In this Business Blast podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews Brazilian entrepreneur Renan Godino, founder of Flirtar (the first augmented‑reality dating app) and Easy Emprego (a geo‑recruitment platform). Renan shares his origin story of moving to Rio de Janeiro at age 20 with only $40, launching his first startup, and later meeting Apple co‑founder Steve Wozniak, emphasizing the importance of attitude and seizing opportunities. He predicts that smartphones will be supplanted by AR smart glasses for meeting people, highlighting a shift toward immersive, real‑world interactions. Renan offers broad business advice—deep product knowledge, strong customer relationships, listening, humility, resilience, and not fearing failure. He advises his younger self to ignore unhelpful people and be selective with time. On happiness, he stresses purpose, listening to one’s heart, gratitude, and goal pursuit. His favorite book is Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, from which he learned that imagination outweighs knowledge. His favorite quote is, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right,” underscoring mindset’s power. The episode concludes with his social media handles: Instagram @renan.entrepreneur and LinkedIn @renangojingo.
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Alright everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner and today's sponsor is Flipboard. Flipboard curates the world's stories so you can be smarter in your work, life, and play. Choose from thousands of topics to personalize Flipboard and get the latest stories from the best publishers and experts delivered to you 24/7. So You can get started now at flipboard.com. And now, let's jump into the episode. All right, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. Today, Renan Godino with us. He is a passionate entrepreneur that founded Flirtar. The world's first augmented reality dating app, and Easy Emprego, the world's first geo-recruitment platform. His talent has caught the attention of several key innovators in the US technology market, including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. So welcome to the show, man.
Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Of course, man. Grateful to have you here. So the first one I got for you today is what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
Okay, when I was— I was living in a small town in Brazil, and when I was 20 years old, I quit my job and I moved to Rio de Janeiro with only $40 to become an entrepreneur. And I was very motivated and I knew I could achieve that goal, and I was not afraid to fail. I was very focused on my goal. After 1 year, I created my first startup, and after a while, I moved to the United States. And I was having dinner with Steve Wozniak. So jumping on this adventure was the best thing I ever did. I think the message here is attitude. Do not wait for the right time to achieve your goals.
Yes, man. Dude, that is awesome. Congrats.
Thank you.
The next one I got for you is what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
Well, I think in my industry specifically, the most valuable piece of information The information is that people are tired of wasting time looking at the cell phone to meet someone, and the future will involve augmented reality with smart glasses, which will improve this process of meeting someone in the real world. So basically, we will see the smartphones die in the next few years. Hmm.
And then what is your best piece of overall business advice? So not necessarily industry-specific.
Okay, know your product better than anyone, create a great relationship with your customer, and be a good listener. Don't be afraid to fail, don't be afraid to ask for help, and be humble and be resilient.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
Probably ignore people who don't add anything to your life. And be more selective and don't waste time.
And then in your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
I think the key to happiness is having a purpose in life, listen to your heart, to do anything to achieve your goals and be thankful for each day.
And then what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
The best book I ever read is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. And the first thing I have learned from it is that imagination is more important than knowledge. There is no limit for imagination.
And then what is your favorite quote and why?
My favorite quote is, if you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you are right in before. I love this quote because it is very simple like that. We make choices and we create limitations or not.
Yes, man, I agree. Well, thank you so much for coming on. The last one I got for you before we let you go is where's the best place for our audience to find you online? Sure.
I can be found on Instagram. It's @renan.entrepreneur and LinkedIn @renangojingo.
