Follow the Path to Glory: A Recipe for Greatness from a Digital Expert
In part one of this series we discussed the latest trends in Digital.
Meet Edoardo, the head of digital engagement within the consumer and digital department at WindTre. From our discussion, we’ve created a recipe for greatness. Follow it — and you’ll reach the mountaintop.
If you ask Edoardo what he thinks the most beautiful place in Italy is, he’s hesitant to settle on one answer. There are just too many choices.
“I love Venice, Rome, Sicily, and lots of other spots. If I worked in the government, I would invest even more in tourism,” exclaims Edoardo. “We have so much to offer visitors, from the amazing art and food to the beautiful countryside.”
What Edoardo says is undoubtedly true. And that’s why he tries to travel around the country when he’s not busy working at WindTre.
Clearly, if you want to experience the beauty of this world, Italy would be a great place to start — which brings us to Edoardo’s first piece of advice for achieving your personal and professional dreams. Take a look:
1. Go to Naples if you want great pizza
Really, you should go to Naples if you want pizza. It’s the birthplace of pizza — and it’s where you’ll find the most delicious slices known to man. You’re probably hungry now.
Anyway, before you go and get some pizza, let’s get to the point. Just before, we talked about going to Italy to experience beauty. The idea here is that you should go to the place where you can make your dreams happen.
This is why, when you ask Edoardo to give advice to his childhood self, he talks about more than just following your passions. He also talks about location.
“Go to the place where your passion is shared,” states Edoardo. “I’ve worked all my life to help Italy undergo a digital transformation. But I feel my one mistake was not going to Silicon Valley to see what I could’ve accomplished there. It’s the heart of the tech world.”
The first piece of advice in Edoardo’s recipe for success may focus on his regret of not going to Silicon Valley, but we should share that he did make great things happen with his startups in Italy.
His first startup, FinecoBank, a leading direct bank in Italy, went public in 2014. His next startup, Banzai, an ecommerce company, went public in 2015. That’s an impressive track record.
So, the lesson here is that you should match passion and location. But if you don’t (or can’t), work hard to transform your present place into something incredible.
2. Carpe diem! (seize the day)
Carpe diem — the Latin phrase that means to seize the moment — reminds you to never wait around when an opportunity arises. You just go for it.
When Edoardo discusses what he looks for in hires at WindTre, he specifies that he’s not just looking at the skillset and experience. He wants more than that.
“We have so many qualified candidates because of WindTre and Veon’s reputation,” explains Edoardo.
“What I also want is motivation and energy, and the recognition that the time for big changes is now.”
With the recent merger of Wind and Tre, Edoardo stresses that WindTre now serves 31 million customers. On top of that, the company is undergoing a digital transformation. This is why he needs people that are up for the task.
“I want people that are excited about transforming the telco industry and building a better future in Italy,” says Edoardo.
There you have Edoardo’s second piece of advice in the recipe for greatness. Next time you see an opportunity, don’t let it pass you by.
3. Food fuels your body; inspiration fuels your work
Food makes the world go round, especially in Italy. When you talk to Edoardo about his mother’s cooking, he likes to joke about just how important it is for her to bring food each time she visits him in Milan.
“Each time she comes to see me, she has tons of food — literally! From risotto to lasagna, there is enough to feed me for a long time,” exclaims Edoardo. “Italian mothers love to make sure you’re well fed.”
Good home cooking helps Edoardo maintain energy while working. To come up with ideas to make his work a success, though, he looks for inspiration from a wide range of sources.
“I love the book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal. It’s really taught me a lot about how to develop the right products,” says Edoardo. The framework given is so elegant and simple. But simplicity is hard, very hard.
For Edoardo, personal and professional success depends on having a constant injection of ideas. And that requires constant learning.
As you chase your goals, remember this third piece of advice in Edoardo’s recipe for success. Because if you can find inspiration consistently, you’ll never get stuck in a rut (or a swamp).
4. Balance as well as Polignano a Mare
If you’ve ever been to Polignano a Mare, you were probably astonished at just how perfectly the town appears to balance itself on the seaside cliffs. If you haven’t been, look at some pictures and see for yourself. It’s a breathtaking sight. But don’t get sidetracked thinking about your next vacation just yet.
The fourth piece of advice in Edoardo’s recipe for greatness takes an idea from Polignano a Mare’s balancing act. Because if you’re not careful, you can get overwhelmed in today’s world — and fall off a cliff.
“Youth today must balance so many things, much more than I did,” notes Edoardo. “Nintendo was my main device back in the day. Now, every device is connected and there’s a lot of noise. The next generation has to learn how to properly balance all these things.”
Now, that’s a good tip. From learning time management to taking breaks and highlighting priorities, there are many techniques to balance your life. Find what works — and you’ll be able to stay on the path to greatness.
Turning the recipe into something magical
You’ve been given the formula for greatness, thanks to Edoardo. Now, all you have to do is make it happen. Just remember to fuel up along the way with some delicious homemade meals.
