What, how and why - The Long Game Newsletter

B2B marketing and building a life abroad.

First of all, thank you for getting all the way here.
I hope you enjoy The Long Game. 🙏

I’ve been carrying this uneasy feeling for a while now—wanting to do more, create something, but not knowing exactly what.

My life has turned out completely different than anything I could’ve imagined. I was born and raised in Brazil, spent about 10 years in Canada, 1 year in the Netherlands, and now 10 years in Finland. Somewhere along the way, I ended up with a B2B marketing career, a wonderful wife, 2 beautiful half-Finnish, half-Brazilian boys, and a slightly obsessive relationship with staying active.

It’s been an unusual path. Not in a glorious, ‘look at me’ kind of way, but in the sense that it’s been shaped by geography, cultural crossings, harsh winters, a run at being in a rock band, and a series of small decisions that somehow compounded into a life I barely recognize from where I started.

There’s a lot to unpack. Going from snow removal and carpet cleaning jobs to my second CMO role. Moving and growing older abroad—plus everything that comes with it. The self-care lessons I was forced to pick up along the way.

This newsletter is my attempt to share thoughts and learnings from all of the above.

The long game started with one clear decision.

When I decided to leave Brazil, I had a fairly comfortable setup. I was studying Electrical Engineering, had a car, and a small family apartment right in front of the beach where I could spend weekends with friends. I’m not gonna lie, things looked pretty great.

But I could see the future with uncomfortable clarity. People were graduating—often with two undergraduate degrees—and still couldn’t land a first job. I knew I was no better than them. I knew exactly what my life would look like if I just sat back and enjoyed the comfortable ride.

So, with very little deliberation, 19-year-old me decided to go to Canada and purposely choose struggle over ease. I figured if I could impose some hardship into my next 5 years, I’d have a shot at building something better for the long game.

To be clear, I didn’t come from wealth. Or poverty either. Mom sold our apartment to pay for my studies abroad. We were a solid middle-class Brazilian family: single mom working hard to provide, amazing grandparents filling the gaps in her absence. Dad left early on—but that’s for another day.

That decision—choosing the hard path with a long-term view—became the pattern that shaped everything that followed. My career. My life abroad. The way I think about building anything that matters.

Playing for the long term has always been the winning formula.

What is this newsletter about, anyway?

Every Sunday (or so), I’ll be writing about two things:

1. B2B marketing

Real lessons from building marketing teams at growth-stage companies—what works when you’re trying to create pipeline, build a brand, and grow revenue sustainably (all while staying sane).

I’ll cover marketing-specific topics, but I’ll also expand into leadership and management areas that help marketers thrive by understanding the bigger picture.

Whether you’re just starting in B2B marketing or you’re a seasoned pro, you’ll find practical, in-depth content that can help you grow your career, diversify your thinking, and navigate the realities of a demanding role.

2. What it actually means to build a life abroad

The romantic idea of “living abroad” versus the reality of actually doing it are two very different things.

I’ll share the hard-earned lessons about what that journey looks like—from the moment you land in a new country to the not-so-obvious realizations that only come once you’re too deep to turn back.

Fair warning

From time to time, you might hear me talk about parenting stuff—I’m the proud dad of two amazing boys, and it’s a big part of who I am. Trying to juggle all of these roles is a challenge I think most parents can relate to.

Everybody is welcome

(I know mom is already here) but here’s who I think this is an obvious fit for:

• B2B marketers (and builders, founders, people working in GTM functions at tech companies)

• People living or planning to live abroad (Brazilian in Finland here 🙋)

• Both (in which case, did we just become best friends?)

So here we are. The Long Game.

Weekly insights on building for the long term - in marketing, life, and everything between.

If this resonates, I’d love to have you along for the ride. Sign up and I’ll make sure the newsletter hits your inbox every Sunday.

✌️

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