YOIA SPIRITS — 12-WEEK PLAN

Twelve Weeks to a Real Residency

From zero to 500+ monthly attendees and 20 active Guides. One week at a time.

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Publish the Guide application page on yoia.org with the eight spirit colours

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Personally recruit 8 Cariocas: 2 selectors, 2 hosts, 3 connectors, 1 lens

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Assign spirit colours and shoot one portrait per Guide

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Set up Pix payouts, a WhatsApp community, and the Sympla organiser account

Success metric: 8 Guides onboarded

Twelve Channels, Ranked

Brazil-specific and Rio-specific. Email barely features and WhatsApp is near the top.

1

Spirit Guide networks

OwnedDo first
Reach: 10 guides × 300 contactsConverts: 10–15 confirmed eachCost: Commission onlyLead: Immediate
2

WhatsApp groups

OwnedDo first
Reach: Very highConverts: 8–12%Cost: FreeLead: 1–2 days
3

Instagram Reels + Stories

OwnedDo first
Reach: 5k–40k per reelConverts: 0.5–2%Cost: Free / R$200 boostLead: Continuous
4

Sympla listing

PaidDo first
Reach: Marketplace trafficConverts: Direct salesCost: ~10% feeLead: Same day
5

Hostel partnerships

PartnerDo first
Reach: 15–30 per hostelConverts: 20–35%Cost: R$10/head kickbackLead: 3–5 days
6

UFRJ / PUC-Rio students

PartnerThen this
Reach: ThousandsConverts: 3–8%Cost: Discounted ticketsLead: 1 week
7

Digital nomad & expat groups

CommunityThen this
Reach: 10k+ membersConverts: 2–5%Cost: FreeLead: 2 days
8

Couchsurfing & Meetup

CommunityThen this
Reach: ModerateConverts: 10–20%Cost: FreeLead: 3 days
9

Run clubs, surf & capoeira

PartnerThen this
Reach: 50–200 eachConverts: 15–25%Cost: Free entry for leadersLead: 1 week
10

Micro-influencer trade

Paid-ishNice to have
Reach: 3k–30k eachConverts: 1–3%Cost: Free entry + drinksLead: 1 week
11

Physical flyers & posters

OfflineNice to have
Reach: NeighbourhoodConverts: 1–2%Cost: R$150 / 500Lead: 3 days
12

Rio Times / local listings

EarnedNice to have
Reach: Expat readershipConverts: 1–3%Cost: FreeLead: 1 week

Weekly Promo Cadence

Seg

Recap reel from Saturday drops. Sets the FOMO for next week.

Ter

Guide of the week posted — their spirit colour, their set, their link.

Qua

Saturday flyer + Sympla link live. WhatsApp broadcast #1.

Qui

Early-bird tier closes tonight. Story countdown sticker.

Sex

Guides post to personal accounts. Hostels get their cards.

Sáb

16:00 live from the wall. 19:30 the walk. Post-as-it-happens.

Brazil Operating Notes You Cannot Skip

Pix or nothing

Instant bank transfer is how Brazil pays. Take Pix at the door, pay Guides by Pix, put a QR on every poster. Card-only will cost you 20% of walk-ups.

Sympla over Eventbrite

Sympla is the default Brazilian ticketing platform with real discovery traffic. Its fee is worth it for the marketplace exposure alone.

Formalise early

You will need a CNPJ to contract venues, issue nota fiscal and pay people cleanly. Talk to a local contador in week one.

Alvará & noise

Amplified sound in Urca and on public beaches needs permits. Keep free events acoustic and put the volume in Botafogo.

Rain policy

Rio summer storms are sudden and total. Every outdoor event needs a named indoor fallback venue announced by 14:00 on the day.

Cash for the wall

The boteco economy around the mureta is cash-friendly. Guides should carry change.

Safety as hospitality

Organised group transport from Botafogo metro to Urca and back is a genuine product feature. It converts solo women attendees especially.

Portuguese first

Every flyer, caption and sign leads in Portuguese with English second. This is the difference between a Rio brand and a gringo event.

Start Wednesday at the wall

The whole plan reduces to one move: recruit eight Cariocas, give them a colour and a real cut, and put them on the Mureta da Urca at sunset. If forty people show up for free on a Wednesday, the Saturday flagship works. If they don't, you've lost a week and no money.

Recruit Guides →← Back to YOIA Spirits