Andrea, give us a little background on you.
I graduated with a Biology degree from Roma Tor Vergata. Before Los Angeles, I also studied in Spain and Germany thanks to the Erasmus Program.
At the end of my studies I had to make a choice: stay in the same academic field or try something new. I was very curious to explore fields I didn’t know yet. That’s how I got interested in startups. Nowadays there are a lot of startups concerning biotechnologies and agribusiness.
How did you get to know M Accelerator Entrepreneurship program?
Through Facebook Ads and thanks to all the research, I made about the startup world. As soon as I saw the ad I decided to get more information about the Entrepreneurship course.
What kind of skills did you acquire attending our Entrepreneurship course?
Thanks to the Entrepreneurship course I got to know new professions and job opportunities.
We usually think that we should stay in our field of study when it comes to looking for a job or creating a career. According to this thought, I should have worked as a biologist.
But things are different nowadays. There are a lot of new possibilities. Until a few years ago I didn’t know professions like Digital Marketing Management or Social Media Management.
M Accelerator opened my mind. I learned how passion, dedication, and skills can make a difference. Listening to the stories of the many entrepreneurs who came as guest speakers during the Entrepreneurship program was a big inspiration for me.
I took home more optimism and a great boost in my self confidence.
Thanks to M Accelerator, I started to think “You can do it”. You can achieve anything you want in life. The only limit is the one you set yourself.
What do you do now?
At the moment I’m working for one of the major pharmaceutical companies in the world and I deal with marketing thanks to a Talent Program. That’s a great change in my career.
Do you think your experience in Los Angeles with M Accelerator might have helped you to find this new job?
Absolutely. M Accelerator helped me to acquire new skills and put them into practice. These kinds of skills are very sought-after nowadays.
The Entrepreneurship Startup program taught me how to create projects and bring them to life. It also opened the doors of the Digital Marketing world, every business’ cornerstone.
In spite of my scientific background, I’ve learned business and marketing notions. This surely helped me during the selection phase.
When exactly has our approach been helpful for your new job?
Thanks to M Accelerator, I became a good team player.
I learned how to make an idea work even with a low budget, and that’s something that makes a great difference. Companies always appreciate this kind of approach.
Did the experience in Los Angeles facilitate your personal growth?
I have excellent memories of my experience in Los Angeles. It’s one of a kind city. Totally different from Italian cities.
Even the way people interact is totally different. It gives you a lot of optimism.
The fact that they never see their current job as something definitive was really inspiring to me. It’s a land of opportunities. There’s no fear of constantly changing your life.
Network events are very important and useful, especially if you have an idea, a project, a dream to achieve. In Italy, you never share your ideas with someone else, usually, you keep them to yourself because you are afraid of being criticized by other people. But you’ll never get feedback like that.
Los Angeles gives you the chance to create a good network of people who can really help you.
What is the best memory of your experience in Los Angeles?
Probably all the trips, especially the Grand Canyon one. Every weekend we rented a car and explored new places.
Also, the final Pitch day, the last day of the course.
How do you see your future?
I’m very proud of what I’m doing now.
Working for such a great company will make me professionally grow. One day, I’d also like to run my own business. But I still don’t know whether in Italy or abroad.
Do you have any advice for future participants of our Entrepreneurship Program?
Be ready to question your project. You will face many obstacles, but never give up.
The right way to live this experience is to focus on yourselves and on what you really want to do. Be willing to learn new things. Have enthusiasm and ambition. Accept a possible failure as a growth process.
