Salvatore Scimonetti’s path to self-employment in Brazil took two attempts.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Salvatore Scimonetti left small-town Switzerland for Rio de Janeiro, where he found not only love but an entrepreneurial calling – amid setbacks, reinvention and constant uncertainty.
The turning point in Scimonetti’s life did not begin with a business plan, but with a sunrise in Brazil that “really touched” him. It was love at first sight for a country that works very differently from Switzerland.
Salvatore Scimonetti with his wife Larissa.
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But his first attempt at gaining a foothold as a self-employed entrepreneur in the South American country failed. Scimonetti tried to launch his own project at the age of 25 without Portuguese language skills or local experience. After being robbed, however, he realised that he would not succeed on his own in a country that was still unfamiliar to him. “It wasn’t the right time,” says Scimonetti. So he decided to return to Switzerland.
What remained was his connection to a Brazilian fashion designer he had fallen in love with shortly before his departure. The two maintained a long-distance relationship for four years before Scimonetti decided to return to Brazil.
“Rationally speaking, the chances were better for both of us if I moved to [be with] her,” recalls the now 34-year-old. This time, he approached things differently: better prepared, more cautious – and with a clearer plan. He is now married and has founded his own local marketing agency.
Six languages, two markets
The name of his agency, Schachmatt VierExternal link (Checkmate Four) or simply SV4 in Brazil, reflects his approach. Scimonetti sees his work as a strategic game: thinking ahead, weighing risks and planning moves. It is an approach that helps him navigate a market he describes as dynamic but also unpredictable.
His business model is relatively pragmatic. He continues to acquire clients in Switzerland and increasingly in Brazil, implementing projects locally with a team of six. He also benefits from speaking six languages, which facilitates work across different markets. Scimonetti leverages the link between Switzerland and Brazil, though not without challenges.
Our series profiles Swiss men and women founding and building businesses abroad. Through their personal stories, we explore why they choose to pursue projects beyond Switzerland’s borders, the working conditions they encounter there, and the challenges and opportunities.
Through their life stories, this series also showcases how the Swiss Abroad community contributes to Switzerland’s economic, cultural, and political influence.
Legal issues, taxes and differing business cultures initially made the set-up more complex than expected. Scimonetti runs a sole proprietorship in Switzerland and two limited companies in Brazil. Today, he works with trustees in both countries to manage tax matters. “Every year it’s a new challenge to explain this to the Swiss tax authorities because I no longer live there,” he says.
Brazil is not Switzerland
Alongside the agency, he helped set up a small photo studioExternal link in Rio de Janeiro. It is a classic start-up setting: limited resources, significant personal effort and constant attention to costs. “It’s a struggle, month after month,” says Scimonetti. Income, investments and ongoing obligations must be continuously balanced.
Setbacks are also still part of it. At the beginning, he “trusted too much” in Brazil and had to learn the hard way. “I thought the world was like Switzerland,” says the Swiss expat, who has Italian roots. Today, he takes a more structured approach, works with local partners and tries to assess risks better.
Scimonetti is the first in his family to be naturalised in Switzerland. For years he was called a “Tschingg” (the derogatory term “Tschingg,” used to describe migrant workers, originated from the Italian word “cinque” for “five”) and never felt he truly belonged, but he now strongly identifies with Swiss values.
He also sees this as an advantage. Punctuality, reliability and planning certainty are qualities that help him position himself in the Brazilian market. At the same time, he has learned to be more flexible, a skill often crucial in everyday life in Rio de Janeiro.
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Future prospects for young people from the favelas
He says his biggest success so far has been the rebranding of the Brazilian brand TYP, which has now entered a luxury shopping centre in Rio close to boutiques of international brands such as Gucci and Prada.
Despite economic pressure and uncertainty, Scimonetti is pursuing long-term plans. In future, he hopes to help young talents from disadvantaged backgrounds enter creative professions. Concrete projects are still in their early stages, but the idea forms part of his long-term vision.
Switzerland will remain economically important for Scimonetti. However, his daily life now takes place in Brazil, where he has bought a home with his wife and continues to build his business.
Edited by Balz Rigendinger/ Translated from German using AI/amva
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