When Milena Moraes finished meeting with a male representative of a college she was doing business with, she gave him a hug and a quick peck on both cheeks to seal the deal.<\/p>\n
The representative pulled back, a startled expression on his face. Moraes, who at the time had just arrived to take up a position in the Toronto company she co-founded from Brazil, was mystified.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe guy was like, \u2018what are you doing?\u2019\u201d Moraes laughs as she recalls the incident that occurred four years ago. \u201cAnd then (my business partner) Luiz says, \u2018don\u2019t do that here.\u2019 I said I was sorry; this is such a normal thing in Brazil.\u201d<\/p>\n
The encounter, \u201csuper awkward\u201d as it was, sparked a business idea that, in 2021, brought Moraes and her business co-founder Luiz Gustavo Almeida to Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour Barry Wright in Brock University\u2019s Goodman School of Business.<\/p>\n
Moraes and Almeida\u2019s St. Catharines-based company, Loonie AK<\/a>, originates from another company Almeida created after coming to Canada 20 years ago as a student from Brazil. That business involves recruiting international students \u2014 mostly from Brazil \u2014 for Canadian high schools, colleges and universities.<\/p>\n Loonie AK helps immigrants, refugees, international students and other newcomers adapt to the labour market by teaching them about workplace culture in Canada, including behaviours that are acceptable \u2014 and unacceptable \u2014 on the job.<\/p>\n Moraes wanted the company\u2019s services to include training on the so-called \u201csoft skills\u201d found in workplaces. These skills include effective listening, conversing with colleagues and clients to form relationships, leading a team and delivering effective business presentations, among others.<\/p>\n She sought research that would provide guidance on choosing the specific, most-desired soft skills Canadian businesses are looking for. They turned to Innovate Niagara<\/a>, which supports the growth of start-up companies and has Brock University as one of its partners.<\/p>\n Last year, the business incubator connected the duo with Wright, who immediately resonated with Moraes\u2019 request for a research partnership.<\/p>\n \u201cI teach many international students through our MBA program,\u201d says Wright. \u201cI see through my classes how they land into Canada with an international lens that needs to be refocused on doing business in Canada.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, when Milena and Luiz presented their ideas on providing soft skills training, I thought, \u2018yeah, this would benefit these students.\u2019 It was wonderful timing,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Wright, Moraes and Almeida put together a proposal for their project, \u201cSoft skills learning as a key resource for faster job placement.\u201d<\/p>\n