Marcio Garcia De Andrade is an Entrepreneur and Director of seven brands in the financial services Industry. He has experimented with web service sales, global workforces, and internet delivery systems. Of course, he’s had his share of ‘failures’ he’s grown from, but that has allowed him to enjoy more home runs than most.
His employees consider him a
father figure, stern but fair, compassionate yet professional. He loves
Dan
Carnegie’s books and drinking beer. His favorite color is red. His teachers say he is brilliant but stubborn,
like most innovators. He never flew first class. He has employees working for
him around the globe, so there is always someone in his organization that is
producing work.
We interviewed Marcio Andrade,
and this is what he had to say about his career:
What did you study in
college?
I studied finance at the University of Florida in
Gainesville, Florida.
What is your occupation?
I am an entrepreneur
and Director of several brands in the financial services Industry.
How long have you
been doing this work?
I have been in this Business since 2006.
What got you into the
financial industry?
During my first year at the University of Florida, back in
2001, I needed a way to earn money to pay for my living expenses, and decided
to get into real estate as a real estate agent and investor.
When did you set up
your first financial service website?
Back in 2003, I set up my first website for the mortgage brokerage
business I had started. It was a website primarily to allow clients to submit
their loan applications online and facilitate the application process.
Were you a mortgage
broker previously?
Yes, I was a mortgage broker from around 2002 to 2005,
initially working for a mortgage brokerage firm and later setting up my own mortgage
brokerage business.
Do you have any
ancillary businesses not related to internet sales of financial services?
I have business ideas that I would like to implement in the
future, but no other current operating businesses outside of online sales and financial
services.
How many hours per
week do you devote to your business?
I don’t count the hours. I focus on creativity. This
question is virtually impossible for me to answer, but I probably put in 30 to
60 hours per week.
Since your business’ market is in the U.S., how often do you go there?
I travel to Miami every 2 to 3 months, mostly to take care
of banking and to see my immediate family that lives there.
Your business owns a
call center in the Philippines. Have you
visited that office?
No, I have not, but it’s in my plans. It’s a very long trip,
and I have an excellent manager there.
How often do you
speak with managers in the Philippines?
I speak with my managers daily, and often on weekends, too.
What are your normal
working hours, considering that most of your employees are in Asia and most of
your customers are in North America?
My work hours start around 12 pm ET, and I typically head to
bed around 4 am.
Do you reinvest in
your business?
Yes, any business will die if you don’t keep investing into
it and improving it.
We also had an opportunity to interview Marcio on his family
and upbringing. Here is what he had to say:
Where did you grow
up?
I grew up in Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Did you play sports
in school?
I played soccer when I was younger.
Are you religious?
No, but I believe in God and in a greater intelligence that
created the world.
Do you support any
charities?
Yes. I have supported the following charities for the last eight
Years: Children’s Christian Fund, Children International, The Smile Train, and
the World Society for the Protection of Animals.
As an entrepreneur and business
builder, with a head full of concepts and the knowledge, skills, and company
structure to make those ideas pay off, he pioneered the virtual company, moving
his headquarters around the world to interesting places, and hiring people from
a variety of different countries. Here are his thoughts on virtual office and
breaking down national barriers.
What is your business
philosophy in regards to a virtual office, global workforce, hiring
professionals?
The growth of broadband internet service at the beginning of
the century suddenly made it possible for work to be easily outsourced to
workers anywhere in the world, taking advantage of a much larger pool of
qualified candidates and a significantly lower cost of labor. This allowed us
to hire very good people, very FAST, and at much lower rates than we ever could
hope to do in the United States, consequentially lowering our operating costs
and increasing the speed of the hiring process.
How does the global work
force idea work?
I believe this globalization that has taken place is a very
positive thing for the world, as it brought gigantic opportunities to
underprivileged people across the globe, that previously were limited to
looking for work within the borders of their own country, which in most cases
meant they were dealing with a very high unemployment rate and very low pay.
How did you build
your core staff?
The majority of my management team started off as freelancers
hired for specific projects. Upon seeing that they had great talent and a solid
work ethic, I offered them full-time positions within the company, and they
have been invaluable to the growth and stability of the business.
What is your moral
code?
My moral code is simple: Shoot straight. Tell it like it is.
Never lie. Lying is just fear. Fear of telling the truth. Fear of what others
might say or think or do. Liars are cowards. People respect the truth. They
respect honesty. I prefer to be very blunt about what I want or think, and that
has worked out very well for me, because the worst thing someone can do to you
is lie to you or cheat you, and that is something I do not do, but it is
something most people do all the time, which just raises the value of being
honest and being blunt.
How do you manage
your employees when they misstep?
If I sense lies and cheating, I terminate them immediately.
There are no second chances when it comes to Integrity. You are either honest,
or you are a liar. There is no middle ground, and I cannot have liars in my business
nor my life.
How do you manage
employees when you discover they have cheated you?
I immediately terminate them and if necessary, take legal
action against them. I have already fired my best sales reps, the ones bringing
the most revenue to the company, because they were stealing funds and diverting
business. I don’t care how good you are or how much you sell, or how
“irreplaceable” you think you are – If you lie to me or cheat me, you are
terminated immediately, and I will find someone to replace you, no matter what
the short-term consequences may be.
Describe your program
for mentoring your managers.
Managers become managers because they are professionals I
trust can get things done, can manage others successfully, and can work with
minimal or no supervision. Therefore, my mentoring program consists mostly of “brain
dumps”, which are conversational sessions in which I share my knowledge of
certain subjects and they assimilate that knowledge to expand their
capabilities.
What does your day
consist of?
My day consists mostly of monitoring the work of the managers
and working on creative projects for improving and growing the business. I try
as much as possible to delegate everything I can delegate, and keep my desk
clean with only forward-looking projects that can grow and improve the business.
I focus on creativity and “flow” and not necessarily on time. One hour of very
creative time is worth more to me than 12 hours of work where the creative
sparks don’t fly. Creativity is what I try to nurture because that is what
creates new products, new brands, and new ideas to improve the business.
How many people are
in your employ?
We currently employ over 50 people in our company.
Where are they
located?
The majority of the team members are in the Philippines,
with our management team and sales team located in the United States.
Why did you decide to
locate your office in Rio?
Our official offices are in Miami and New York. Rio is where
I decided to live for personal reasons. The way our company is structured, I
can live anywhere in the world with a good internet connection, and so can
anyone who works in our company. There is no office and no office politics.
There is no wasting time in traffic nor chatting by the water cooler.
On lifestyle, Marcio had this to say.
Do you live a luxury
lifestyle?
I focus on the things that really matter to me, the things
that make me happy and the things that make me grow. I delegate everything I
can delegate, so that I can free up my time for the really important things in
life and in business, and this delegation naturally leads to luxury. Delegation
means housekeepers, drivers, admin assistants, and other professionals that
free up my time. I am also a big fan of organization and cleanliness – I like
everything in my surroundings to be organized, clean, and pleasant, so my
creativity has the best environment to flourish.
Do you own Mercedes,
BMW, Jaguar, or luxury cars?
I have in the past, but no longer have an interest in these
types of luxuries. I don’t like driving anymore, and prefer to use a driver or
take an Uber.
Do you own and wear
expensive luxury jewelry?
No. I refuse to buy jewelry.
It’s just money down the drain and additional stress if you ever lose it.
Do you use private
jets or other luxurious travel?
No, I don’t. I fly economy class. I can’t convince myself to
pay so much extra cash for a little extra luxury for a few hours of sitting on
a plane. Perhaps in the future, this may change, but I would need to have so
much money available that $5K to $10K on a flight would be pocket change.
Marcio Andrade has been successful in predicting market trends relating
to financing, credit, and meeting financial goals. Through his companies, he
has helped thousands of people stabilize in a volatile credit market, achieve
funding for business goals and meet their financial dreams. He has weathered
upturns and downturns in the U.S. and world markets, has built a business
employing hundreds of full time, part time and freelance workers all over the
world, and has always kept ahead of the game.
If copying is the sincerest form of flattery, the people who have seen his success and tried to duplicate it by matching what he does have already lost the battle, as he has already laid out his course three years and even five years ahead.
