Ricardo Alves

• Age: 42
• Location: Lisbon, Portugal (lives in the Graça neighborhood)
• Occupation: Growth Lead
• Income: $140,000 (USD) annually
• Education: Self-taught; Primarily online courses and practical experience
• Company size: Currently at a 5-person SaaS startup focused on AI-powered content summarization for researchers.
• Years in role: 7

““The hype around AI is deafening, but beneath the noise, there are genuinely transformative possibilities. It's my job to find them, test them, and bring them to life – realistically.””

Ricardo Alves is a seasoned Growth Lead, a self-taught veteran of the Portuguese tech scene. His journey began not in a traditional classroom, but tinkering with websites and analyzing web traffic during the early days of the internet boom. After a brief stint in digital marketing for a local tourism company, he discovered his passion for data-driven growth, spending years honing his skills through online courses, independent projects, and a relentless pursuit of practical knowledge. He's worked with a range of startups, from e-commerce platforms to fintech solutions, gaining a reputation for his analytical rigor and resourceful problem-solving. Currently, he's at a five-person AI-powered content summarization startup, a deliberate choice after witnessing the transformative potential of AI firsthand. He’s acutely aware of the resource constraints inherent in early-stage companies and focuses on high-impact, low-cost growth initiatives. A recent decision involved pivoting the company's marketing strategy from broad awareness campaigns to targeted outreach to research institutions – a calculated risk based on his analysis of user acquisition costs and potential lifetime value. He’s pragmatic, focused on delivering tangible results, and constantly wrestling with the challenge of maximizing impact with limited resources – a characteristic of his work and his life in Lisbon.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Ricardo wakes at 6:30 am, checks emails briefly, and has a quick breakfast with his family. He starts work at 8:00 am, diving straight into analyzing conversion funnel data. The morning is a mix of Slack conversations with the engineering team, refining marketing copy, and building a new A/B test. Lunch is typically a simple salad at his desk while catching up on tech news. The afternoon involves a meeting with the founders to discuss the upcoming marketing campaign and then spends time researching new AI tools that could improve their content summarization process. He finishes work around 7:00 pm, spending the evening with his family, often helping Mariana with her homework before winding down with a book.

Lifestyle

Ricardo lives in a renovated apartment overlooking Lisbon's Alfama district. His mornings are structured, starting with a strong espresso and 30 minutes of reading (usually tech news or a dense article on AI). Weekends are a mix of family time – hiking along the coast with Mariana, exploring new restaurants with Sofia – and pursuing personal projects like tinkering with Python scripts to automate small tasks. He's mindful of his spending, prioritizing experiences over material possessions, but indulges in good coffee and occasional trips to local wine shops. He tries to exercise 3-4 times a week, mostly running along the Tagus River. Socially, he maintains a small circle of close friends, valuing deep conversations over large gatherings.

Work life

Ricardo's days are a whirlwind of data analysis, A/B testing, and constant communication. He spends a significant amount of time in Slack, dissecting user behavior and brainstorming growth strategies with his small team. He’s a strong believer in data-driven decision-making, often building simple dashboards in Google Sheets or Looker to track key metrics. The pressure is constant, especially at a startup, but he thrives on the fast pace and the opportunity to make a real impact. He finds himself increasingly juggling the needs of the founders – who are often focused on the big picture – with the practical realities of execution.

Relationships

Ricardo is deeply connected to his family. His wife, Sofia, is his rock – a creative and pragmatic voice who provides valuable perspective. He maintains regular contact with his parents and a small group of childhood friends, mostly through WhatsApp. He respects his current CEO, but finds himself frequently disagreeing with their long-term strategy. He looks up to Benedict Evans, whose writing provides a framework for understanding the broader tech landscape.

How they decide

Ricardo is research-heavy but ultimately pragmatic. He’ll spend hours poring over data and articles before making a decision, but he’s also willing to adjust course quickly if the evidence suggests a different approach. He values logic and reason, but also recognizes the importance of intuition and experience. He’s influenced by trusted sources – people whose judgement he respects – but ultimately makes decisions based on his own analysis.

How they sound

Ricardo speaks clearly and concisely, with a slight Portuguese accent. He avoids jargon when possible, preferring to explain things in simple terms. He can be a bit dry and analytical, occasionally using data to back up even the most casual observations. He’s not one for small talk or excessive enthusiasm, but he’s genuinely interested in hearing other people's perspectives. He avoids overly optimistic or hyperbolic language.