“Community is commitment”
In this inaugural AMC Quest for Community Newsletter, I present to you tech founder, Mario Di Girolamo.
I've only known Mario Di Girolamo for one year but, wow! His charisma is contagious. Entrepreneurship effortlessly flows through his veins and he pridefully believes it has everything to do with where he comes from and how he was raised in the southern Italian region of Campania, in a historical city called Caserta, on the outskirts of Naples.
Mario is in his early 30's and like all true grit entrepreneurs he knew from a young age that he wanted to build something meaningful and powerful. Three startups later, Mario's current passion is to understand new technology and how it can impact the human life. He founded BOOSHA AI, a thriving company created to accelerate businesses by automating operations, making them smarter, faster and more intuitive.
Mario is what the Italian people would affectionately label, a volcano. He works throughout the entire country of Italy and the world. He's highly regarded as a Techstars community leader in Campania and a regional facilitator for the Techstars startup weekend program. Mario's soulful understanding of community, as a southern Italian professional directly translates to his company's success and growth.
At the beginning of our talk, Mario quickly expressed that authentic community more effortlessly exists in the south of Italy, when compared to the north. He said, “Here the idea of living in community is really living together. People believe in what they do. They trust each other. There is commitment. Community built around strong values or passion is a place where you grow.”
“GIVE FIRST TO EARN TRUST”
Mario believes authentic community is a place where all people want the success of others, first. In this mindset, the quality of everything improves. “Create a real relationship based on trust, in giving to one another. We are really good at building relationships with one another,” Mario said.
I loved this reveal for so many reasons. First, it's in direct alignment with the majority of research based on trust. Trust is built in small, repetitive ways that communicate you are “there” for the other person. In other words, trust is ultimately showing people that you want them to be as safe, successful, and secure as you do. *Ding, ding.
“IT STARTS WITH FAMILY”
As some of you may know, Sunday is a sacred day for family gatherings in Italy. “I think everything starts with the family. Sunday was the moment when we shared the moment together. During lunch you share passion, you share information, you share what's happening in your life. If you have a good family, then you will be helpful for your friends and your colleagues,” said Mario.
To my esteemed American colleagues, please don't silo this reveal. We call company culture, company culture for a reason. Consider how your company cultures could be less transactional and more familial. This is a key element in relationship building. We must truly know one another to connect and succeed together.
“LISTEN AND CARE”
In so many words, Mario and I agreed that listening and caring are like dying arts. “It's another big problem, we don't listen. We do not help anymore… but, we are in a hurried society.”
He's referring to the notion that everyone has problems and everyone wants to be heard, but it's important to know when you have to slow down to be helpful for someone else and put yourself second. (Disclaimer: *This is not the case for the majority of professional women in society, or women in general.)
“When you have a good family, you understand the value of knowing when it's your turn, because you understand how to give to others. It's about small things and the emotions of others,” said Mario.
“WALK THE WALK, TALK THE TALK”
“I don't think we can live in a society that we say we are just colleagues. I want to know you. I'm investing in you,” said Mario.
He claims that in true community, we all have to lead by this example. Emerging research on emotional intelligence and trust validate this notion. It's not easy, that's why it's not commonplace.
“I work with small companies and you can't build community without belief and welfare. If you want to create a place where people like you, your company has to operate on what you say is what you do. You need to be transparent. You should be doing what you really believe. Internal communication only focused on monetization without transparency doesn't sustain.”
In closing, Mario, it's a pleasure to know you as both a colleague and a friend. I am richer in spirit and expertise for this experience and I know my readers will be too. If you'd like to reach out to Mario, here is his direct email - mario@boosha.it
Our AMC 3 C's Mindful Communication Model™, Consciousness, Communication, Community, is an innovative, research-based model that changes the professional development playing field. At AMC we're normalizing consciousness in professional society and encouraging mindfulness so that over time we can implement effective communication practices that help us generate longevity in business.
As mentioned here AMC is on a mission to explore the dynamics of authentic Italian community to start a profound movement within international corporate company cultures. Stay with me on this summer-long journey. For example, if these newsletters spark good conversations among your teams - write to me, tell me what happened!
Grazie mille a tutti. Arrivederci!
Mindfully Speaking,
Anna Michele Bulszewicz
Founder, Anna Michele Communications