From street vendor to businessman who changed TV in Brazil

Silvio Santos, one of the greatest presenters on Brazilian TV, passed away this Saturday (17), at the age of 93. In addition to creating and leading SBT, Silvio Santos established a successful business trajectory that resulted in the Silvio Santos Group (GSS), a billion-dollar conglomerate.

Silvio Santos' Trajectory

Senor Abravanel, Silvio Santos' real name, began his career as a street vendor in Rio de Janeiro, selling pens and covers for voter registration cards during the 1946 election.

_{Silvio Santos in 1942 (Photo: reproduction/SBT Archive)}

From an early age, he demonstrated a natural talent for sales, standing out for his communication skills, a quality that was essential for his career.

The young street vendor's charisma and voice quickly caught the attention of the Rio de Janeiro media. In the 1950s, Silvio Santos was invited to audition at Rádio Guanabara, where he began his career as a broadcaster.

At the age of 20, he moved to São Paulo and worked at Rádio Nacional, collaborating with Manuel de Nóbrega, who managed Baú da Felicidade, a company that sold toys in installments.

_{Silvio Santos and Manuel de Nóbrega (Photo: reproduction/Erasmo de Souza/SBT)}

In 1958, Silvio took over the management of Baú da Felicidade, and with his business acumen and persuasive skills, he boosted its growth and quickly took full control. The installment plan expanded to include cars and real estate.

In 1963, Silvio launched the Silvio Santos Program on TV Paulista. After the acquisition of the station by Roberto Marinho in 1965, the program began to be broadcast on TV Globo, initially in São Paulo and, from 1969, on a national network. The program remained on the air until 1976.

During this period, Silvio also launched Baú Financeira in 1969, which later became Banco PanAmericano, and Tele Sena in 1975, both important projects in the group's portfolio.

Foundation of SBT

Silvio Santos' success as a businessman and presenter had already awakened his desire to own his own television station. In 1976, he founded TVS. With new broadcasting concessions, the station evolved into the Brazilian Television System (SBT), which debuted on August 19, 1981.

With 114 affiliates spread throughout Brazil, SBT currently reaches 70 million homes. Over time, the channel has aired programs that have become iconic on Brazilian TV, such as “Topa Tudo Por Dinheiro” and “Roda Roda”, hosted by Silvio Santos.

_{Silvio Santos with his audience (Photo: reproduction/SBT)}

In September 2022, Silvio stepped down from hosting his Sunday show. From then on, the hosting of the Silvio Santos Program was taken over by his daughter, Patricia Abravanel.

Creation of Jequiti

With his sights set on the cosmetics sector, the presenter created Jequiti in October 2006, entering a market dominated by brands such as Avon and Natura in direct sales. Offering affordable prices, Jequiti launched a range of products for bath, face and body care, hair and makeup.

Today, Jequiti stands out as one of the largest companies in the sector in Brazil, covering the entire national territory, with 260 thousand consultants and a market value of around R$ 450 million. Negotiations are currently underway for the possible sale of the company to the pharmaceutical company Cimed.

Silvio Santos Net Worth

Silvio Santos passed away with an estimated fortune of R$1.6 billion, according to Forbes magazine in 2024. This placed him in 209th place in the general ranking of billionaires in Brazil.

The TV host's net worth should actually be much higher. When he first appeared on Forbes' list of Brazilian billionaires in 2013, he was ranked 59th with a net worth of R$2.67 billion. Since then, his fortune has fallen by 54.16% according to recent updates.

_{Silvio Santos (Photo: reproduction/SBT)}

The businessman had difficulty in keeping his investments profitable. One example was his stake in Banco PanAmericano, which, after being sold to BTG Pactual in 2011, faced a deficit of R$43 billion.

The inheritance left by Silvio Santos will be divided between his wife, Iris Abravanel, and his daughters: Patricia Abravanel, Rebeca, Silvia Abravanel, Cintia Abravanel, Daniela Beyruti and Renata Abravanel.

Featured Photo: Silvio Santos (reproduction/SBT)

Matter put Luiza Carolina Castro (In Magazine)