Guia-se links Portugal and Brazil through a digital marketing operation

Walter and Bárbara, who run Guia-se Portugal and Guia-se Salvador, have developed a digital marketing operation serving businesses across different markets. In an account published by the franchise network itself, their journey shows how joining a franchise network in Brazil led to a business also operating in Portugal, supported by a dedicated team of five.

From joining the network to operating in Portugal

According to information released by Guia-se, Walter and Bárbara joined the network on 10 December 2019. Their aim was to combine sales experience and entrepreneurial drive with a business model focused on digital marketing.

They subsequently decided to extend the operation to Portugal. The brand’s account places the business’s development within a period that included the pandemic, when many companies had to close their doors temporarily and adapt their operations. However, the publication does not give an exact start date for the Portuguese operation.

This distinction matters: December 2019 marks the entrepreneurs’ entry into the network, not an opening in Portugal confirmed by the source. Nor does the account provide a physical location for the Portuguese unit or a timetable for expansion in the country.

Today, according to Guia-se, Walter and Bárbara lead the Salvador and Portugal units. The brand attributes the operation’s development to a combination of the entrepreneurs’ experience and its own methodology and support structure for delivering digital marketing services to businesses.

Around 40 clients and a team of five

The operational overview published by the network reports an average of 40 clients, an average value per client of approximately BRL 2,490 and a dedicated team of five. It also mentions activity in Brazil and international markets.

These figures relate to the operation led by the two entrepreneurs. The publication does not distinguish between the clients, staff or commercial figures attributable to Portugal and those associated with Brazil. They therefore cannot be used to measure the size of the Portuguese unit in isolation.

The period covered by the average value per client is not specified either. It would therefore be inappropriate to use it to calculate monthly or annual revenue, or to turn that figure into an estimate of turnover in Portugal.

For Portugal’s franchise community, the case documents an operational link between the two countries. It is not, however, a survey of domestic demand for digital marketing services, nor does it establish that other units in the network operate on a similar scale.

The 2026 targets remain projections

The stated ambition for 2026 is to grow the operation by more than 21% compared with 2025 and exceed BRL 1 million in annual turnover. These are targets presented by the brand, not results already achieved.

The source does not provide the final turnover figure for 2025 or identify each market’s expected contribution to the 2026 target. It also does not explain which metric is being used to measure growth of more than 21%. Readers should therefore maintain a clear distinction between a growth ambition and a verified financial result.

The fact that the amounts are expressed in Brazilian reais also deserves attention. Although Portugal forms part of the activity described, the figures are not presented as standalone accounts for the Portuguese unit. The story offers insight into the entrepreneurs’ journey and their stated objectives, but does not allow an assessment of local profitability.

What prospective franchisees can learn from this journey

Walter and Bárbara’s case highlights one possible route for development within a franchise network: taking a service business into another country while retaining links with its original market. The available information describes their specific journey, without demonstrating that other prospective franchisees could automatically replicate it.

Anyone considering a similar venture should request data specific to their intended territory, the investment required, ongoing costs and the support available. It is also important to clarify how clients and staff are allocated when a single operation serves several markets. These details are not included in the published account.

Practical takeaway: before using this example as an investment benchmark, request separate information on Portugal and confirm the period and scope of each metric. An expansion story helps you frame questions; it does not replace business analysis.