DB1 Group is a large company, with revenues of around R$200 million, founded by Ilson Rezende, the current CEO, and other partners. But, even with financial discipline, the company faced poor decisions. One of the most notable involved the launch of software for the agricultural sector.
“We created software that was wonderful”, recalls Ilson, in an interview with the podcast From Zero to Top, which tells stories of successful entrepreneurs. “We spent more than R$1 million and got 30 customers.”
The problem was the lack of real market validation. “We did a business of this size and what the client liked to see most was the report on how many animals he had”, he says. “We made a beautiful product that no customer wanted.”
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Apprenticeship
The error led to a profound change in the way products were launched. “When you learn that you don’t need the product 100% ready to validate, it changes everything,” he says. “Today we have an assertiveness rate above 70% in the products we launch.”
According to him, the learning was structural. “We assumed that if one client paid a lot, others would pay less. That seemed obvious in our heads. But that wasn’t what happened.”
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The experience reinforced the company’s long-term vision and the need for continuous learning. “There was never a plan B for DB1. I was very focused on making DB1 work”, says Rezende.
Today, with an international presence and new acquisitions on the radar, the company maintains the same logic. “The important thing is that we are doing our job. If we need capital for a strategic movement, we use this tool. But without losing the essence.”
To find out more details about DB1’s entrepreneurial journey, see the full episode on . The program is available in its podcast version on the main streaming platforms such as ApplePodcasts, , , , and .
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About From Zero to Top
The Do Zero ao Topo podcast is a production of InfoMoney and brings, every week, the stories of prominent women and men in the Brazilian market to tell their story, sharing the biggest challenges faced along the way and the main strategies used in building the business.
