While structuring his exit from the food industry, Nikolas was already testing his first parallel venture. The idea was born from an old, deteriorated property in the Brás neighborhood of São Paulo, at a time when the coworking market was gaining visibility, driven by the global expansion of companies such as WeWork.

“I didn’t have a specific dream of opening a coworking space. There was an opportunity involving a low-cost property in a market that was growing, and I decided to give it a try,” he recalls.

The first space quickly proved successful. Soon after, a group linked to the shopping center sector invited the entrepreneur to open a second unit inside a new commercial development. The expansion took place just before the pandemic.

“I was opening a coworking space at the exact moment when no one wanted to work in person anymore,” he says. “It was a period of renegotiation, uncertainty and a lot of adaptation.”

Despite the impact of lockdowns, operations began to grow again after offices reopened. In 2022, the investors linked to the shopping center decided to acquire the two units. The sale opened the door to a new chapter: the creation of Be in.

Founded in July 2022, the company began by operating a coworking space in Brooklin, São Paulo. Within a few months, the space expanded from a quarter of a floor plate to full occupancy of 1,000 square meters. But as the operation grew, Nikolas began studying new international flexible office models.

That was when he came across hybrid formats combining real estate and corporate services, inspired by Indian companies such as Table Space. From there, he decided to reposition the company to focus primarily on custom-made offices in the built-to-suit model, delivering not only the physical space but also the full operation and infrastructure for clients as a service — Workspace as a Service.

“Traditional coworking has high turnover. I wanted to build something with longer contracts and greater predictability,” he explains.

The shift completely changed the company’s direction. Today, of the 22 units operated by Be in across the country, only two still follow the traditional coworking model. The company’s main focus has become the development of customized offices with integrated services.

Although Be in operates in the real estate market, Nikolas is keen to say that he sees the company much more as a services business than as a traditional real estate company. Perhaps for that reason, technology has been one of the pillars of the operation from the beginning.

“Since the first coworking space, back in Brás, we were already automating everything we could,” he says. “Access control, monitoring, operational management. I have always liked technology a lot.”

The search for operational efficiency also explains an uncommon feature among fast-growing companies: Be in has never raised capital from investment funds.

“We have always grown with a strong focus on financial responsibility. We do not have an infinite checkbook to make mistakes,” he says.

Outside the office, Nikolas describes himself as someone driven by adrenaline. Surfing, cycling and even pilot training are part of his routine when he has free time — something rare for someone leading a business in national expansion.

“I am always looking for a new challenge,” he says.

Looking back, the entrepreneur believes persistence was the decisive factor in his journey. That was especially true during the most difficult moments, including the pandemic, when a recently made investment was put to the test by the closure of offices.

“If I could speak to the Nikolas who was starting college today, I would tell him to persist,” he says. “There will always be a moment when you think about giving up.”

But perhaps the biggest lesson came from building a team. Although he started out alone, Nikolas says he came to understand along the way that no company grows without people aligned with the purpose of the business.

“We do not build anything alone,” he says. “Having loyal, committed people moving in the same direction makes all the difference.”

Today, as Be in continues to expand its presence across Brazil, the executive says the main goal is to grow without giving up quality of life — something that became a priority after burnout experiences faced by both him and people close to him inside the company.

“The company needs to grow, but that cannot come at the expense of people’s health,” he says. “At the end of the day, nothing can be so stressful that it stops being worth it.”