Filipe's path wasn't paved with privilege or connections. It started in the grip of heroin addiction, a battle that led to incarceration and rock bottom. But somewhere in that darkness, a choice emerged: stay down or rebuild from scratch.

For over 12 years, he's walked the path of sobriety. Not because it was easy. Because there was no other option. Recovery taught him something the business world talks about but rarely practices: discipline isn't motivation. It's showing up when everything in you wants to quit. It's building systems that work when feelings fail. It's choosing the long game over the quick win, every single time.

Filipe didn't theorize his way into business. He built it with his hands. While working as a union carpenter on high-rise projects in Jersey City and Newark, he saw an opportunity: a five-chair salon with $1,000 monthly rent. The timing was terrible. He'd just bid on his first investment property. But he committed anyway.

He renovated the salon himself using leftover construction materials and sweat equity. The salon opened September 20, 2016. That same year, he acquired his first three-family property. Both ventures were financially tight. Both required complete commitment. Both became the foundation for everything that followed.

He left construction to run the salon full-time. He studied marketing, operations, business development with the intensity of someone who knew there was no Plan B. The salon grew. The real estate portfolio expanded. Opportunities followed execution.

Today, Filipe runs Chop Enterprises across multiple verticals: real estate investment with an active portfolio spanning from three-family buildings to 20+ unit complexes, salon operations including owned locations and independent partnerships, business coaching for entrepreneurs focused on mindset and wealth building, and strategic partnerships including Make Cool Sh*t, a design and strategy studio.

His approach to business mirrors his approach to recovery: one day at a time, one decision at a time, compounded over years. Health is non-negotiable because you can't build a business if your body and mind are failing. Family comes first. His wife started as his business partner in that first salon and remains both. Everything built is built with legacy in mind. Discipline beats feelings. The work gets done whether you feel like it or not. And every decision is made with decades in mind, not quarters.

Filipe's story isn't inspirational because it's unique. It's proof that where you start doesn't determine where you finish. Incarceration to real estate portfolio. Addiction to 12+ years sober. Carpenter to multi-venture operator. None of it came from talent or luck. It came from showing up, building systems, and refusing to quit when things got hard.