He turned juggling lemons into a R$2 million business, broke down and started again

An unpretentious attempt to throw three lemons into the air ended up defining the course of Juan Pablo Stäger's life.

What began as a curiosity about jugglers turned into a circus equipment factory that today develops around 80 products, sold throughout Brazil, with prices ranging from R$20 to R$2,000.

With its own production, sales exclusively online and a projection of 20% growth in 2026, the entrepreneur built a business specialized in a little explored market: professional equipment for circuses.

Before manufacturing equipment, Juan was a user of it.

The interest arose when he was still learning his first juggling movements. Without access to the appropriate materials, he improvised his training with what he had at hand.

"The moment we manage to achieve this trick for the first time, a satisfaction that cannot be explained very well. In other words, it is a completely new achievement that anyone can have", he states.

With the growth of electronic music parties in Brazil, he began to perform using fire and juggling. As he had difficulty finding equipment on the market, he started producing his own accessories.

Without realizing it, I was taking my first steps as an entrepreneur.

Initially, the equipment was made for personal use and for the classes he taught. Demand, however, began to emerge spontaneously.

Later, he teamed up with a friend and expanded production. The catalog included stilts, balls, ribbons and other accessories used by artists and practitioners in the circus universe.

The accelerated growth was driven by a craze that was gaining ground in several countries: the Diabolô, a toy of Eastern origin that became popular among circus artists and jugglers.

The business grew quickly. The company had 19 employees and recorded annual revenue of around R$2 million during the peak of demand.

But the fashion lost strength as quickly as it appeared. With no forecast for a drop in sales, the company had accumulated inventory for years.

"We gain experience this way, right? By making mistakes. We kept the stock for more than three years, the stock in the hands of Diabolô", recalls the entrepreneur.

After leaving society, Juan decided to start over on his own.

With an initial investment of R$30,000, he began developing new equipment, designed by himself in-house and manufactured in a workshop located on the property's terrace.

Today, there are around 80 proprietary products, aimed at both professionals and beginners in the circus world.

One of the strategic decisions was to focus the operation on e-commerce.

According to him, the focus on online sales began before the pandemic, which allowed the business to go through the period already prepared to operate digitally, with structured logistics and delivery systems.

Entrepreneur Juan Pablo Stäger plans to grow 20% in 2026 with his online circus equipment factory. The business offers around 80 products throughout Brazil. — Photo: Globo/ Reproduction

Circus, social projects and impact beyond sales

In addition to serving artists and schools, the company also provides equipment for social initiatives.

Juan states that an important part of wholesale sales goes to projects that use the circus as a tool for transformation.

"My wholesale sales are normally for social projects. Of course, a lot of children use my equipment. How could you not like it?", he says. "That's a point of pride."

The work helps to fuel initiatives such as Unicirco, in Rio de Janeiro, which uses circus activities to develop children and young people.

According to the project coordinator, Luiz Frota, the students' dreams are what drive learning.

"But the child's purpose and dream is the engine and the initial trigger," he says.

Growth continues in the plans

After going through the ups and downs of a trend-driven market, Juan says the focus is now on sustainable expansion.

The expectation is to end 2026 with growth of 20%, supported by our own production, digital sales and the diversification of the catalogue.

The trajectory, built between workshops, presentations and a lot of juggling, shows how a passion can transform into a niche business capable of serving artists, schools and social projects across the country.