Ricardo Semler: A Trickster, a Maverick

How Ricardo Semler Successfully Turned Around SEMCO’s Business Upside Down

The following is a section from my book, ‘Philosophy for Business Leaders: Asking Questions, Navigating Uncertainty, and the Quest for Meaning.

It’s available in paperback and Kindle editions. You can grab your copy today at the following link.

Ricardo Semler frequently clashed with his father, Antonio Semler, over the direction SEMCO should pursue to stay afloat. As the head of the business, Antonio Semler vehemently opposed the diversification strategies Ricardo proposed. However, SEMCO, a Brazilian manufacturing company that originally specialized in shipbuilding, was, in fact, sinking.

In 1980, Antonio Semler finally decided to step down and passed the majority of the company’s ownership to his son, Ricardo. At the age of 21, Ricardo had to step up and pull the struggling company forward. It was an uphill battle worse than that of Sisyphus. The first order of business as soon as he took office? Reduce the firm’s top leadership by 60%.

Ricardo’s experience at the helm of the company was an extremely fruitful learning curve. Under his leadership, SEMCO would eventually increase its annual revenue from $4 million in 1982 to approximately $200 million…