How To Run Two Businesses At Once — Rachel Cruz e Silva’s Story
Introducing one of Sky Inc.’s newest Recruiters, Rachel Cruz e Silva! Born and raised in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, the twenty-five-year-old entrepreneur walked into our office and forever changed the fabric of our team. Speaking of fabric… fun fact about Rachel, the leader dreamt of working in fashion for most of her life. She had visions of designing dresses and loved styling her friends and family. Needless to say, she’s the best dressed in our office. This month, we sat down with Rachel to discuss all things business and the road that brought her from design dreams to entrepreneurial success.
Can you recap for us the road from Juiz de Fora to Sky Inc.?
“When I was a junior in high school, I moved from Brazil to Nashville through an exchange program. I came to the U.S. to learn English and be involved with the culture. After six months, I went back to Brazil and finished up high school, heading straight to college to study Fashion Design. Throughout college, I was very involved with the fashion world from modeling on runways, producing backstage, and styling new looks. I learned so much about art and fashion, but also about business and entrepreneurship. After college, I moved back to the U.S. to live with my father and pursue another degree- this time at F.I.T in New York. I did everything I could to save money and achieve my goals. I worked as a babysitter, a makeup artist, a social media coordinator, a decorator, a receptionist, an executive assistant, an office manager, and a digital marketing assistant. Throughout all of that, the experience of moving to another country and working changed my entire mindset and point of view. I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.”
In the simplest of terms, what is your plan?
“My plan is to never stop.”
How will you achieve your goals? What skills and qualities will get you there?
“I am very adaptable and resilient. I always find a way to feel comfortable in any environment. Life throws things your way and you have no choice but to adapt and keep moving. I am also very detail-oriented; some may call that perfectionism. I am dedicated to quality and results. I work well on teams, but am highly independent and proactive.”
How would you describe your recent growth?
“Despite joining a field that I’ve never worked in before, I would say that I have grown a lot in the last few months, and I am proud of my progress. I love to learn and experience culture and my top priorities are my work and my results. I am not surprised by my growth because I have done everything in my power to achieve it.”
What do you value in a person or a teammate?
“Trustworthiness. In every aspect of life, I believe people should be reliable and honest.”
How would you describe your leadership style?
“I am a pace-setting leader. I have a vision of the way things should go and I work with people to ‘do as I do.’ I think feedback is more constructive than criticism. I am not a fan of critiques with without suggestions about how to move forward. I value differences of opinion.”
How did COVID-19 affect your career?
“It’s backwards, but I credit my career to the pandemic. In May of 2020, I started to think about ways of reinventing myself. I wanted to invest in a business that was my own. At the time, I was working full-time for another company, but felt that it was time for me to take control of my life and career. For the remainder of the year, I look forward to continued growth. In April of this year, I was hired by Sky Inc. and my life changed. I’ve learned so much, so my new goal is to make my business profitable and grow the Sky Inc. team.”
Tell us a bit about your business?
“Rosee is a lingerie and bikini brand that I run. More than that, it is a family business. My in-laws work on the manufacturing and send me the pieces from Brazil. It’s a result of what I love the most- Brazil, fashion, and family. The logo was designed by my brother, the models are my friends, and all materials are made by me and my partner.”
“When I moved to the United States, I had a dream to study Fashion in New York. I started working to save money to move up north, but a year and a half after moving to Nashville, I learned that my father had brain cancer. Within three months, I had lost him. My life changed forever, but I learned that my dreams were still there. My father had his own denim brand for years and he had the same dream, to see me working in the United States. My dad taught me that I need to be brave and always work hard. He lived that way, and this is what makes the person who I am today.”
What are your goals for the future?
“I am a planner, but I also like to make things happen now. My short-term goal is to make Rosee a profitable company. My long-term goal is to be married with children, and for those children to know that their mom’s company is nationwide.”
What is your advice to those who want to follow a similar path?
“Just start. Work hard and don’t stop. Having your own business is far from easy. I am the owner, marketer, customer service, accountant, and delivery man. It is hard to be proactive sometimes; some days I just want to lay down after coming home from work, but that’s when it is time to make a difference. Never forget why you started and what you want to achieve.”
“The entrepreneurism path is diverse. There are lots of ups and down and the sooner you start, the earlier you will see returns.”
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
“Everything that I’ve achieved since I moved to the United States is a great accomplishment. I bought a house, learned English, found the love of my life, bought my dream car, and started my own business. But besides all of that, I learned how to work hard for everything I want; to be restless and resilient, and more importantly, to adapt to a whole new culture.”
Here at Sky Inc., we’re always proud to show off our fearless entrepreneurs. Working alongside someone like Rachel, a leader who simultaneously tends to two businesses, is an unmatched pleasure. Rachel, cheers to you and thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do for this team.
