Text written by Luís Felício - Executive Director of Galeazzi & Associados

Shifting gears, but staying within the same realm. My passion involves embarking on extensive motorcycle journeys across Latin America, the USA, and beyond with my buddies. As we were mapping out our next adventure, a realization struck me: even for a jaunt spanning 20 days or more, the same essential elements required for running a business come into play. It's all about setting objectives, budgeting, monitoring execution, risk assessment, managing people (in our case, the group), and so forth.

During our extended motorcycle escapades, we encounter two distinct types of travelers: the spontaneous adventurers who eschew planning and simply hit the road with a "whatever will be, will be" attitude—this isn't our style; and those who devote ample time to meticulous planning to ensure the success of the venture—this resonates with us.

Challenges are par for the course, just as they arise in the corporate world. In essence, managing a business imparts lessons applicable to all facets of life.

Allow me to recount some challenges we've navigated, some resolved through meticulous planning, others through execution missteps:

a) Departing Brazil via Foz do Iguaçu, one of our companions realized his ID and passport had expired. Though the Argentine officer allowed him entry with just his CNH (Brazilian driver's license) and advised staying in the region for up to 5 days—which we didn’t—he was denied entry at the Chilean border and had to return solo to Brazil. An oversight in execution and control.

b) Another instance, during a trip to Ushuaia, two motorcycles had severely worn tires upon arrival. Cue a day lost scavenging for replacements until a fellow rider procured a used tire from a local repairman, resolving the issue. A companion was eager to press on, and on the return leg, nearing Rio Gallegos, Argentina, the tire's steel wires signaled its demise. Fortunately, an Argentine rider mobilized his WhatsApp group at a nearby gas station, securing a replacement tire without expecting anything in return. The camaraderie among bikers proves invaluable on such journeys. Essentially, relying on finding everything in Ushuaia was a flawed plan.

c) On a different trip, in Argentina, navigating the treacherous route between Gobernador Gregores and El Calafate—highly recommend this quaint town adorned with glaciers—one of our comrades took a spill on the roughest terrain we'd encountered. His ankle shattered, and the motorcycle's front end was mangled—headlight, fairing, the works. Thankfully, the gear we brought saved the day, somehow patching everything back together (?) enough to limp into El Calafate. The motorcycle hitched a ride back to Brazil on a truck. It's worth noting, we received exemplary healthcare from the Argentine system. Good planning ensured we had the equipment to address such motorcycle mishaps. Our injured companion flew back.

These anecdotes merely scratch the surface. Planning, anticipating setbacks, and having contingency plans are as crucial as they are in a well-oiled business.

How does this relate to the corporate landscape? Let's explore:

a) People / HR: Our group comprises 6 to 10 riders per expedition, each with diverse backgrounds, friends, education, income, and age. Similar to a corporate setup, we're a mosaic of individuals bound by a shared passion for motorcycle adventures—exploring new locales, relishing nature, culinary delights, soaking in diverse cultures, and, as every motorcyclist would attest, reveling in the wind against our chests.

Much like a corporate HR department, scheduling everyone's vacation time and selecting optimal dates entails considering factors like weather conditions during the chosen period. Not all members of our roughly 18-person group can partake, owing to the challenge of aligning vacation time, work commitments, familial obligations (as most of us travel solo), and financial constraints.

Continuing along this tangent, HR duties extend to ensuring all necessary documentation is in order, given the varying requirements across different countries—ranging from third-party insurance to health coverage, personal identification, motorcycle paperwork, and driver's licenses (printed copies, no digital show-and-tell). The checklist is exhaustive.

b) Objectives I: Much akin to corporate strategy, defining our goals (destinations), charting out the HOW—our routes, identifying refueling stops (a logistical puzzle), pinpointing attractions en route, assessing lodging options—all play a pivotal role. Ambiguity in these aspects risks fracturing the group mid-journey, owing to conflicting preferences on what to see and do. This underscores the importance of predefining expectations (akin to a corporate partnership agreement). We've witnessed numerous groups unravel mid-trip. Isn't this scenario familiar in the corporate world?

c) Objectives II: What's the financial outlay for the trip (investment)? With participants boasting diverse income brackets, reconciling these differences is paramount. Misalignment on this front can jeopardize the cohesion of the group (or company). Fortunately, we've ironed out these kinks by predefining our daily lodging budget, with accommodation type dictated accordingly. Sharing accommodations—be it twin, triple, or quadruple occupancy—is commonplace, especially where alternatives are scarce. These are the contingencies our "company" must navigate.

d) Planning I: Given the heterogeneity of our motorcycles, considerations abound—what tools to carry, for instance? An anecdote from our initial trip illustrates this: everyone packed an array of tools, most of which went unused. Today, we understand the indispensable nature of items like a portable air compressor, tire repair kit, bottle jack, duct tape, etc. It's been a learning curve for our "company."

e) Planning II: Our "company" must ascertain the requisite personal items. On our maiden voyage, we overpacked—lugging excessive clothing that proved cumbersome. Our luggage was unwieldy, and the attire ill-suited for varied weather conditions. A lack of research compounded our folly. Fast forward to today, and we've streamlined our packing, opting for Dry Fit (polyamide) shirts—odor-resistant, quick-drying, washable during showers—requiring fewer garments and less weight. Fleece material jackets provide warmth sans bulk. In essence, inadequate planning, lack of research, and overspending were our initial pitfalls. Today, our approach is minimalist. Additionally, we must determine the allocation of local currency versus USD.

f) Longevity of "our company": Since 2011, we've journeyed together. This longevity owes itself to several factors: a shared purpose (mission, vision), aligned objectives, ongoing alignment among the "partners," extensive negotiation, adept planning and execution control (PDCA), and fiscal discipline (cash flow management). Not all prospective "partners" gained entry into the group, as lack of alignment was a disqualifying factor.

In conclusion, many companies fail to learn from mistakes, adapt to changing environments, adhere to budgets (where present), manage cash flow, or devise action plans (a rarity). Perhaps executives ought to take to the road on motorcycles and apply these lessons in the corporate realm? What do you think? Let's ride.