Ricardo Semler broke through thanks to a radical reorganization of Semco, the company he took over from his father when he was barely twenty years old. Ricardo Semler was unhappy and made a radical change. Employees were no longer obligated to come to the office. They could set their own salary. The Brazilian created the most unusual workplace in the world. It turned out to be a success. Semco’s profits shot up. Everyone wanted to work there and nobody wanted to leave.

The Optimist spoke with Semler. Why is his message so popular? Why are so few companies adopting his work method? What can you do as a first step toward a Semco-style?