Peter Farina joins us live from Italy this week for a chat on April 15 at 3 p.m. as part of our popular “Tea Talks” series sponsored by the LaunchPad in partnership with The Republic of Tea. Peter is charming, charismatic, warm and witty, and has an incredibly entertaining story to share about his startup journey – a path that led from Syracuse University to bootstrapping across Italy, where he is located today, and building a heritage tourism business with seven figure sales. Along the way, you will laugh and be inspired by his tale, which is marked by exuberant humor and passion. Here’s the link to Zoom in
Born in Amsterdam, New York in 1984, Italian American Peter Farina founded italyMONDO! in 2006 after having studied Italian in Syracuse University – starting the cultural heritage company on a laptop and a small folding table in a spare room in his grandmother’s home in Upstate New York.
With less than $20,000 in revenue during his first year in business, Peter took the company from that folding table and built it into a prospering business with over 20 full-time employees, two offices both in New York and Italy, and annual revenues exceeding $1 million.
He’ll share the story of his yearning to walk in his immigrant family’s footsteps as a college student, to bootstrapping his way (including living out of vans, and waiting tables and bars) to start a business abroad, to creating an entire industry – cultural heritage tourism – as one of the first people to recognize the potential of this sector of travel. Long before the current wave of genealogy-based apps, Peter recognized the value of the human experience in the leisure tourism space and was among the first to tap into it. His business remains the best at crafting experiences through a highly personalized approach. Beyond curating travel experiences, he also does in-depth family research and offers citizenship services.
His stories are equally heartwarming and charming. That’s because his business is built on connecting people from the heart.
You’ll greatly enjoy hearing his journey, told by a master storyteller, about how to take a passion and build it into the business of your dreams. You’ll learn how he is rooted in both in Italy and in his native Upstate New York, where he just invested in a beautiful revitalization project in a historic brick warehouse corporate office in Amsterdam, as he built a truly global business. Joining us as co-host will be Cathy Pokines, emeritus, U.S. Small Business Administration, who helped him grow his business.
He’ll share startup and scale lessons – ones he wished he had learned as a student. He’ll also share what life is like in Italy right now. This season is traditionally an ebullient one, as spring begins, and Peter is equally upbeat about how we can come together to rise above our sadness and find hope. For the many who watched the uplifting concert people by Andrea Bocelli this Sunday in Milan, there is a lesson: We are one connected world. We tell our stories and find meaning through human connections.
Please join us for what will truly be the bright spot in your week. And, as we come to you live from Italy this Wednesday, we’ll indulge if you choose to sip a cappuccino or espresso for this Tea Talk.
About our partner, The Republic of Tea:
The Republic of Tea enriches people’s lives through its great-tasting premium teas and herbs, education and innovation, as it emphasizes a “Sip by Sip Rather Than Gulp by Gulp” lifestyle. Founded in 1992, The Republic of Tea sparked a specialty tea revolution. Today the brand delivers an unequaled selection of the highest-quality teas, herbal blends, books and nature-inspired sipware. The Republic of Tea’s collections boast over 300 all-natural premium teas and diverse offerings which include, but are not limited to: organic SuperAdapt Teas, SuperDigest Teas, Beautifying Botanicals, SuperGreen Teas, Downton Abbey™ Teas, Biodynamic® Teas, organic Superfruit™ Teas, Be Active® Teas, organic SuperHerb® Teas, U-Matcha™, Single Sips ®, teaware and a collection of unsweetened, premium glass-bottled iced teas crafted exclusively for fine restaurants and hotels. Further, The Republic of Tea is mindful of how its actions impact the greater community and actively supports organizations like The Ethical Tea Partnership, Homeward Bound of Marin, and The Women of Tea: Sri Lanka, an initiative by The Republic of Tea focused on improving nutrition, hygiene and financial literacy for the women tea workers living in Sri Lanka. Certifications include Demeter USA Certified Biodynamic, Fair Trade certification, Gluten-Free certification, Non-GMO Project verification, OU Kosher certification, and USDA Organic certification. For more information, visit www.REPUBLICofTEA.com