By Riley Kaminer
When Cleber Cruz and his team first touched down in South Florida, they didn’t just bring their bags – they brought an idea that would bridge a major gap in the SMB market. Cruz, the lead solution engineer and co-founder of Pappsales, sat down with Refresh Miami to share the journey that took them from Brazil to the heart of Boca Raton, a move that was equal parts strategic and serendipitous.
In 2015, Pappsales made its official debut in the U.S. after winning a chance to expand, thanks to the support of Sebrae, a Brazilian organization that helps small businesses. The decision to settle in South Florida was rooted in an opportunity to expand in a rapidly-growing global business hub.
“We became Salesforce partners in 2014,” Cruz said, noting that their solution – an app that allowed Salesforce to work offline – caught the tech giant’s attention. The US, particularly South Florida, was the place to be because of its easy access to both Latin America and the US, and Cruz was certain they had landed in the right spot. Cruz co-founded the company alongside CFO Vitor Bidart.
Cruz explained how Pappsales emerged as a spin-off in 2014, focusing on a niche that many might have overlooked. “Pappsales is in the right spot right now because we are in the middle,” he said, describing how they cater to companies that need a CRM solution but might be deterred by the high costs associated with big names like Salesforce. Pappsales positioned itself as the go-to option for small and medium-sized businesses, especially in Latin America, where pen and paper often still reign supreme.
The move to South Florida, and more recently to the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University, has proven to be a win for Pappsales. Cruz described the importance of being in a tech hub, emphasizing the need to “be in the place that you can share, you can know other companies as well.” The connections made in such environments are invaluable, especially for a company aiming to scale across borders.
Speaking of scaling, Cruz was quick to point out that Pappsales’ growth isn’t limited to just one region. Their customer base is as diverse as it is expansive, with clients in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Brazil, and of course, the U.S. “For us, South Florida is a really good strategic place,” Cruz said, highlighting how their U.S. base gives international clients confidence in their operations. Being seen as a U.S. company, especially one that partners with a trusted name like Salesforce, makes all the difference in securing new business.
But the road from Brazil to Boca required Cruz and team to navigate the different worlds of business culture, technology, and customer needs. “One thing that I got for sure is it’s about relationships, trusted relationships,” Cruz reflected. He explained that in the US, it’s not just about the product – it’s about who you are, your reliability, and your presence in the right circles, like chambers of commerce and industry events.
Cruz shared that the future of Pappsales holds exciting developments, including a deeper integration with Salesforce Maps and the use of generative AI to make their platform even more intuitive. Imagine a sales rep arriving at a client meeting and asking the Pappsales app for a briefing on the customer – an AI-driven response could provide a detailed history, suggest the best products to offer, and even remind the rep of previous conversations. This is the future Pappsales is working toward, a future that’s now being recognized by Salesforce itself. “Salesforce is now referring Pappsales as a solution for their customers,” Cruz said.
The playing field continues to level for small and medium sized businesses looking to compete with the giants. In many cases, it’s Miami startups making inroads for these SMBs: from SKROL, which helps entrepreneurs uncover businesses to acquire; to FirmPilot, which gives SMBs a fighting chance at effectively marketing themselves; to Finally, which offers SMBs accounting tools.
Photo at top of post: Founder and Lead Solution Engineer Cleber Cruz, at right, and Co-founder and CFO Vitor Bidart.
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