After nearly three decades dedicated to building the CRM Group, during which she led the expansion of Kopenhagen , created Brasil Cacau, and participated in the sale of the company to Nestlé, Renata Vichi decided to change the focus of her career. The executive is structuring an ecosystem focused on longevity, a theme that encompasses her second book, a podcast , a newsletter, and new investment theses.
The proposal aims to broaden a debate that, in their assessment, remains excessively focused on health and poorly connected to the challenges faced by those who lead companies.
In an interview with Bravamente , a program by Carlos Burle in partnership with NeoFeed , Renata explained that she began studying longevity after realizing that most of the content produced on the subject addresses nutrition, exercise, and medicine, but rarely deals with building long-lasting careers or an executive's ability to sustain high performance over decades.
"We can't sprint 42 kilometers. We need to adjust our pace, but we shouldn't shy away from sprints when necessary," he says.
For her, accelerating at certain times is inevitable, as long as it doesn't compromise the ability to continue growing in the long term. "There's a difference between suffering and sacrificing," she said.
One of the most significant moments in its trajectory occurred during the creation of Brasil Cacau. At the time, Kopenhagen had idle capacity in its factory and about 2,000 people interested in opening franchises, but expanding operations using the same brand could compromise its positioning in the premium segment.
The solution was to create a second network, which began operating with around 150 products and 12 stores opened practically simultaneously. The project coincided with a delicate period in Renata's personal life, during which she was experiencing a high-risk pregnancy that resulted in a premature birth.
"I left the hospital carrying my son Bruno and my daughter Brasil Cacau. They were my two babies," she recalls.
Years later, another personal challenge coincided with an important professional moment. It was during the sale of Grupo CRM to Nestlé that Vichi received a breast cancer diagnosis. The experience reinforced her decision to study longevity more deeply.
At 44, the executive started surfing and says she found in the sport a metaphor for leadership. "I've never known a sport that demands so much concentration and being in the present moment," she says.
Renata argues that emotional intelligence is not a consequence of maturity, but a result of discipline. Therapy, meditation, reading, and set aside time for writing are part of a routine she considers as important as business meetings.
Today, looking at this new phase of her career , she summarizes the main change in perspective in a phrase that she intends to make the hallmark of her work outside of retail: before leading a company, you need to learn how to take care of your own individual.
