They left prominent careers – one as an international model and the other at a large multinational company – to pursue their dream of entrepreneurship. In 2021, Paula Kodama and Aline Kalinoski decided to found a marketing agency, Nowa, with a clear purpose: to boost the results of self-employed professionals and small businesses.
In practice, they help their clients stand out and achieve a competitive image in the market, especially through social media marketing. With focus and meticulous preparation, they not only launched a business but also embarked on a personal mission of empowerment, transforming audacious goals into tangible reality.
The agency is based in Curitiba, but serves clients in various parts of Brazil and has already completed projects abroad. "We've also worked on a project in New York," the partners explain. Their client portfolio includes professionals such as doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, and small businesses in the service, product, and even industrial sectors. As a result of this work, Nowa's revenue grew by 230% from 2022 to 2023.
Now, they want to go further. They also want to expand the agency's range of services. Currently, Nowa Marketing offers social media (digital social media management), branding and visual identity (brand creation and strengthening), photo and video production, internet traffic management, landing page (web page development and design), and consulting. The goal is to start offering training services to female entrepreneurs for the management of their businesses. “We realized that this training is often lacking; it's one of the main pain points,” points out Paula. “We want to expand Nowa Marketing into this area of management education,” reinforces Aline. The partners have a strong personal mission to encourage female entrepreneurship in the country.
The two partners realize that many entrepreneurs, in general, are specialists in their fields of study. However, they don't learn how to be entrepreneurs in college and have difficulty managing their businesses. "They don't know, for example, how to price [their product or service]," explains Aline.
Trajectory
Before founding Nowa Marketing, Aline and Paula had different backgrounds and career paths. Aline, a graduate in Business Administration with specializations in Finance and Marketing, worked for years at a multinational company, ExxonMobil. She started there as an intern, rose through the ranks, but at a certain point, felt the need for further professional development.
Paula, who studied Interior Design, was a model for over ten years, between 2009 and 2020, doing various jobs in Asia. She became an entrepreneur, developing her own bikini brand. She studied Branding at a university in London. She returned to Brazil in 2021, when she was introduced to Aline.
Aline was starting her career as a financial consultant. Her contact with Paula was precisely to help with marketing strategies. They both realized that this demand was, in fact, the demand of many people who wanted to become entrepreneurs. "We identified a business opportunity," recalls Aline. Thus, Nowa Marketing was born.
In addition to the agency's growth, personally, the two are also establishing themselves as a point of reference. They were even hired by Sebrae (Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service) as influencers to speak at events aimed at micro and small businesses. Last June, they had their first experience in this role. "We really want to promote female entrepreneurship," they emphasize.
