Who is Renato?

The About page gives you the short version. This page is the longer one, for anyone who wants to know who is writing what you read on this site.

The basics

My name is Renato Queiroga. I am 29 years old. I live in the countryside of Paraíba, in northeastern Brazil, with my wife, Raissa Mirelly. I am a Christian, a musician, and a language teacher.

Being Brazilian matters for how I read the internet. I grew up reading English and Spanish pages that were not written for me — and today I also read the Portuguese pages, where the problem is different: the translation may be correct, but the promise can still be inflated. I learned to notice when a cultural reference does not land, and when a sales page is speaking to an audience I am not part of.

Languages and teaching

I have been teaching languages since 2018. I studied English for five years and worked as an English teacher at CCAA (Centro de Cultura Anglo-Americana), one of the most established language schools in Brazil. I also hold a degree in Languages with a major in Spanish from the Federal University of Paraíba. I am a student myself — I keep studying English and Spanish, because teaching a language and studying it are two different skills, and I want to keep both sharp.

This matters for the site: when I read an English sales page, I read it as someone who learned English as a second language. I notice when a page uses vague wording, when a claim is doing more work than the evidence behind it, and when a phrase is designed to sound bigger than it is. The same goes for Spanish — and, in Portuguese, the work is different: identifying when the language is correct, but the argument is exaggerated.

I also write this site in three languages — English, Portuguese, and Spanish — because I believe knowledge should not be limited by language. That is why the site is trilingual, and why every review, reflection, and course exists in all three.

Technology and marketing

I am currently studying Systems Analysis and Development at Unicesumar. I am also an enthusiast of digital marketing, which is how I ended up researching international products. I am not a professional marketer and I do not present myself as one. I am a curious reader who learned to check the details before trusting a page.

I am also a student of technology in a broader sense. I learn by building — this site is one example. I did not start with a perfect plan. I started with a question ("how do I build something useful?") and learned by doing. That is still how I learn.

Why this site exists

Renato Picks is an educational project. I research what official product pages say, what they leave out, and what a buyer should verify before paying. I do not claim to have used every product. I do not invent results, testimonials, or personal experiences. When I give an opinion, I label it as opinion.

As a teacher, I have always believed that knowledge should be accessible. That is why everything on this site is free — the analyses, the book reviews, the reflections, and the courses. There are no paywalls, no sign-ups, and no ads. If the content helps you, you can support the project, but you never have to.

What I'm learning now

I keep reading and testing books and tools, but I do not have a public list of them. This section is a reminder to myself: learning never stops.

I am learning that the small things matter more than the grand gestures. I am learning that consistency beats intensity. I am learning that rest is a need, not a reward. I am learning that listening is a discipline. Most of what I write about is what I am still learning — not what I have already mastered.

A note on honesty

I do not write from a place of certainty. I write from a place of curiosity. When I review a product, I am not telling you what to buy. I am telling you what I found, what I did not find, and what I would check if I were in your position. The decision is always yours.

I also do not pretend to be someone I am not. I am not a professional marketer. I am not a full-time reviewer. I am a teacher, a musician, a student, and a Christian trying to build something useful. That is the honest version. That is the one I want to share.

Find me

If you want to follow what I am learning, or send a suggestion, the best place is Instagram: @renatoqueirog

I read every message. I do not always reply quickly, but I do reply.