Founder / RPM Digital Business
Ricardo Padovan
Entrepreneur, strategist, author and founder of RPM Digital Business.
Ricardo Padovan is an author, mentor and business strategist with more than two decades of experience in marketing and business strategy and development. He founded RPM Digital Business in Fort Myers in 2019.
20+ years across marketing and business
From agency leadership to connected systems.
His work moved from agency leadership and account development in Brazil into business strategy, entrepreneurship and the digital systems RPM builds in Florida. The continuity is strategic: understanding a business, shaping its market presence and connecting execution to operations.
Experience in Brazilian agency leadership preceded his move into business-building in Florida. Ricardo founded RPM Digital Business in Fort Myers in 2019; from 2025 onward, AI and automation became more central to its work alongside marketing and strategy.
At RPM Digital Business, Ricardo leads the strategic direction of work connecting brand positioning, customer acquisition and operations through marketing, AI, automation and digital systems.
Career timeline
A continuous evolution.
2004–2016
Executive leadership at Agência Richards
Strategic planning, campaigns and client/account development in Brazil, before RPM.
2016
M + Richards
His participation as a partner in the M + Richards union was publicly reported. This was historical experience before RPM.
2018
EXP Ventures
Evaluated startups and business viability.
2019
RPM Digital Business
Founded RPM Digital Business Consulting Inc. in Fort Myers, Florida.
2021
Published author
Published “Ativação — Códigos do Dono da Vida” through Editora 100% Cristão.
2025–2026
AI, automation and systems
Made AI, automation and digital systems more central to RPM’s positioning and operating work.
Education & repertoire
Study and practice.
- Communication and Advertising background at FACFITO
- Marketing specialization at Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie
- Coaching Integral Sistêmico
- Courses at ESPM and strategic digital planning studies
- Participation in seminars led by Philip Kotler and Ichak Adizes
Founder initiatives
Beyond RPM client work.
Mentorship and educational work are part of Ricardo’s broader founder activity, distinct from RPM’s client engagements.
Activation School
A founder initiative created by Ricardo, separate from RPM client work.
Metanoia
A founder initiative created by Ricardo, separate from RPM client work.
Ativação — Códigos do Dono da Vida
Ricardo’s book, published in 2021 by Editora 100% Cristão.
PublisherCorporate Revolution
A historical entrepreneurial initiative of Ricardo, separate from RPM client work.
Meta Experience
Part of Ricardo’s communication, interview and content history, separate from RPM client work.
Institutional leadership
Business community roles.
President of the Chamber of Commerce serving Southwest Florida
Director of Innovation and Technology of the Chamber of Commerce of Manatee
Historical context
Experience before RPM.
Ricardo’s earlier agency context at Agência Richards included work associated with brands such as IBM, Claro, Vivo, Intel, CA Technologies, Nokia and Paris Filmes. These are not presented as RPM clients.
His history also includes B2B marketing leadership at Finesse Global Enterprise.
Building RPM
Strategy, marketing and technology.
RPM's work connects positioning and acquisition with the digital experiences and systems behind execution. Its path began in Fort Myers in 2019; AI and automation became more central from 2025 onward.