Interview with Miguel Veloso, BySix's CEO 1. What are the main objectives BySix aims to achieve by the end of 2024? For us, there are timeless objectives and others that are short and medium-term. I'll start with those that are short and medium-term. Since 2023, BySix has been reinventing, professionalizing, and enhancing its management areas. To this end, at the beginning of 2023, we rebranded, began the path to obtaining the ISO9001 certification, which attests to our management capabilities, and revisited all processes in every area involved in our business. It was the year of the least growth since our founding, slightly below 50%, but still surpassing the forecasts set during the first quarter of the year. For 2024, we envisioned something different, investing in satellite areas, which are no less important, with the creation of a marketing department. This area has helped us not only promote the brand but also establish it better in the market, revisiting all our communication. We now have the possibility to communicate better, be clearer, and with our usual transparency, reflect all the work we have been doing with our partners. We are also aware of the changing market paradigm; our clients and potential clients have become much more meticulous in their choice of partners and collaborators in recent years, and we believe we are up to the challenge, aiming to forge new relationships and continue growing at the same level as previous years. Being accustomed to growing every year, it is imperative to state that this must be one of BySix's timeless objectives. However, we must not only aim to grow but also have well-established foundations to do so sustainably. 2. What are BySix's main target markets, and how are they being approached? Some sectors, such as logistics, automotive, and finance, were fundamental pillars in our founding and growth. BySix, with its immense accumulated know-how in these areas, has also been an integral part of the engine for several companies in these markets. In recent years, we have also been approaching other sectors and are beginning to feel comfortable navigating them both technically and in terms of business. Since 2022, we have expanded into and learned more about sectors such as retail, hospitality, telecommunications, and energy, reaching 2024 with the certainty that we are also an added value for our partners in these areas. A large portion of our development and consultancy services are exported (between 80% to 90%), but we can apply much of the experience we have gained in any country, naturally respecting the nuances and rules that each country imposes. I would be proud to state the opposite—that 80% to 90% of our work is developed nationally—because that would mean we are part of the national technological growth. Our approach will continue to be the same: we will work to embrace challenges where we are confident we are the ideal partner and an added value for the client and the sector they belong to, regardless of their nationality and location. One thing is certain, we will always be transparent and honest, as that is the foundation of a quality and long-term relationship. 3. What are the main differences between BySix and its competitors? BySix is characterized by a culture of proximity and trust. It may seem like just another pleasant phrase to read that all our competitors use, but we truly foster closeness among all employees, regardless of their hierarchical level. Before founding BySix, I was involved in several international projects, dominated by Nordic culture, where the demands ranged from technical aspects to leadership. However, some of the various guiding principles I most appreciated were the trust they placed in each other's work and the relentless pursuit of evolution and learning. If we combine Nordic culture with the warmer side of Latin culture, i.e., empathy, concern for others, closeness, and our fearless attitude, we end up with the foundations that, in my opinion, create the ideal place to work. Therefore, besides our extreme technical capability, which is a given due to the essence of our company, BySix stands out for its closeness, trust, self-criticism, and fearlessness—this is how we can successfully face the challenges we set for ourselves, with the excellence that our clients and employees demand. 4. How has BySix adapted to market changes and trends? In recent years, probably the most significant change we have observed is related to the balance between professional and personal life and the demands this brings not only organizationally but also in terms of security. Until 2019, all our employees worked on-site, already with the necessary flexibility to cooperate remotely when needed. The pandemic years did not bring anything new to us regarding the work regime, and we already felt prepared for both remote and hybrid work, with this adaptation occurring very naturally. We established, in agreement with our teams, that hybrid work is the best fit for our reality. Often, I am asked, "why not fully remote?" and the explanation is simple: we want to continue fostering our culture, working, and having fun together. Thus, being together one or two times a week does not necessarily mean sacrificing balance—it means helping to maintain it, because, whether we like it or not, friendships are also formed at work, and these are bridges between personal and professional fields. 5. In which specific areas of our operation do you see the greatest need for growth or improvement? I cannot and should not isolate one specific area. We have the necessary humility to state that all areas should be reviewed, reinvented, and improved whenever necessary, whether in terms of processes, technical aspects, or even the number of human resources. The job market and our sector are constantly changing. "Small" novelties, such as the significant advancement of artificial intelligence in recent years, have changed our perspective in an instant, creating countless opportunities technically, structurally, and behaviorally. I will give a small example: a few years ago, we had to conduct numerous technical validations as a first screening of candidates for our vacancies. Currently, the entire first line of screening is done with artificial intelligence; the ATS platform we currently use automatically transforms and analyzes candidates' resumes, greatly facilitating the work of the recruitment team. However, there are some identified areas where we want to continue improving, such as in talent monitoring and retention. Not because we are not doing it, but because in a competitive market like ours, it is necessary to stay at the forefront so that all employees can make this journey together. The sentiment of a "job for life" no longer exists as it used to, but we know that the best asset is inside our doors, not outside.
