June 4, 2025
In Italian culture, there are a few things we take almost as gospel:
• that Italian food is the best in the world,
• that the sea in Sardinia puts even the Fiji Islands to shame,
• and that no country can match Italy’s art and cultural heritage.
And then there’s this: a “good entrepreneur” is someone who — with courage, optimism, and total dedication — throws themselves into the business for the good of all.
But is that really true? And more importantly — what’s the cost?
In Italy, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have long been seen as the backbone of the economy. Back in the '80s and '90s, their widespread presence was seen as a good sign — a grassroots model of success tied closely to local communities, personal connections, and social capital.
Out of that came a distinct type of entrepreneur: someone who builds through hard work and relationships, with a strong sense of purpose — and often a healthy dose of resilience and adaptability.
As highlighted in the book L’imprenditore e il suo altro (Loperfido, 2022), this business culture helped shape a unique entrepreneurial identity, especially in Italy’s so-called “Third Italy” — regions where the family business becomes the center of life. Here, the entrepreneur is seen as fully self-reliant: someone who handles everything alone, competes fiercely, and never backs down.
While this mindset once fueled growth and prosperity, it can now lead to burnout — especially when the line between personal and professional life disappears.
In family-run SMEs, personal relationships are everything. But when work depends entirely on family or close friends, everyday tensions don’t stay at work — they follow you home.
That becomes especially dangerous in times of crisis. The entrepreneur can feel completely alone. And when things go wrong, they’re not just afraid of failure — they feel like they’re letting down their family, employees, and entire community.
Take the Veneto region, for example: between 2013 and 2015, it saw the highest suicide rate in Italy linked to economic hardship. That’s a sobering reminder of how even a “successful” model can become unsustainable.
But rather than reject it or idealize it, we need to see it for what it is — something that worked in a particular time and place, brought real value, but now needs to evolve.
Today’s younger generations view work differently. More and more, people want an identity that’s not just tied to their job. “This is what I do — not who I am” sums up a cultural shift that challenges traditional views of fulfillment.
We don’t need to give up on the idea of the committed, capable entrepreneur. But we do need to build a new model — one where it’s okay to ask for help, to delegate, to take care of yourself.
A sustainable economy needs sustainable entrepreneurs — and a culture that recognizes the value of boundaries, mutual support, and collaboration.
Curated by the Marketing Team
