The attacks that Ana Hickmann was subjected to by her husband Alexandre Correa brought to light the Record presenter’s financial problems. Survey conducted by TV news reveals that Ana, her husband and their companies owe at least R$ 9.5 million and are the target of 15 legal debt collection proceedings. But why does such a successful and rich professional have a dirty name, no credit and is at risk of losing real estate and vehicles?
O TV news I have asked this question to lawyers and managers and the most common answer is that there are several signs of poor management/governance, which have been made worse by the Covid19 pandemic. Ana’s business is run by her husband and the financial problems that began in 2021 were the reason for the crisis in which the couple had been together for 25 years but separated since last Saturday (11) when Correa found them in his house attacked Itu, in front of his son and his associates.
According to experts, Ana has wealth and the potential to make money to get out of the hole, although it is not that easy. She owns real estate that would be enough to pay off the previously known debts. One of them, a property in Pacaembu (West Zone of São Paulo), is for sale on the Viva Real platform for R$6.5 million. He owns two other apartments in São Paulo, which would be worth around R$6 million. And he lives in a huge house (2,600 square meters in a luxury condo in Itu).
In addition, Ana Hickmann receives around R$300,000 a month from Record and is, among other things, the namesake for clothing, accessories, eyewear and cosmetics lines as well as franchises of waxing shops and beauty schools.
The 420 corn laser units (hair removal) and the Ana Hickmann Professional Institute/School achieved sales of R$150 million last year, according to information released by the companies themselves. This year it is forecast to have 500 stores and gross sales of R$250 million. Ana owns 20% of Maislaser and receives a 4 to 5% share of sales of the products that bear her name.
However, recent news shows that the host’s franchises are going through turmoil. In April, Metrópoles columnist Fábia Oliveira discovered that Ana Hickmann’s waxing chain “collapsed” as “several branches” closed in Rio de Janeiro and franchisees complained that the company was not generating the promised returns, causing them to suffer losses .
This week, the portal Leo Dias revealed that a franchisee of the Instituto Ana Hickmann in Betim (MG) accuses the presenter, her husband and her brotherinlaw (Gustavo Correa, franchise manager) of “misleading advertising, threats and coercion”.
On the ReclameAqui website, in October, a customer of the network reported the closure of a facility in Campinas (SP) after paying R$ 5,000 for two courses. “The franchise closed before completing my course and refuses to issue a refund,” he protested.
Signs of poor management
For a business consultant, specialist lawyer for tax matters, heard from the TV news Provided that her name is not disclosed, there are several signs of amateur management of Ana Hickmann’s assets by Alexandre Correa.
The most obvious of these is the fact that the couple’s main company, Hickmann Serviços, owes R$1.7 million in taxes to the federal government. The debt will be collected in federal court, which can order an asset freeze if the debt could have been negotiated with a discount of at least 40% on interest and penalties and paid in up to 60 installments. “This indicates negligence or a lack of interest in negotiating,” says the consultant.
Another indicator of a lack of administrative control is the fact that the couple has taken out bank loans one after another, possibly to pay off other loans or debts. The financial snowball began with R$2,166 million received last September from Banco do Brasil and ended in June this year with R$1,601 million from Banco Safra. In total, there were bank loans worth R$7.5 million in just nine months.
Last June, the market realized that Hickmann Serviços, Ana Hickmann and Alexandre Correa were no longer good payers. Since then, 14 debt collection actions have been filed. And they couldn’t get any more loans.
“It seems to me that they have lost the hand of the government. A number of problems could have led to the financial crisis, not only poor management but also external factors such as the pandemic. They tried to put out fires and signed loans.” To enter into a financial cycle. And there is no marriage that can withstand the financial crisis,” says criminal lawyer Gil Ortuzal.
For the expert, there was a crisis management problem that could have been solved by selling real estate. “From my experience, I would say that they did not want to get rid of their assets, but wanted to continue driving in a R2 million car,” he says.
Sources heard from TV news also point out the lack of “soft skills” in the management of the Ana Hickmann brand, as nontechnical human skills are called, such as emotional intelligence.
Bank employees to whom the presenter owes money report, in a different tone, tense conversations with Alexandre Correa, who has a history of aggression. He was banned from Record for three years because of a heated argument with security guards.
Playback/youtube
Alexandre Correa is said to have shouted at bank employees
The other side: Franchise companies are not in crisis
When contacted through their press office, Ana Hickmann and Alexandre Correa did not comment.
Maislaser and Escola Profissionalizador Ana Hickmann sent the following statement stating that they are not experiencing any financial problems:
“Maislaser and Escola Profissionalizador Ana Hickmann are franchises guided by a commitment to excellence, quality and franchisee and customer satisfaction. Both are committed to supporting franchisees and honoring the franchising format through the transfer of knowhow and the company’s operating standard.
Currently the two franchisors are working well and have no financial problems. It is important to highlight that both have different centers and CNPJ and have no relationship with other companies mentioned in the press in recent days.
However, no franchise network is independent of the national economic situation and market variables. It is up to them to face these challenges by offering solutions and innovations in their companies, as Maislaser and Escola Profissionalizador Ana Hickmann have done over the years, both from a board with extensive knowledge and experience in their respective fields consist.
Despite their best efforts, the two chains or other franchises in the industry cannot guarantee the same performance of all franchisees, since the good management of the entity and the success of the operation depend on them. However, failure to do so may result in the unit being transferred to another franchisee (if this is possible) or the business being closed.
What we have observed are some former franchisees who were not fully dedicated to the business and did not follow the processes set by the franchisor, acted in bad faith and took advantage of a sensitive moment in Ana Hickmann’s personal life to attack her business. Some of them did not even fulfill their obligations to customers and did not perform the contracted service or reimburse them. Rejecting such an attitude, the franchisors took legal action against these franchisees.
In particular, regarding the statements made by Keila Mara Vieira regarding the SBT program Fofocalizando, shown on November 16, the Ana Hickmann Professional School clarifies that the statements are false and unfounded. First, it is important to highlight that Keila is not a member of any entity in the network. She works as administrator of the Betim franchise, an entity that began operations on December 18, 2021 and was terminated on November 9, 2023 due to the failure of the franchisee to comply with its obligations to the franchisor, also after the efforts of the professionalization school Ana Hickmann at the Settlement of debts.
Through ReclameAqui, the student receives a refund in installments from the respective unit.
In light of these unfounded statements, Maislaser and Escola Profissionalizador Ana Hickmann reiterate their commitment to excellence and the satisfaction of franchisees and customers.