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Episódio 7 | DEALS com Gonçalo Almeida – talking with Rui Almeida

  • Writer: Harbor Partners
    Harbor Partners
  • Jun 19
  • 2 min read
Episódio 7 | DEALS com Gonçalo Almeida – talking with Rui Almeida

Today I have the privilege of welcoming a very special guest: Rui Almeida, CEO of Fabridoce… and my father.


More than a visionary entrepreneur, Rui is someone who has dedicated his life to a very clear purpose — preserving and reinventing the tradition of Portuguese conventual sweets, while building a solid company, creating jobs in a challenging region, and leading with a rare sense of mission.


In this episode, we go back to the beginning: we talk about who Rui was before becoming a CEO, before becoming a father, and what it was like growing up through drastic changes, such as leaving Angola, which forced him to start over from scratch. We walk through his professional journey, up to the moment when the idea for Fabridoce was born, and what drove him, at the time, to embark on that adventure — one that has since become a key name in traditional confectionery.


We explore the balance between innovation and tradition, and what it means to lead with responsibility — not only for the product, but for the people. We also talk about our recent experience working together on a project with ActiveCap: how he experienced this new dimension of our relationship and what he valued most as an entrepreneur and partner.


There’s also space for deeper reflections: what he would do differently if he could go back to 2004, the moment he considers the true turning point for the company, and how the past shaped him as a leader.


Rui also shares stories he rarely tells — difficult moments when Fabridoce was hanging by a thread, and what he learned about himself during the toughest times. In the end, he leaves an honest and moving message to his younger self — the one who was starting out on this journey, filled with more doubts than certainties.


A special, intimate episode, full of insights about resilience, vision, and the human side of leadership.


🎧 In this episode we discuss:


00:00 – Introduction and Presentation of Rui

00:45 – Rui’s life and story up to today

18:00 – What is Fabridoce?

26:00 – Innovating to preserve tradition

40:00 – The differentiating factor

45:00 – The addition of Active Cap to Fabridoce

1:02:00 – What do you value most in people and your team?

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📌 Useful Links:

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📱 Follow Us:

Gonçalo Almeida

Harbor Partners

🔗 Website: www.harborpartners.pt

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🎥 This episode was recorded by ID Studios.


⚠️ All rights reserved by Harbor Partners.

Guests participated with full knowledge and explicit consent for the recording and distribution of this interview. Unauthorized reproduction, editing, or use of this content is strictly prohibited.

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