Now that my time in Italy has ended, my perspective has changed on some aspects of business abroad. Throughout our time in Italy, we visited four different companies for a consulting project. This provided a glimpse into how some small and a large business runs in Italy. Seeing the passion that local business owners had for the product they were creating was enlightening. Whether it was the business owners or an employee for a large company, all of the people worked extremely hard and wanted to provide the best product for their customers. I’d say that is what I expected from the people we were going to visit when I started the program. It was eye opening to see that some business owners were not particularly interested in pursuing as much growth as possible like maybe a typical American businessperson. Some wanted to stay in a certain area of the business rather than branch out, even if it meant making less money. Sometimes that was hard to understand, but I also respect their ability to stay true to the business they created. Beyond the company visits, I interacted with many different people at businesses like restaurants, hotels, and within transportation. Since I visited a restaurant every day, this was where I got to see the most diversity among individuals. I would say many people were absolutely incredible to interact with and only wanted to provide us with the best experience. It seemed like there were more people willing to open up and provide a personal experience at Italian restaurants than you might receive in America. There were several instances where I would connect with the waiter or restaurant owner. I think the restaurant industry is a large part of the Florence economy which provided an incredible way to learn about Italy. I am so grateful I got to learn about business and Italian culture through this program. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my summer any other way.
