We all have seen the fairytale wedding of Chiara Ferragni with Fedez last week. But somehow my mind was with Riccardo Pozzoli, the famous ex-boyfriend. The man that help her start what is now an emporium. But, you know what? I am glad to see that “Life goes on” and he is better than ever. He is also happily married, he wrote a book and is an entrepreneur like no other. This multi-talented Italian is full of energy and determination and we love that!
Riccardo Pozzoli loves his job and makes it with ingenuity, following his intuition in his many business ventures. Which ones? Well, he is the Co-founder and CEO of many companies and start-ups. To name a few: The Blonde Salad, Foorban, Chiara Ferragni Collection, NGA Club, Depop application, RP Ideas agency, and now Creative Director of Condè Nast Social Talents.
On top of all the above, Ricardo Pozzoli is consultant and speaker at Harvard Business School and Colombia University. We stole a little bit of his precious time to bring you this interview.
THE INTERVIEW: RICCARDO POZZOLI- A BUSY MAN
Hi Riccardo,
You once said, “I don’t believe in doing one job” and seeing your portfolio as CEO, speaker, entrepreneur, and consultant… we all are wondering how do you manage? What is your magic trick to time management?
The trick is not about time management, but about delegating … 😉 I built up a great team, that I totally put my trust in.
You co-founded in 2009 The Blonde Salad and after that, the Chiara Ferragni Collection. You saw the creation of a very strong personal brand from the very beginning. What do you think did the blog so popular in such a short period of time?
It was the right moment, we were in the right place (Italy), and surely the right people. Chiara with a strong passion for fashion, and me for business 😉
Do you think this will work in today’s more saturated blogosphere?
Probably not, timing has been crucial. But for sure, there are still many opportunities. Today the strong and vertical passions are more relevant than ever.
As a consequence of the blog´s success, you started the Chiara Ferragni Collection. From content creator to entrepreneur. How was the transition?
It was very natural, as we were seeing how TBS was bringing sales to our partners, so launching our products line was the most organic evolvement.
What is your advice to young entrepreneurs in the fashion sector?
Creativity and business approach are equally important. In fashion, the balance between these two aspects is the key to success!
FOLLOWING YOUR INTUITION
We are really curious about what you do in your communication´s agency RP ideas. You mix ideas with intuition to provide a more valuable service to the customer. Can you explain how does it work?
I always believed in intuition, and not only in analysis and planning probably because of my entrepreneurial background. So we decided to mix this approach with a more strategic one, to shape new communication strategies.
Is not scary to follow your intuition in such a data-driven world we live in nowadays?
Not at all. KPIs are important, but in fashion the sensitivity towards the brand and the audience even more.
How do you connect yourself with your intuition in such a noisy and busy industry?
It is very important sometime to take time for yourself, for your senses, and let them go.
As a speaker at top venues as the Harvard Business School, Columbia University or WWD CEO Summit. How do you prepare yourself?
I shouldn’t say, but I don’t prepare so much 😉 Most of the time I try to go freestyle! I believe the interest of the audience is the best driver.
When interacting with students, what are your thoughts on the coming generations?
Usually, I had great feedback and curiosity. This is fundamental to bring the society forward.
You give your business a lot of effort and energy. Where from do you take the inspiration to keep on going? What drives you?
Passion for creating, and the energy of people around me.
We are curious. When you are at a fashion show, what do you see with your entrepreneur’s eyes besides the pretty clothes?
I love seeing the celebration of creativity!
RICCARDO POZZOLI AS AN AUTHOR
You wrote a book. Tell us everything about it.
I cannot tell you everything, you have to read it! In this book, I try to describe the main pillars that helped me in building my work, and how these pillars could help anyone in building up their own job.
What drove you to write a book?
A multitude of people asked me, so I felt I had to share my experience.
Where can we buy it?
In Amazon 😉
Any interesting projects ahead you would want to share?
I’m very happy about this new project with Condè Nast. I’ll pick the best talents, to bring them in CN and make them grow inside the best fashion media company in the World!
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