File 029104

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Dear Harvard Business School,
I am extremely excited to share my application with you. For years now it has been my dream to attend your
MBA program, studying amongst the world’s best professors and most achieved students to earn the education
that will influence the rest of my career and the future of my company. To explain how much I also
hope to contribute at Harvard, I would like to tell you three stories that characterize who I am.
My first story is about family.
A small-town Italian from a modest family, my father worked locally as an industrial designer after high school,
but he always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Thirty-four years ago, at the age of 22, as soon as he saw a
market opportunity, he quit his job (defying his parents), linked his talents for design and sports, and handbuilt
his first piece of gym equipment in his garage; that was the beginning of Technogym. By the time I arrived,
seven years later, Technogym had earned a respected place in the international market. Nine years later,
when my younger brother was born, it was the world-leading and most innovative manufacturer of fitness
equipment, digital wellness solutions and rehabilitation systems. It now has annual revenues of over 555m€
and 35 million daily users in over 100 countries. My father directs some 2,000 staff as CEO and Chairman.
Thousands of talented people have contributed to Technogym, among them my mother, my brother, and I.
Technogym has been like my older sibling, and has always been the main topic of conversation at dinner. We
plan our vacations around it and have supported one another through its ups and downs. We have all made
sacrifices – but gladly, as one always does for family.
My father’s vision to bring “wellness” to people around the world inspired me to get involved at a very young
age, so many of my childhood memories involve weekends at the office with my dad. These early experiences
embedded in me the entrepreneurial values that make my father such a successful person, values such as
taking calculated risks and investing in innovation. I have attended countless meetings at his side and worn a
company T-shirt at every Olympics from Athens 2004 to Rio 2016, as Technogym has been the games’ official
supplier since 2000.
Growing up in a family business has given me access to a vast network of people and I have sought to learn
as much as I could from inspiring people like Richard Branson and Marc Benioff; however, the person I admire
the most is my mother, who put aside her own education and career to commit to our family and company.
She’s been at my father’s side since she was 16. Women have played a huge role in business and society,
and I want to do my part to further opportunities for women, joining the long legacy of leaders who proudly
call themselves Harvard alumnae. I intend to participate in the Women’s Student Association to become one
of the voices that carries this power beyond the campus. A Harvard education will help me develop the vision,
leadership and credibility that I will need throughout my career, and in furthering great causes that mean a lot
to me.
Next, I'd like to talk about commitment.
I understood early that I would always participate with my father's legacy and lead Technogym. I committed
myself to learning languages at school, becoming a good teammate and competitor through sports, and
spending my university holidays exploring different industries through internships. Yet I still wanted to set my
own career and earn my own credibility. Whether conducting analyses at JP Morgan in Paris, selling highpriced
artwork in Mexico City, or developing marketing campaigns for iconic brands like Bulgari and
Tifany&Co., I have built my own identity thanks to working alongside diverse, accomplished people. By
adapting to different countries, cultures and industries, I have adopted new ways of thinking, working, and
even speaking while also asserting myself and learning to make measurable contributions quickly.
My most impactful experience was volunteering for a UN’s World Food Program microfinance initiative in El
Salvador, one of the world's poorest and most dangerous countries. I helped design and develop “Fondo
para Agricultura,” an investment fund supporting 75,000 small farmers. There, I was warned not to walk
alone or explore the city, but I have never seen such warm and generous people as the Salvadorans. I made
lifelong friends with my colleagues and many locals, and I witnessed how even small efforts can impact the
lives of many. I became active in our company’s foundation to spread goodwill in my own community.
Since 2009, Technogym has been an invitee of the World Economic Forum in Davos as the ‘wellness industry
shaper’, a true honour for a company of its size. Accompanying my father to the Annual Meetings, I have
heard inspiring leaders talk about making the world a better place. As a ‘Next Gen' myself, I joined the Family
Business Community. There I discovered impact investing, which in turn led me to take the Harvard Kennedy
School course Impact Investing for the Next Generation. Working on projects with other Next Gen associates
has given me a taste of courses and case study groups at Harvard, and I love it. I have since, through our
family office, been eyeing for investment projects that could make a measurable positive difference on communities
around the world.
Finally, I'd like to talk about awakening.
After decades of managing and growing his company, my father returned to his original passion of sharing
“wellness” to build sustainable communities. He created the “Wellness Foundation,” a non-profit aiming to
bring healthy lifestyles to people around the world. One of our international partners is the Clinton Foundation,
and during our annual Wellness Congress in 2012, former President Clinton even delivered the keynote
speech and I am currently helping to bring high profile speakers to our 25th Congress that will be held next
year.
For our local community in Italy, I have been involved in the development of the “Wellness Valley,” a socially
innovative project urging all our stakeholders to strengthen civic attitudes and culture towards healthy living
for human-centric prevention and sustainability. Our long-term goal is to recreate this model in communities
worldwide, allowing governments to reduce healthcare costs, companies to increase productivity, and people
in general to improve their quality of life.
For several years, this project was, like Technogym, an endeavour outside my job at Luxottica. I joined that
company as a marketing intern and was soon promoted to manage an important licensed brand, Tiffany&Co.
It turned out my previous experience had prepared me well for this first big management opportunity, and I
truly enjoyed it.
Exploring the workings of a complex international firm of 80,000 employees, I began to re-examine my family’s
business. When Technogym had its IPO in early 2016, I joined its Board of Directors and looked deep into the
company's potential and my own role. The time was right to take on new responsibilities. Resigning from
Luxottica and training my replacement, I dove into a new Technogym project, the first of its kind. I'm currently
working with the Senior Retail VP to develop a B2C sales channel through new experiential stores in Milan
and London, where I direct staff, strategy, and new revenue streams. Moreover, I recently took responsibility
over the development of a new business unit with the launch of a clothing line, including the evaluation of
potential partnerships and acquisitions, aimed at increasing our presence in the consumer sector at a higher
pace. These are uphill endeavours, but I am energetic to face them. My two years on the Board of Enervit –
a listed health-food company, and another family business – have given me useful insights.
Leadership is both a burden and a blessing – having control can also isolate you – that is why I want to get
all I can from the 360° training and feedback of an HBS MBA. I don't want to be just a founder's daughter; I
want to be a leader in my own right. I am a passionate person with vision, intuition and an ability to think
laterally – a key asset, I think, for Technogym. Taking charge will be a challenge, but I am sure that with my
determination I will be able to demonstrate the autonomy and leadership to take Technogym into the next era.
After the MBA, I plan to spend several years in the US to push the company’s expansion in the world’s largest
wellness/fitness market – despite a strong international reputation, our market share in the US is still modest;
I see the opportunity to grow our presence into a leading position, and earning the best training to prepare for
that is my next step.
Now you understand more about me, my family, our company and why my dream has brought me to you. I
have worked hard to learn from peers, friends, and mentors and will continue to do so in a new setting that
will help me grow – as a woman, a manager, a leader, and, I hope, an example to others.