It takes patience and hard work to grow a business.

I stumbled into a bookshop in Mal Deodoro, a neighbourhood in Sao Paulo (Brazil) where the owner has been selling books for 25 years. He started with a simple street stand selling magazines and books. In the last 6 years, he’s been renting a proper shop for 3000 reals a month, as well as a second shop that sells books and other electronic accessories.

Interior of the bookstore

His two sons help him with the business – he has no hired workers – and he gets his vast collection of used books from a variety of sources. He says that people typically come to him to sell their books, since they have known him for a long time, instead of him needing to actively source for books.

More books on the street outside his bookshop

 “Timing, perseverance, and ten years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success.” – Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder