A Positioning That Gains a Voice
Higher education is undergoing one of its greatest transformations. Today, the world’s best schools compete in a different territory: that of identity, purpose, and cultural relevance.
This shift is not superficial. It reflects a profound change in the expectations of those seeking an education of excellence. Today’s most talented candidates are not looking only for a recognized degree. They are looking for an institution that shares their view of the world.
Católica-Lisbon SBE has always understood this. What was missing was a strategic narrative: a way to communicate not only what the School does, but what the School believes in. And that is how Achieve Greatness was born. More than a response to an increasingly competitive market, it is the clear affirmation of a positioning the School already had, and which now, finally, finds its voice.
Achieve Greatness: The Concept
Greatness is a word that can feel intimidating. Because it seems reserved for the few. Because it carries the weight of extraordinary achievements, innate talent, and exceptional paths that most people feel they do not deserve to claim.
Católica-Lisbon SBE uses this word with a different intention and with a different kind of courage.
We believe that “Greatness” is not measured in awards or hierarchical positions. It is measured in each person’s ability to develop everything they are, not only what the job market values. It is measured in the coherence between who one is as a professional and who one is as a human being. It is measured in the impact one creates in organizations, in communities, and in the world.
The real talents who give a face to this campaign are the most honest expression of this concept. They were chosen because they are complete individuals: capable of analytical rigor and artistic sensitivity, of leadership and humility, of competition and collaboration. They prove that greatness cannot be confined to a single dimension, and that trying to limit it to one inevitably diminishes it.
“Achieve Greatness” is also an ethical positioning. It stems from the conviction that the future belongs to leaders who place sustainability above profit, ethics above convenience, and collective impact above individual glory. Católica-Lisbon SBE does not simply train good professionals; it shapes the people the world needs.
The Strategic Pillars of the Campaign
Achieve Greatness Showcase
What does it mean to achieve greatness? And is there only one way to do it? These are the questions behind Católica-Lisbon SBE’s Achieve Greatness campaign, launched in June to showcase the different journeys of students and alumni and explore the many ways of defining and achieving success.
Today, we meet Vasco Madeira Sousa, a Católica-Lisbon SBE alumnus whose journey bridges the worlds of management and data with music and events. At Mercer, he is a Data & Performance Success Manager, working across management, data, and strategy. But it was at Católica-Lisbon SBE, as President of the Students’ Union, that Vasco discovered the power of music to transform an event and create an experience. Years later, that experience would give rise to Double A, a project he continues to pursue alongside his professional career.
But how do these different sides of his journey come together? Vasco Madeira Sousa tells us in his own words.
What initially drew you to this passion or activity, and how did your journey begin?
It all started at Católica. As President of the Students’ Union, I was responsible for creating experiences that would stay with thousands of students. I quickly realized that music was the element that brought people together at an event, and that there was plenty of room to do it in a more energetic and authentic way. Double A was born from that natural connection with people and the desire to turn an ordinary event into a show full of emotion.
What keeps you motivated when progress is slow or results don’t come immediately?
I believe the Double A project has more paths to explore beyond its DJ side. We are very selective about the partners we work with and the events we take part in, so it is often natural for the project to move at a slower pace. What motivates me is the confidence I have in the differentiated and organic path we are building: every page of this story is intentional and should be aligned with my values and character.
How do you deal with pressure, expectations, and setbacks?
“It’s the glamour of events!” Setbacks are part of everyday life, both in planning and production and during the show itself. You need pragmatism to assess the cost-benefit relationship between a small issue and people’s expectations, and to understand whether the investment required to solve it - financial, physical, or in terms of time - is truly worthwhile. It is one of those skills you don’t learn; you simply develop it through hands-on experience.
How do you define success at this stage of your life?
For me, success means having an impact: on the way someone thinks, makes a decision, or feels. At Mercer, that can mean creating a new product for the market, supporting a client’s decision-making, or simply optimizing a process that makes a team’s work easier. In a more immediate and visible way, through Double A, it means creating special moments for the audience in front of me. These two dimensions, one more analytical and structural, the other more creative and experience-driven, do not compete with each other. They share the same goal: to make a difference intentionally, in different ways. That is why I don’t see Double A as an escape from my professional journey, but rather as a complement to the way I create impact.
Tell us about a moment that changed the way you saw yourself and your potential.
In October 2019, together with the Students’ Union, we produced Católica’s first major barbecue for around 1,000 people. That was the moment I realized this project had real potential. In 2020, at the beginning of an unusual year marked by the start of the pandemic in Portugal, two friends joined me in believing in the project, and we officially launched Double A. But it was in September 2023, when we took an event and its entire production to the next level to welcome 4,000 people, that the way I saw myself truly changed. I realized that what I do on stage is not accidental entertainment, but a skill I have developed and that has real value.
What impact do you hope to have through your talent, work, or ambitions?
I want to show that it is possible to build a non-linear career with coherence. That a manager with a background in marketing can also be a professional entertainer, without one dimension invalidating the other. If that opens doors for others to do the same, even better.
How did Católica-Lisbon SBE contribute to your personal and professional growth?
In many ways, I am openly and proudly an alumnus of Católica-Lisbon SBE. When it comes to this project, my Management degree has equipped me with the analytical tools to approach Double A as a business, particularly when it comes to pricing and positioning. The Students’ Union was the “laboratory” where I spent years managing teams, negotiating with suppliers, and creating unique events. Without one, the other would not exist.
Looking ahead, where do you hope to be five years from now, and what excites you most about what lies ahead?
I want to continue building a successful career in a holistic way, keeping real options open between expanding the project into other areas of communication and media, such as hosting, radio, or television, and pursuing a career in consulting, data & analytics, or marketing. It should be a natural evolution of my profile, driven by my passion for people, brands, and the moments that bring them together.
Complete the sentence: “Achieve Greatness means…”
Building something that did not exist before us, with enough rigor to make it last.