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What was the impetus for starting your Etiquette business?
I have a degree in Psychology and had been working in the area for years, but with the arrival of my first daughter and living in a state far from my hometown, where I did not have a support network, I started selling tablecloths in my house, as a way to be closer to my daughter and continue working. For one year I reconciled the sale of tablecloths with the care of patients in the clinic, as a psychologist, until I decided to leave Psychology.
I spent years selling tablecloths and over time I became interested in learning more about the positioning of items at the table. I delved deeper through courses and books and started teaching table etiquette to adults. After 7 years, I decided to specialize in etiquette for children, teenagers and civility and decided to stop selling table linen (physical products) and stick only with education/courses. I was looking for an international certification when I met Civility Experts Worldwide (Canadian school) and ended up acquiring the franchise and becoming the exclusive affiliate in Brazil. That was in 2019, the year I founded the School of Gentleness – civility and etiquette. Today I teach children, teenagers, adults and companies on various topics through online and face-to-face courses.
So I would say it was a mix of opportunity, maternity and desire to keep working. Since a little girl I had the desire to be an entrepreneur and enjoyed playing with sales, commerce and pretending I had shops.
What do you enjoy teaching the most regarding Etiquette?
It's really hard to choose just one topic, I honestly like everything I teach. I feel that what excites me the most about teaching is when I notice that students are curious and interested, so I would say that it depends more on the class than on the subject. One thing that children like to learn about is curiosities related to the origin of some rules of etiquette, such as, for example, why we position the knife on the table with the cutting part facing inwards. I also like to teach about emotional intelligence to all ages because I notice that most people have a lack in this skill and as a psychologist I see a relation between this topic and Etiquette, because I believe that to apply etiquette and act with kindness and civility it is necessary to have a minimum of self-awareness and self-knowledge, otherwise it will be difficult to follow the guidelines of Etiquette. For example, if a salesperson didn't realize that he was angry by the way a customer treated him, he might end up taking that anger out on another client or colleague, and end up treating them badly too, without even realizing it. So, for me, emotional intelligence is a subject of fundamental importance for us to become more polite and pleasant people, and to improve our daily interactions and also reap better results and opportunities in life.
What do you find rewarding about teaching Etiquette?
There are 3 things I find rewarding about teaching etiquette:
1- I love meeting new people, it is always enriching to get to know other cities, cultures and people.
2- As it is known that the more we repeat a subject the more we memorize it, I see it as a great advantage to teach etiquette and civility as I always end up remembering the content and improving the application on myself. In other words, I am continually improving, which also brings more credibility since people notice when we are someone who actually practices what we teach.
3- The most rewarding feeling I get by teaching etiquette is pride for my students, by seeing them developing themselves and also the feeling of joy by being able to help them on this journey. Seeing them proud of themselves when they overcome some difficulty or learn something new is priceless. I feel very grateful for contributing to other people lives.
What types of classes do you offer?
- civility, social skills, table setting, dining skills, how to be a good host, emotional intelligence: adults, companies, children and teenagers
- business etiquette, service and hospitality: adults, companies and young people entering the job market
What age group do you enjoy working with most? And why?
I sincerely enjoy working with all ages. As I always say, I like people, no matter their age. But if you ask me to choose one, it would be children. I love their curiosity, warmth, honesty and energy.
Who are some of the older etiquette authors or authorities you enjoy reading?
I enjoy reading civility with P. M. Forni, Norbert Elias, Margaret Visser, and Emotional and social intelligence with Daniel Goleman
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