Spotlight:
Liam Lawlor
Tell us a little bit about yourself. What’s your professional background, and what are you passionate about?
I grew up in Ireland but left when I was 19 to pursue a degree in public health in San Francisco. I then completed a double masters in Melbourne, an MBA and a Masters in Health Services Management. I worked in a health insurance giant for a few years before deciding that healthcare wasn’t for me. I’m still passionate about it but it’s a difficult industry to succeed in if you´re not a doctor. I have had a few businesses here in Rio over the years including an events promotion company and a tech start up. I’m passionate about business, charity, cooking, travel and fitness.
What brought you to Brazil?
I met a Brazilian lady in San Francisco who then followed me to Melbourne, we were both unhappy there and I had already fallen in love with Rio so we decided to move here. I have since divorced but am now happily married to an angel for the past 11 years. Essentially love brought me to Brazil and love of my wife and the city are keeping me here.
In a country as big as Brazil, what is it about Rio that you decided to make it home?
The beaches, the people and the weather are all factors which make me love Rio – I don´t think I could live anywhere else except maybe Dublin or San Francisco.
“Love brought me to Brazil, and love of my wife and the city are keeping me here.”
You have studied and worked in places all around the world. How do you think that has affected your perspective on life?
It has certainly given me a worldly cultured outlook on life. Besides studying and working I have travelled extensively. It makes you very accepting as a human being of other people and their differences, but it’s easy to forget sometimes that not everyone is like you. My wife has hardly ever left the neighbourhood she grew up in so in that respect we are very different. I still have plenty of travel left in me and a few places on my bucket list that mostly involve either food or scuba diving.
You ran a business throughout the pandemic from Rio. What challenges did you face, and did being away from home add to the challenges?
I had a start up during the pandemic, a social media app designed for NGOs. It was definitely a challenge as there were lots of delays with the programming during lockdown. We also had to get funding in from Ireland which at times was a challenge given the bureaucracy here in Brazil. Though as our app was Brazil-based, being away from Ireland did not present any unique challenges.
What tips would you give to someone starting or running a business here in Brazil?
I would recommend getting a good accountant from the very beginning and doing everything properly. My own experience of working with some people is that not everyone will work to the highest professional standards, so it’s really important to choose who you work with wisely, though I’m sure that’s a good lesson in every country. When running my own events promotion company, I experienced far less stress than some other ventures, simply by making sure we maintained a high professional working standard.
If you were back at the beginning of your journey in Brazil, what would you do differently?
I would have given up alcohol a lot sooner – I have been on the wagon for 10 years now and am far happier for it. The beginning of my life in Brazil was a boozy adventure and mistakes were made. I would also have learned to speak Portuguese fluently a lot sooner too. My ex-wife always spoke to me in English which didn´t help matters, but get yourself into a good school early on and learn the language. Immerse yourself in it and it makes your life in Brazil a lot easier. My current wife doesn’t speak English and now that I have studied the language properly, just two years ago, we communicate a lot better. When speaking the language, I get treated less like a gringo wherever I go too. I also help the homeless every Thursday something that would be impossible without the language.
What’s a common misconception people have about life in Brazil that your experience doesn’t match?
That it’s the wild west in terms of danger, sure Rio is dangerous but in 15 years here I have only ever had a couple of incidents. It´s about being streetwise. There is also the misconception that its all samba, beaches and Carnaval. The truth is Brazilians work incredibly hard, often for long hours. The fun you see is well-earned.
What similarities do you see between Brazilian and Irish people?
Povo semelhante or similar people is what I say to Brazilians when they ask about Irish people. The Irish people are very friendly and welcoming as are Brazilians – I love the Brazilian people in a way I never did living in Australia. You’re always made to feel welcome here, even as a gringo at a stranger’s party much in the same way as the Irish welcome people.
If you could take one thing from Brazilian culture and bring it to Ireland, what would it be?
The beach culture but unfortunately we don´t have the weather for it in Ireland. It brings out the best in people I find. People are generally health conscious and keep fit as they go to the beach a lot. There are healthy juice bars everywhere in Rio and in general people are thin and healthy.
You’ve been here a long time. What is it you miss most about home?
I miss Dublin and the food. Rio doesn´t have the greatest international food scene and I am a big foodie. I also miss being able to jump on a plane and be somewhere else in Europe easily. Of course I miss my family and friends, but with Dublin being so expensive, cold, and my wife not speaking English, I don´t think we could ever move back there.
About the Author
Liam Lawlor, Project Manager, and VP of Irish Business Network Brazil
Liam is an entrepreneur and leader with a background in health management and a double master’s from Monash University. Following a corporate role in Australia, he founded and led multiple ventures in Brazil, including Dubliner Promotions and the social media startup Sparkeep, building over a decade of experience driving business growth.
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