Generation Plug & Play

I am sorry for taking long to write. I am really back. When I said it in my last posts, I really meant it. I feel like I am going through many situations in my life that again makes this blog to be somehow interesting. I had another topic that I was thinking about writing, but I decided for a new one, the “Generation Plug & Play”.

I did a fast research at Google and I didn’t find any mention to this expression in this context, but it seems to be very appropriate. Why am I discussing about different generations? There are two main reasons: the first is because some days ago I was in a discussion with some people and they were asking me about the differences between the generation Y and the one that is about to come; and the second is because I feel characteristics of this new generation, on people of my generation… which made me reflect even more about the subject.

So what are those characteristics? When I was young I had the chance to dissect some very old computers. I had a 286, after that, a 486… a Pentium 100. For those that has no clue of what I am talking about, their procession speed was around 66Mhz. Which means that the computer in which I am typing right now, has almost the same procession capacity of 70 pieces of that one. We used to measure the speed of a new computer, by typing DIR on DOS and seeing how much time it would take.

The consequence of me having this kind of intense and "insider" contact with those computers, is that I have not just learned how to do something, but how that thing made what I wanted to do, possible. In a practical example: I know that, when you copy a text (Crtl + C), it will be allocated in the RAM memory, most likely. How is it different of the generation of my parents?

Once I gave an example to my uncle and he says he uses it still. The example was: imagine that now, he wants to download a song in his computer. It’s more likely that he is going to follow a mechanical process. He is going to review in his mind a series of steps that he would need to take to be able to get that song downloaded. For example: I need to go to that specific website, to click in that specific section, to search for an artist, to find the song in a list and etc. If it’s in our case we just have the outcome in mind: I need that song. We have not only one path to get there: I can go to Itunes, I can use torrent, I can download it from Youtube and if we put more efforts thinking about it… We would likely think about more ways to do this task. So, being short, for my uncle, this process is something mechanical, for me, it’s organic.

However, if you think about the next generation, is it different from us? I would say, in parts. For sure, they are able to transform this task in something organic as well. They can research and try to find the easiest source to find the solution. But they have no idea on the evolution of the technologies that made it possible for them to download that. That’s the first difference. But what identifies them as the Plug & Play generation is the "inability" to deal with any new complexity in the process. I will try to exemplify that again.

When I was 12 years old, we had an awesome game called DOOM. That was a hit and we loved to play that (short note: nowadays, to be able to play DOOM in a computer like mine, we would have to use some function to de-accelerate the computer, otherwise it wouldn’t be possible). But, to play Doom it wasn’t a simple (Plug & Play) thing. Actually, quite the opposite. We needed to go to DOS (another Operational System - like Windows - based on text) and utilize a software called ARJ (the only one that we knew that could do it) type a routine for the software to be able to compact the game from another computer to ours in 12 diskettes and then, run another routine in our computer to be able to decompress it. Important note: there was a HUGE chance that one of the diskettes would have some problem, and then you would have to re-start the process from the beginning and the diskettes were also somehow expensive.

And now that you may be asking me “and what does it have to deal with the Generation Plug and Play?” Well, I answer that with another question: “Can you imagine any of the kids you see, doing that to play a game??” I don’t think so. This next generation can be multi task, get used to new functions and be able to use new apps or play games much faster than I do. However, this inability of dealing with the hardness of the process to get things done may have several consequences for them. The most clear for me, is related to the type of problems that we have in life. Those are not very structured problems with Plug & Play solutions and that may mean a lot to the resilience, patience and many other characteristics of the new generations. That’s something we will take time to be able to see clearly and much more to understand it.

Checkpoint!

Do you like games? I love them. Actually, I love them so much that some time ago I decided that I wouldn’t buy any more consoles because I could spend my whole life in front of the television playing (mainly) RPGs. (Yes, I know that the right name for that is addiction and I confess…  I am addicted. No worries though, I am clean for some time).

But something important that we have in games is called checkpoint (most of the games have it). It basically means that you had enough progress on the game that you can go ahead from that point on and don’t need to pass through everything that you already did. So… I feel like reaching a checkpoint.

It was a long journey that started when I decided to leave my beloved city of Itumbiara (I didn’t like the city that much, but I had my best friends there and used to have a good life) to study in Araguari. I left my dad to live with my mom and had to change almost everything in my life.

I realized that I didn’t have enough knowledge to be in a good university if I kept myself on that city and the choice was appropriate enough to take me to FEA-RP, the college where I studied Business Administration and had also lots of work.

From the first beginning I was engaged with all kind of activities there. I worked in a Junior enterprise, as a director for 2 other students organizations, I was the student representative in the most important body of our college and some other stuff. After all of that, when I was applying for a “real” job, my “brother” Rodrigo Porto asked me to help him on founding AIESEC in Ribeirão Preto. I didn’t want to do so… but after I got to know more about the organization, that was the right thing to do.

In AIESEC I had the chance to go through some simple and other complex situations. Simple like flying! Can you imagine that I have never done it before AIESEC? My first trip was from São Paulo to Porto Alegre to attend a conference. I also had the chance to get to know other countries, participate and be manager of some international congresses and work with several people from many countries of the world. It was awesome.

I also had the chance to deal with the hardest experiences of my life: frustration, not being able to achieve a goal, not having ideal conditions of life… and above all: losing!

I applied and didn’t get the position in total for 6 times in AIESEC. In every single of them it was really hard to bear with the situation. I had to wake up in the next days with the same motivation and energy to do everything again. It was really tuff.

But on the bright side, I had the chance to have great people with me. That reminds me of games again. You know when you are playing a RPG and suddenly you have different characters to play together with you and fight together? (for further references, play Final Fantasy IX… best example! Haha).

So I am thankful to those characters such as my brothers and sisters from the GN Board, my bosses Rodrigo Porto, Mauricio Schneider and Felipe Cardenas, my colleagues from the MC and from my GN Board, people in Mexico, my friends of AI and all the people from countries I have been. It was awesome.

It was very difficult for me, especially in the end of my journey in AIESEC. But now, having some time to think I cannot be surer that I did the right choice.

In the final part of this journey before getting to the checkpoint, I came back to my country and founded http://mytrainee.com . It’s being an incredible experience and also a very positive one, considering that we are achieving almost 40.000 pageviews in the first 20 days. I am happy!

Finally, I reached the checkpoint. I got a job in a great company in Brazil – Whirlpool. It was a selection process with more than 13.500 other people. It’s so unbelievable to think that someone actually gets to a position like this and now, I am one of these 0,2%. And it seems to be an incredible place to work, with great people and in a awesome environment. I am grateful for being accepted there.

I can see that from now some things are really going to change in my life. All the experience, coins, special artifacts, weaponry, especial clothes and my friends of fight are here with me… and I am just starting a new exciting journey.

Thank you all that has been part of it in the past years. I am more than sure that: I wouldn’t be here without you all… it wouldn’t be as funny as it was and you’re going to be here with me from now on… again!

Happy Marco!

Sonic was the first game that came to my mind when I thought about checkpoints :D

Why no one ever thought about...

That's it. That's how it starts. How many times did you ask this question? Why no one ever thought about (...) ? Yeah. That's something that happens quite often to me as well. I must say this  sensation grew a lot since I left the university. I am all the time looking for business opportunities, good ideas, bad ideas... all the time. Few days ago I was in the downtown of São Paulo to buy some stuff and I saw a very well organized place (with around 20 tables) selling snacks for 1 real. It's hard to explain the concept of a snack (salgado) here in Brazil... but for you to comprehend it better, think about one slice of Pizza. That could be one snack here in Brazil.

So, for around 60 cents of a dollar, you could have one of them. And with 2-4 (more likely to be 4 in my case) you would be satisfied (eating crappy food... it's true, but still, it's cheap as well! :D). That's a very nice business to open in a city like São Paulo - especially in downtown. It was crowded, obviously.

This kind of ideas always fascinated me. So, I started to look for a job here in Brazil in the beginning of the year. I was sure that I would find a website that could aggregate in one single place all the information about those - trainee programs. I didn't find. So... "Why no one ever though about... creating a website with all the information?"

I decided I could be this guy. But after some time doing that... I realized a big part of the Why! hehe... The truth is that... When you're handling a business with little money, few people (2 - me and my partner Ashley) and some restrictions of time... it gets really complicated.

So, something I've learned is: people don't do what they think because it can be or seem to be really complicated.

However, I also learned something else and something very important as well. Yesterday was the third day of our website online. We had already more than 1500 visits and more than 10.000 pageviews. It means that, sometimes, you may be right when you think that someone should do something about it. I mean that, mainly because I also hear all the time "If it doesn't exist there must be a reason." Well, I figured out that the reason is that, all the other people thought it was just too complicated to them.

I am very happy with the results so far and I am also looking forward to keep investing in my ideas for businesses online. I am back on the excitment that I always had with technology and business.

So, if you have thougth about some idea that seems to be very good but you don't feel comfortable going ahead... well... talk to me! :D

ps.: the website is www.mytrainee.com - thanks anonymous for the tip! :D

I am back. For real! (at least for now)

Hello guys!!! Yes. Although I posted something some months ago, only now I am back on writing in this blog. To explain why I was away for such a long time comes from my friend Conrado. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but he once told me that when he was traveling around Brazil doing coaching visits for AIESEC he had subjects to talk about. But when he came back home he didn't have much to talk about. The same happened with me.

When I was in Mexico and in AIESEC, I could write about my adventures and misadventures. But somehow my life became boring when I came back to Brazil. So now, is it exciting enough for me to write? Well, all I can say is that I will try! :)
But what's new?

- I am hunting a job - and I can share the experience with you.
- I am starting a business.


So, this first post I want to talk about hunting a job. It's being a nice experience and something I want to share.

One of the coolest things about hunting a job is to meet people and get to know about them. I always enjoyed that a lot in selection processes in AIESEC and in other opportunities. So far I got to know a guy that traveled to meet his relatives in Jerusalem and after he got a job in Angola. Another one attempted 3 times to go to USA to play tennis... he didn't give back on his dream and did it. I even met a guy in a selection process that traveled through AIESEC Uberlandia... it was nice to see that if it wasn't somehow my dedication to AIESEC it would never have happened... Yeah, I really impacted his life. *

Of course not everything are flowers (Brazilian expression) hehe. I met some weird guys along the way. And I got bored to hear (more than once) "The biggest achievement of my life was to be accepted in the university." or "The hardest moment of my life was to leave my parents". I constantly ask myself if they don't think if they can differentiate of the rest of us with those examples.

But there are other nice things. You get to know about companies. Today I got to know that Procter and Gamble (and its ads about soaps in the past) were the responsible for the creation of the expression: "soap opera". And we get to know about benefits, programs, profile of companies, institutional (and exciting) videos. It's very cool. It's nice to see yourself working with those people in different environments.

Something else that is taking a lot of my time is tests! But hey, I know you're going to be a bit disappointed with me right now but... I like tests. :D I always liked it. When I was applying for universities in Brazil... I really enjoyed it (I was accepted in 6 different programs in 3 different universities... I think I was good at it also hehe). But what I really enjoy about tests is the fact that it always challenges our way of thinking and brings us new information that we have to deal with in a short period of time and take a fast decision. For now I am still enjoying it, although sometimes it's exhausting.

And what am I looking for. Now, more than ever, I am sure that I would like to work either with Consulting or in the Consumer Goods industry. I am applying for some positions now and the good thing is that results are going to come in different dates. So I can get a job sooner than I thought.

It's my first back post. As I was saying above... I hope you enjoy it. In the next I am going to talk about my adventures as entrepreneur. It's being also exciting and challenging... but you will get to know more in my next post. See ya!! (soon)


* I helped to found three committees in Brazil: Ribeirão Preto, Franca and Uberlandia. Everything seems worth now! :)

Strangely happy...

It’s weird to be writing this note, but I am strangely happy. First of all I want to say that I am not someone that doesn’t like soccer or that doesn’t love my country. I truly do. But, in this world cup, for me, it was somehow much more than about just soccer.

Our coach is a new guy. He was a brave “warrior” in the cups that he participated. He was always someone that pushed the team and raised their energies and etc. That must be credited to him, of course. But, as a coach of our team… for me he was a completely disaster.

Talking about soccer, and only soccer, he decided to choose the “most committed” players. There was a reason for that. Last world cup, the whole country was disappointed with the attitude of our players. They didn’t show any commitment and energy to win that world cup.

However, the decision that our coach took was at least, infantile. He selected just the “fully committed” players. And what about the talent? What about the so admired Brazilian soccer and soccer players? Why to do not chose a talented substitute for Kaka, our best player when everything pointed for him to do not be 100% for this cup? Summing up, choosing people like: Felipe Melo, Michel Bastos, Kleberson, Josué, Donni… was at least, very controversial.

But I am not strangely happy because of this. I am strangely happy because of the completely unacceptable attitude and posture of our coach. He a bunch of things that couldn’t be accepted by anyone: he said bad words about journalists in a press conference, he started a war with all the media channels, he was aggressive and was incoherent with his own decision in many times.

So, why am I strangely happy? It’s somehow simple. During my whole life I was criticized to have the same attitudes that was questioned and pointed about our coach. Many people, so many times, asked me to chance my behavior and to be a friendly person and to consider more the others opinions and etc. I worked hard many years to be shaped more in this sense. Nowadays, I feel like I am much more like this than I was 5 years ago. So, why should we support such a stupid behavior in a true Brazilian leader? Someone that in this season is one of the most important people in the country – even more than our president.

Therefore, somehow I am happy. Of course I would be happy to see my team to win this championship. But more than that I would like those lessons to be learned in our country and to be taken for the most important world cup in our history, 2014! There, with any coach, any selection of players, in any city… I will be fully supporting our team. Because, today, I think we have learned the hard lesson.