I'm an entrepreneur with 8 years of experience in sports and food and beverage markets. I started as a gym coach at 19 years old and raised my first seed round at 20, which I used to open the first professional gymnastics academy in my hometown of Frosinone (Italy).
The academy (Pro Sede Gymnica) grew from 20 to almost 300 athletes in 5 years, some of whom went on to win national gymnastics championships. Towards the end of my tenure, we were attracting talent from other big cities such as Rome and Milan.
At 28 I decided it was time for a new challenge and decided to break into the international food and beverage industry so, after selling my share of the company, I moved to Dubai (UAE) and searched for a product with a relatively low barrier to entry and great potential.
By day I was working full-time as a gym coach and by night I was studying the industry and the local market. My passion for Asian food led me to discover Boba (aka "bubble tea"), a Taiwanese drink rich in flavor and originality. I spent months negotiating with suppliers, looking for a location, modeling what would one day be my kiosk, and shaping the brand and marketing strategy. After many iterations, TwenTea Bubble was born.
In just 6 months TwenTea achieved revenues in the hundreds of thousands and employs 3 people.
After 8 months I achieved a 3x return on my initial investment by selling TwenTea Bubble.
Leaving my country and starting from scratch in a completely different business environment and culture taught me a valuable lesson: it's not about what you can do, it's about what you're willing to do and how much you're willing to persevere. Which is why I never stop looking for the next challenge.More...