About Us

WHAT IS THE ACADEMY?

The Academia Assaí Bons Negócios, an initiative from Assaí, through the GPA Institute, the social branch of the Group, is a program for the development and strengthening of entrepreneurial and management skills on Brazilian micro and small businesses in the food sector. It involves classroom training, theme workshops and a free online platform which offers content developed from the needs identified by small entrepreneurs and focused on the specifics of each type of business.

WHO IS IT FOR?

The Academia Assaí Bons Negócios aims at supporting micro and small entrepreneurs in the food sector from all over Brazil who, often, in a formal situation or not, have difficulties in managing their enterprise. The Program, therefore, provides specific solutions and training for the business of Cake & Pasty, Hot Dogs, Grocery Shops/Markets, Pizzerias, Pastel Shops, among others.

WHY WAS IT CREATED?

Currently in Brazil, 41% of all microentrepreneurs have not finished high school, and 20% have not finished elementary school. About 1/3 of all microenterprises go bankrupt at the end of the 2nd year of existence. (source: Entrepreneurship in Brazil Report, GEM and Sebrae, 2016).

Although there are already several courses, content on the internet and institutions that support small entrepreneurs, there is still a demand for training focused on the specific needs of the microentrepreneur, formalized or not, with practical guidelines and targeted examples which are easy to learn and apply in the business.

WHAT TYPES OF CONTENT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE BY THE ACADEMY?

The Academia Assaí Bons Negócios paths are composed of specific content for each segment as well as generic versions, valid for all the others.

Below, you can some examples of the topics covered by each specialty:

• How to sell more by understanding the entire sales process;
• Partnerships to sell more;
• How to stop selling on credit and implement new means of payment;
• Customer service and loyalty;
• Understanding the client and the means of publicizing;
• Publicizing on social media;
• How to price products correctly;
• How to formalize the business;
• How to obtain the necessary licenses for the sale of food;
• How to organize the establishment;
• Financial management: separating business money from personal money, financial controls, cost reduction and working capital management;
• Task management and activities prioritization;
• Production management: production logistics, inventory, packaging and equipment, avoiding waste;
• Best hygiene practices in food production and business;
• Healthy products and products for dietary restrictions.

HOW IS THE ACADEMY STRUCTURED?

The Academia Assaí Bons Negócios is structured in such a way as to provide access to information via the online platform and through face-to-face actions.

The online platform facilitates users' enrollment and access to content. It is presented in the format of video-lessons and complementary materials/downloadable tools, structured in Paths (general, applied to any food entrepreneur; and specific by segment, for example: Cake & Pasty, Grocery Shops, Hot Dog, etc.). Paths are launched in stages.

The teaching methodology of Aliança Empreendedora, an organization specializing in supporting Brazilian microentrepreneurs, makes video classes objective and didactic, with practical and specific application to each segment in which they operate, encouraging the entrepreneurs to apply the knowledge to their business in a practical way, after each class attended. Short assessments along the Paths verify the user's learning and provide data on their progress, culminating in the issuance of the completed Path certificate. Face-to-face actions extend the reach of the Academy to micro and small entrepreneurs in the focus segments who may not have access to the online platform.

WHAT ARE THE COMPANIES INVOLVED
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ACADEMY?

The Academia Assaí Bons Negócios is an initiative of Assaí Atacadista, through Instituto GPA, the social branch of Grupo Pão de Açúcar. The program also has Aliança Empreendedora and MegaMidia as partners in the execution, providing the content and platform, respectively, in addition to the support of Sebrae and Sindipan for special theme events and workshops.

Aliança Empreendedora is a social organization located in Curitiba, with national and international operations. It supports micro entrepreneurs in starting or developing their businesses, working on entrepreneurial skills and abilities, in addition to providing knowledge in business management. It applies a practical and andragogical methodology aiming for the empowerment of the entrepreneur.

MegaMidia is also headquartered in Curitiba and operates throughout Brazil, bringing integrated POS management and merchandising solutions to retail businesses through a multidisciplinary team and cutting-edge technology. Bons Negócios magazine and blog, the Assaí app, social networks and radio all rely on MegaMidia's communication expertise.

Partner suppliers make the Academy viable through a monthly financial contribution, strengthening their brands through this association. As a counterpart, users have access to differentiated content and offers from sponsors, adding to learning and providing better conditions for entrepreneurs to develop their businesses.

CERTIFICATES

After finishing a complete trail, structured by our team of educators, you will be able to issue a Certificate from The Academia Assaí Bons Negócios. When a course displays the Certificate badge at the beginning of the course, it means that it already has it available for download after the completion of the Path.