The Leading Lady – Female in tech
| Name | Paola Bernasconi |
| Age | 38 |
| Country | Italy |
| Education Experience
(Secondary, Higher Level)
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After the classical high school diploma I obtained the master’s degree in Communication Sciences at the La Sapienza University of Rome.
But I also attended specific training courses and seminars in this field and about the digital environment:
The last opportunity of training happened between September 2019 and January 2020, with a very important course for my profession in digital copywriting. |
| Training
(Business, Entrepreneurial)
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Both me and my partner, Daniele, who is a graphic designer, after the common experience as freelancers in a private distribution company of Latina where we were in charge of the marketing office, we decided to set up the company without any entrepreneurial or corporate management experience. Fortunately, in this case, we can count on parental relationships, being the father of my co-founder, our trusted accountant. Before the establishment, which took place in January 2019, to make the final decision, we carried out a sector study in October of the previous year, to know the competitors and the social context of our reference area and analyse the opportunities of the local market.
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| Employment History
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I have had a varied field experience in the promotion, organization and hospitality of events, collaborating with the local theatre company and other cultural associations.
As a press officer I worked for several newspapers, especially online, and for specific events, also as account and back-office organiser. From 2012 until 2016 I was copywriter and blogger on different topics, from cultural events to travel and cooking sectors. My last work experience (2017/2018) in a logistic/distribution company as Responsible of Communication and Marketing pushed me to make another step, from self-employment to entrepreneurship.
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| Social Background | I was born in Rome, but I live in Sezze, a little town with around 25,000 inhabitants in province of Latina, in the South of Region Latium, which is about one hour from Rome. Beyond the university period, when I spent most of the time in Rome for attending classes, I feel very engaged in my community and rooted in my territory, where I like to live.
As the olive oil is one of the main agricultural production in our surroundings, I attended also a Course of olive oil tasters, or I was engaged in another National Training Course for Toy Libraries, organised in my town. For this reason I realised my experience of National Civil Service in Sezze, committed in the organisation of cultural events for the local Social Centre. Since I was young, I took also part to European exchanges, in France, United Kingdom, Canada, The Netherland.
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| Personality Traits
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Curiosity that led me to be interested in various things and areas. |
Their Tech Entrepreneurship Journey
| Business Name
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PESCE COMUNICA |
| What was the inspiration?
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The inspiration to establish the Pesce Comunica was born from the professional complementarity of us members, the fact of having two different professionalisms, words (copywriter) and imagine (graphic designer) created the prerequisite for a corporate sharing.
We worked together for more than a year for an employer with whom we shared very little about the values of communication, marketing and advertising, and united us the desire to do something different.
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| Why did they decide to set up their tech business?
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With my partner we shared the need to work with a more ethical and less speculative approach to communication.
As third-party professionals it is difficult to impose this vision, and having this option in hand is very important, for the sense of responsibility of the information and communication professionals. Correct message and responsibility for communication, although there is also the need to educate the customer. Furthermore, in this sector it is inevitable to treat information with the new means of communication available today, and constantly changing. Technologies allow us to do new things and to experiment new processes. Using a plurality of channels and how this context of information abundance will change over time, and how to use them ethically and responsibly. |
| What does it do?
Products/services?
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We provide the following services and products;
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| What makes it unique?
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Attentive and curious approach to the people you are addressing, give good examples, create good relationships, generate a virtuous circle of communication. |
| When did they decide to set it up?
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In November 2018, when we decided to end the professional relationship with the previous employer. |
| What were the main challenges/struggles to setting up?
Social/financial/tech issues?
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Great support from the social context (relatives and friends), the main problem is the financial one, because if you do not have a personal basis for starting, the first years are tiring. For example, there are no concessions on utilities, which are more expensive for companies than for individuals.
At social and technical levels, a core challenge is to connect an offer of services to businesses with proposals that respond to the strong need for responsibility in the use of social media, awareness of the power of these means, and the related risks. There is a need for more education. |
| How did they overcome these?
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To have lower costs, initially we decided to work from home or at clients’ seats, but then the need to give visibility to the agency, pushed us to invest for a small place in the historic centre of Sezze, and the first clients allowed us to have a hard core of revenues and financial income capable of covering the management costs. |
| What were the main success factors?
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Care for the people they work with, very friendly and with targeted communication for each interlocutor.
For instance, in term of individualisation for the Christmas greetings they sent a real letter by regular mail and handwritten. Corporate Social Responsibility and continuous self-directed learning and training. |
| What are their future plans?
For their tech business? For themselves?
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Review our communication strategies, starting with the improvement of our site.
Continue to have experiences, such as that of the annual meeting in Modena “PlayCopy”, with communication experts, two very intense days on copy writing in April where we will participate for the second year. An inspiring experience. |
| Top 2 tips for nascent women technology entrepreneurs
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Continue to train in the double track between humanistic and technological knowledge.
Find valid people and collaborations that stimulate continuous personal and professional growth. |
| Further information:
Contact details
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e-mail:
website: https://www.pescecomunica.com/ Facebook e Instagram: @pescecomunica Mobile 0039.328.7197592 – Telephone 0039.0773.806572 |