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ENTREPRENEUR: GUILHERME PEIRAO LEAL (int'l edition)Grassroots social activity and old-fashioned capitalism are a rich combo for Brazilian cosmetics maker Natura. Pitching Natura's 300-odd products to groups of prospective customers, its army of 220,000 vendors will rack up sales of $1 billion this year. Profits last year were $17 million. Executive President Guilherme Peirao Leal, 48, eschews advertising and marketing for word-of-mouth among suppliers, distributors, salespeople, and customers. ''Relationships are important for brands in the long term,'' says Peirao Leal. He is earmarking $2 million this year for social projects, mostly aiding schools in working-class neighborhoods. That helps Natura, too, by building goodwill among its top targets, blue-collar groups. In the past three years, Natura has spent $3 million to finance 57 public school projects helping 147,000 children. Leal also offers his sales force big incentives. While the average salesperson takes home $250 monthly, Natura employees can earn thousands. Among photos of top vendors in Natura's Sao Paulo offices, No.1 is the smiling Cristiane Barreto. She earned a staggering $14,400 in August. Leal knows that in his business, people, above all, are key.
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Updated Oct. 15, 1998 by bwwebmaster
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