Fernanda Da Silva Lameira grew up in Porto Alegre, Brazil, one of five siblings in a house that was never quiet. She studied family medicine in Brazil and spent time with the Brazilian air force before her career took her into forensic pathology. Along the way, she became an anatomic and clinical pathologist, work that asks for patience and a steady hand.
She eventually moved to Virginia, where she has built a life outside of work that looks a lot like the one she left behind in Brazil: full of people, sunshine, and motion. Fernanda has never lost her habit of getting on a plane. Madrid, Barcelona, and Santiago have all had her for a visitor, and she talks about each city like she is still walking its streets.
Friends matter to her as much as any stamp in her passport. She is the type to organize a beach day around whoever is free that weekend, and to keep in touch with people long after the trip that brought them together is over. Family is still central, a habit she picked up early, growing up surrounded by siblings in southern Brazil.
What stands out about Fernanda is not one big achievement but a rhythm: work that demands precision, balanced by a personal life built on travel, friendship, and staying close to the people who matter. It is a simple formula, and she has stuck with it.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I try to start the day early, before the noise sets in. I like having quiet time to plan before anything else competes for my attention. I keep my days structured but leave room for the unexpected, because rigid schedules rarely survive contact with real life.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I talk them through with people I trust first. Whether it is planning a trip to Barcelona or something smaller, I find that saying an idea out loud to a friend forces me to sharpen it before I act on it.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I like seeing more people travel independently instead of waiting for a big group trip to come together. Solo and small-group travel feels more common now, and it fits how I like to see new places.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I protect my mornings. I do not check messages first thing. I give myself an hour to think clearly before I let the day’s demands in.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Go on the trip. Book the flight. I spent years assuming travel had to wait for the perfect moment, and there is no such thing.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I think a short trip, even three or four days, is often more restorative than a long one. People chase two-week vacations, but I have found shorter, more frequent trips keep me happier year-round.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Call a friend instead of texting. It sounds small, but a real conversation, even a quick one, does more for my mood than any errand I could cross off a list.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I go to the beach if I can, or I plan a trip, even if I cannot leave right away. Just looking at flights to somewhere like Santiago helps me reset.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
I have tried to stay a student. Medicine and pathology keep changing, and staying curious about new research has kept me sharp long after formal training ended.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early on, I underestimated how much I needed a life outside of work to do the work well. I course-corrected by building travel and friendships back into my routine, and I have kept that balance ever since.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A subscription service that curates short, three-day trip itineraries for people who want to travel more often but do not have time to plan a big vacation.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I use a simple calendar app to block off personal time the same way I block off work commitments. If it is not on the calendar, it does not happen.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I gravitate toward travel memoirs. They remind me that a good trip does not need to be complicated to be memorable.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I enjoyed a travel documentary series that followed people visiting cities across Spain and South America. It reminded me of my own trips to Madrid and Barcelona.
Key learnings
- Short, frequent trips can offer more balance than rare, long vacations.
- Protecting quiet time in the morning supports clearer thinking throughout the day.
- Staying close to friends and family requires ongoing effort, not just good intentions.
- Curiosity and continued learning matter well beyond formal education.