Pursuing her dream of becoming an entrepreneur, Lucia Del Vita founded VerbiVis, a translation company providing high-quality language services.
What’s your story?
I am Italian, born in a small town near Florence, daughter of entrepreneurs. I had a dream: exploring the world; an interest: humanity; an ideal: a united Europe, where citizens could live in harmony and thrive. In 1997, aged 28, while I was a trainee at the European Parliament in Brussels, I created my translation agency, targeting the EU institutions as my ideal client. Within six months I managed to start working for the EC and Translation Centre for the Bodies of the EU. In 1997 I was teleworking, I had a virtual office, a mobile telephone line, a legal address in a country where I did not live in and working with a network of professionals I had never met. These features were extremely innovative at that time, allowing me to be competitive and agile, and it worked! Hence, after 20 years of successes and challenges, after having lived in 7 different countries, two years ago I decided to become a motivational executive coach.
What excites you most about your industry?
The Human Factor. Translators, interpreters and clients in the field of translation are generally highly educated people. Translation implies study, rigour, reflection, competence, time management skills, patience, perspective, respect of the word/respect of the language, deep respect of multiculturalism. These are all principles proper to positive psychology and coaching, which are my new field of attention and work.
What’s your connection to Asia?
As the manager of a translation company, I have had the opportunity to organise many events, in particular, international conferences and symposia for the European Union. Many of those were organised between 2008-2013 in Asia, including in the least developed countries (at that time) such as Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia and Thailand. I loved working in Asia so much that I shared my wish with my husband to try to move to Asia. My dream became a family plan and a year later, in 2012, we moved with our two children to Thailand, Bangkok, and two years later to Hong Kong, thanks to my husband’s professional promotion.
Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
Actually two: Hong Kong and Singapore. High level of professionalism, high-tech, big investments, multicultural approach, a great mix of humanity cosmopolitan, global mindset, you do not feel to be a foreigner, but part of that “local universe”
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
“With focused attention, you can reach any goal”, focused implies a strong intention, resilience and being able to be “in the here and now”.
Who inspires you?
My husband, who is a lucid global-minded human, modern leader.
What have you just learnt recently that blew you away?
The impressive power of your mind on your body, and the people around you! More specifically, the impressive power or the placebo effect on your mind, or even of simple signs of gratitude, or of positivity, or just feeling lucky… . So many new findings come every day from rigorous research.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I would study business first, and then psychology at university since day 1. The rest I have been experiencing is just wonderful! And it still creates wonder on me.
How do you unwind?
Doing yoga, or spinning, or skiing, or dancing, walking in the shallow water of the ocean, travelling and watching exotic scenes of ordinary life (a barber shaving a customer in the sidewalk in crowded Hanoi, or an elephant walking slowly in crowded New Delhi, or a painter doing an instant portrait in Montmartre, social life, which energises me like crazy!!! (and I do not drink any alcohol at all!)
Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
Phuket Cleanse, Phuket. Not pretentious, great food, a great mix of gender, a great variety of activities, sense of freedom and kindness.
Everyone in business should read this book:
The Culture Map, by Erin Meyer (subtitle: Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Cultures)
Shameless plug for your business:
https://verbivis.com/
Networking, people I meet at the gym or in a bar, word of mouth
How can people connect with you?
whatsApp/phone: +852 55004894, Linked-In/Facebook: Lucia Del Vita, Instagram: luciadelvita_coaching
Twitter handle?
Have no twitter… it would be: luciadelvita_positivecoaching
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This interview is part of the ‘Callum Connect’ series of more than 500 interviews
Callum Laing is an entrepreneur and investor based in Singapore. He has previously started, built and sold half a dozen businesses and is now a Partner at Unity-Group Private Equity and Co-Founder of The Marketing Group PLC. He is the author two best selling books ‘Progressive Partnerships’ and ‘Agglomerate’.
Connect with Callum here:
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Download free copies of his books here: www.callumlaing.com
