GIZIANE SANTOS

The Beginning She arrived in Portugal in 2001, with the goal of starting her own business, the same one she had in her homeland (a pet service store). However not everything went as planned, and the day she landed (September eleven 2001) brought her bad luck. The Portuguese partner with whom she’d start the business, had some trouble with her job, and later on was fired, not being able to fulfill her part of the business. Giziane, then had, to start from scratch.

In a foreign country, not understanding exactly how things worked, she had to figure out from her day to day routine. After living for a week in the country, she was employed in the dining area (and this is a very common area among recent immigrants). The hourly load was unhuman, reaching 14 to 16 hours a day. They were though times, but bearable.

How did it start? A proposed lease of a house, with a beautiful and spacious back yard, could open the doors to her dream. She then, moved into the house where she started hosting informally dogs with such a warmth and care that quickly attracted costumers, which gave her a good reputation that promptly spread and the number of costumers started to increase.

In 2007, she appealed to Micro- Credit to acquire a loan of seven thousand euros to make some repairs, improve some conditions in the home and expand the space. She took specialization courses, workshops and lectures to acquire more knowledge and diplomas, in order to give credibility to her work. With the right client portfolio, Giziane got the courage and gave her biggest step, the one that would finally allow her to withhold the final aim. In December of last year, she decided to open a store, in a site close to her residence.

Daily work The Pet Space – Care and Services for pets store, was finally open in January of 2010, with a wide range of services, including, funeral support, behavioral therapy, clipping and animal rehabilitation.

Problem solving and challenges She had many problems and difficulties. One was the discrimination of being foreign and to be opening my own business. Then the lack of a track record of success brought some difficulties, since it was the first time I was opening a business. The bureaucracy and the slow pace of things became a problem as well.

Job and family Today, businesswoman with her own business, Giziane looks back and sees her path with plenty of emotion and pride, because she knows that every step taken, every completed route, served as a footstep in order to fulfill the dream. However, Giziane doesn’t forget the support she got from her family, friends and a big backing from the Pé de Meia Cooperative, that was there for her at all times to guide and target her in the best track, facilitating things and many times getting ahead and opening paths and caving possibilities for her.

Plans for the Future Giziane believes in expand her business to other areas in Portugal. Also, she think in have subsidiaries in other countries and make her imprint a mark of respect in the animal industry. The fact that there was such a big demand for the offered services, arose the need to hire three more employees till the end of the year, something that illustrates the success of the business.

The advantages and disadvantages for a woman to be the owner of the company “ The most important advantage is having financial independence and being autonomous in managing their own. The disadvantage is that sometimes we aren’t initially accepted or even respected by others. Sometimes we have to prove ourselves or that we are able in practice, because just by looking at us doesn’t get there“

Giziane still leaves a message and an advice for women that dream about being businesswomen, however impossible it may look, never give up on your dreams, commit, strive and you’ll see that you can achieve the impossible.

Newspaper SOL - No. 188 (April 9, 2010) By: Sonia Grace Newspaper DESTAK – (April 9, 2010)