According to a survey carried out in partnership with AlmapBBDO, 39% of LGBTQIAP+ entrepreneurs see the experience as an opportunity
The second edition of Contaí 2022, an event aimed at LGBTQIAP+ businesses and entrepreneurs, took place this Monday (11), at the Hotel Unique, in São Paulo. The initiative is organized by diversitech Nhaí, founded by Raquel Virgínia.
According to the executive, the event has already directly impacted 2,000 entrepreneurs in the community since its first edition.
“I feel that we are starting to build a community that, in fact, dialogues and undertakes LGBTQIAP+. Creating a community is very difficult and here we are creating one that undertakes and is LGBTQIAP+”, said Nhaí’s CEO to PROPMARK.
During the program, the research “LGBTQIAP+ Entrepreneurship: the challenge of opportunity” was presented, sponsored by AlmapBBDO, which presented data on the LGBTQIAP+ entrepreneur scenario in Brazil.
Pain as a business opportunity
During one of the Contaí 2022 panels, Raquel Virginia highlighted how the pain and stigma of the LGBTQIAP+ community can become business opportunities for this part of the population.
According to the study, 39% of respondents said that being part of the community turned into an opportunity to undertake.
“Our pains and stigmas about the LGBTQIAP+ community can become opportunities. I learned to earn money by being a trans person, black and transform it into an opportunity. This can change the entire Brazilian market”, highlighted the executive.
In addition, the data also showed that 56% of respondents are inspired by something or someone to start a business. Of these, 35% said they were inspired by companies that support the LGBTQAIP+ cause, 26% by other entrepreneurs and/or influencers, and 25% by friends and/or family.
Study as a starting point
Another data pointed out by the survey is that 62% of LGBTQIAP+ entrepreneurs said they study to undertake, with 75% watching videos, 63% looking for information on websites, 61% looking for virtual courses and 54% taking complementary courses.
According to the study, entrepreneurs study and research the market to identify the best niche to work in and, when choosing which one to work in, 32% chose to do something they already liked, 21% researched the market on the networks, 14 % already worked in the area and 10% noticed a lack in that topic in the market.
In addition, the data showed that the main line of business of the community is concentrated in the fashion and beauty market (42%), followed by the technology sector (22%) — such as IT, sales in general, Personal Organizer, design —, event and beverage promotion (5%), production of content for social media (4%), virtual education (3%). About 3% become virtual influencers.
support network
The research pointed out that the support network of family and friends is the greatest ally of LGBQIAP+ entrepreneurs. According to the data, 35% started in the market with the help of family resources, followed by financing from formal banks (16%), investing partner (14%), external investors (6%), financing from NGOs (4%), incubators (two%).
In addition to the financial aspect, the data showed that the support network also helped to turn the business around, bringing in more customers, referring employees and helping to manage the enterprise.
Regarding institutions, most entrepreneurs in the community stated that they did not receive any support from institutions, whether private or public.
The research was carried out with an On the Go methodology, via mobile and with the use of chatbots. In total, the study heard 184 LGBTQIAP+ entrepreneurs, aged 18 to 55.
A mall in the metaverse
The second edition of Contaí 2022 was also marked by the launch of Marsha Marsha Shopping: the first LGBTQIA+ mall in the metaverse, designed by Virgínia and Iara Land.
The name is a tribute to Marsha P. Johnson, an American trans woman and activist, protagonist of the acts known as the Stonewall Uprising in 1969.
“[Com a pesquisa] We understood that the majority of LGBTQIAP+ people who undertake, undertake and scale their businesses in the digital environment and we understand that most of these people do not have a physical space to be able to articulate their business and sell products, so we thought of bringing this together everything in a digital platform we decided for the metaverse”, concluded the CEO of Nhaí.
Marsha Shopping is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2023, with hybrid access: consumers will be able to connect with virtual reality glasses, via computer or mobile phone.
