by offering a channel to increase the visibility of their work. With this strategy, the brand’s catalog grew and began to include various sustainable products, including household items, accessories, and personal hygiene items.
Even with the diversification of the portfolio, wax cloths remain among the most sought-after products by customers.
To meet the increased demand, the company structured a fixed production team, consolidating a business model that combines financial growth, encouragement of artisanal entrepreneurship, and commitment to sustainability.
With information from Revista PEGN
