“When obstacles become opportunities”
My origins and the hard work in the land surely helped me not to be a great communicator, and I realized quickly than it was instead a capacity essential to the sale. So I thought to bind my free time in social activities, first by supporting the country’s football association, then in other activities, alongside Don Giuseppe Stoppiglia, founder and current president of Macondo, with whom I traveled to Brazil. That journey helped me a lot to expand my horizons and prospects, not to mention of course the humanitarian experience.
In the years the activity lived moments more or less profitable, and some changes in the leadership of the company, including the division of the founding partners and the entry of new members. Fortunately, these upheavals didn’t affect negatively the company which, in fact, over time found again the right pace and expanded staff and turnover.
Thanks to the projects of an architect from Treviso, we started working for the Russian market. Designing and building the first tailored furnishings, we gave birth to what later would have been the Prestige philosophy in manufacturing custom handmade furniture: to make the person the center building around him a space, that reflects his character and become an extension of his personality.
We had to quit that 600-square-meter warehouse, which at first seemed so large, to invest in a building of 6500 square meters, the current seat of Prestige Srl.
“Our origins teach us how to cope with difficulties”
In 2008, at the same time of the purchase of the new building and of the exit of one of the members of the society, we began to feel the first signs of what would have become a worldwide economic crisis.
We decided to invest in research of a quality product, in manufacturing techniques, and even on communication and advertising.
That led to a choice of greater presence on the Russian market, which saw us take part for the first time in 2009 at the Crokus, the most important furniture fair in Russia.
The decline was very evident and weighed heavily on our shoulders. Prestige was experiencing a first period marked by difficulties, and – I can not deny – by the fears and the concerns of being able to maintain the activity. At that time the company was employing about forty people, feeling responsible for the support of all their families. This period was followed by another one very intense and demanding that, in April 2014, saw the exit of the last partner.
Prestige srl had become a single-member company.
It had been a very difficult time. We risked not being able to prepare ourselves for the most important trade fair of the year: the Salone del Mobile in Milan. In the end we managed to present ourselves by a hair’s breadth, perhaps a bit unprepared and definitely very proven.
“An eye on the future”
The world market has changed and nowadays it is difficult to make long-term plans. We took our lumps with no major damage and this has already been a huge success!
Waiting for a period of greater peace and stability, we continue to invest in research and to broaden our horizons by opening new markets.
We are most aware of our strengths and this is a great success factor: the excellent communication built over the years between Design Department and Production Department guarantees the accuracy, that gives us a strong foundation for dealing with challenges. We have repeatedly proven to ourselves we know how to flexibly adapt to circumstances and cope with the difficulties with character.
And as in life you never stop to grow and learn, we aim to improve in our organization and increase competitiveness, focusing more on the product and on the techniques of solid wood processing.
Recently we have certified the achievement of the International Standard ISO 9001, which outlines the way to achieve high performance by implementing processes to improve operational efficiency at all levels.
In conclusion
I’m sure that strength of character, determination, passion and faith in what we believe have helped us a lot. Our origins, the sacrifices of the work in the land, the manual labour as child taught us to roll up our sleeves to tackle the difficulties.
We experienced on our own skin this equation that I remember to have learnt in school:
PAST + PRESENT = FUTURE
It is when you know and respect your own origins, and the lesson is learnt and put into practice in your present that you create a solid foundation for your future.
