There’s nothing in the world that your dreams can’t buy. If sufficiently motivated, our dreams have the potential to shape our own reality and that of our world. This is perhaps the underlying theme of most rags-to-riches stories, and Giuseppe Cicorella would agree. Today, he’s one of Italy’s most revered motivational speakers and real estate tycoons. In this conversation, Giuseppe shares his secret to a good and fulfilling life.
Q. Hello, Giuseppe. Can you tell us a little about your background?
A. I was born in a small town in Southern Italy. My beginnings were humble, but I always knew that there was a world out there that was very different from the one I was born in. This awareness grew stronger with time, as did my desire to participate in the comings and goings of this complex world. So, at 17, I moved to Milan and got started as a real estate agent, and haven’t looked back since.
Q. What were some of the challenges you’ve faced that made you stronger?
A. I have had my share of tough times in the world. Right from when I started, you know, how the illusion of the world breaks down when you actually start working? That period was difficult, but the thing that kept me going through it all was my faith in myself and my dreams. I have slept in cars, lost everything I owned to reach where I finally am.
Q. What’s been the most rewarding part of being an entrepreneur?
A. For me, it’s been the best reality check. I have met some youngsters who want to be entrepreneurs because they think it makes them look cool. That’s the worst reason to become an entrepreneur because it does not let you become dynamic and strong but instead leaves you cottony and vulnerable. Entrepreneurship is like a mirror you hold to yourself; it shows you what you are made of and what you can become. The popular opinion is that business can suck your soul. In reality, business and entrepreneurship have revivified my spirit to offer something useful to the world and myself.
Q. How does the future look like to you, Giuseppe?
A. I can’t say, really. Thanks to Covid and the recent war, things have entered an obvious zone of unpredictability. All I can say is that hard work will always be in demand when we have to rebuild ourselves and our world.
