Stefania Padoan, foreign entrepreneurs who choose Italian Switzerland to set up their business often tend to be a bit “distant” from the social reality of the region. You, on the other hand, are more “rooted” in the territory: is it a question of character or specific will?
"I think it's a combination of things. First of all, I come from a region (Veneto, ed.) that, due to its migratory background and entrepreneurial nature, is open to new challenges. Secondly, I was lucky enough to be able to travel the world for work and so I got used to dealing with situations and people from various backgrounds. I therefore immersed myself in these different ways of experiencing their territories. And that's what I did when I came to Switzerland (in 2013, ed.): initially the reason was to set up a production unit of my company, later I also decided to live there because I strongly believe that to do business well you have to take root in the territory in which you operate, otherwise it's a bit like doing things halfway. I remember some people I met at the beginning of my journey who told me "forget about going back home (to Treviso, ed.) every week". Thanks to these people, but also a little to my character, I was welcomed in this region and this also helped me to live it more intensely".
How much time do you dedicate to "extra work" activities, for example in associations?
"I don't have a precise measure, but I can say that as a committee member in associations such as AITI and AIF in Ticino, but also Confindustria Veneto Est and as a member of the Equal Opportunities Commission of the Province of Treviso, I dedicate some half days to meetings, to which I also participate in public activities. But extra-work commitments are part of my passions, that is, being with people to listen to their experiences and share mine. This is also part of doing business, in any case."
Social relationships are easy but maybe that's why they have less value. Do you agree with this statement?
"I don't use social media much, I believe in personal contact, seeing each other in person because I think that in this way we are much more effective in communication. Social media is a bit like oil that remains on top of water: it is superficial. In my opinion, to do something well you have to sit around a table, see each other, talk to each other and share ideas. Social media and digital technologies in general, including artificial intelligence, are still important for the future because they also allow for greater speed, efficiency and productivity. However, personal, physical interaction remains fundamental for communication."
How important is it, in your opinion, to see each other "face to face", in business as in society?
«When I entered in the family business they taught me to do business with clients simply with a handshake. It is true that times have changed but the importance of the physical relationship for me remains the same as in the past and even more so in the present. The same is true for non-work relationships too."
