There is a sense of belonging in the words of this woman captain of a company that we can define as “feminine”. We are talking about Cristina De Giusti, CEO of Manuel Caffè. A production company with a strong family history that in “recent years has recorded significant growth” thanks to the guidance of the three siblings: Cristina, Emanuela and Mauro. United by their passion for coffee.
The female figure in the coffee industry is a topic of debate in many contexts, because it is a sector still characterized by male management. We therefore asked Cristina De Giusti some questions, she answered us with passion in her eyes and that healthy sense of pragmatism that governs the spirit of women.
What drove you to take the reins of the family business?
In reality, the decision came spontaneously without much reasoning as it was the right consequence of an entrepreneurial teaching that I had since I was a child. I grew up on sacks of coffee and its inebriating aroma has influenced my life. Even if I began to appreciate and drink coffee only in adulthood. I am the youngest of three siblings but I have always felt a sense of responsibility towards the whole family, my studies have certainly helped me in this purpose but the true meaning of all this is to continue to cultivate the passion for work intended not as a doing, but as a familiar and Italian know-how because I feel very close to my land.
What role did your father figure have in your choice?
My father also had a significant influence on my personality. Even though he wasn’t physically present because he was always very busy with work, he was always a point of reference. He knew how to let me do things and above all let me make mistakes, because his philosophy was always that you learn more from mistakes than from goals. And that luck doesn’t come by chance, but you have to go and look for it.
What is the contribution/support of your “feminine” vision?
I honestly don’t see much difference between female and male work. The real difference is made by personal skills, abilities and attitudes. In the company, the majority of the team is female but maybe it’s just a coincidence.
What are the decision-making criteria that guide you?
I follow my instinct. Decisions must come first from the heart and then from the head and if you can combine both, the decision is definitely the right one.
How do you manage a leadership role in a male-dominated market?
I just do it, always with a bit of imagination, lightheartedness and without giving importance to the fact that I am a woman.
Present in more than 50 countries and 5 continents, today Manuel Caffè is synonymous with an established identity, bringing the taste of Italian coffee to the world. Each product is an ambassador of a specific vocation: to offer connoisseurs and enthusiasts the ideal coffee, the result of a dialogue between impeccable workmanship, a lot of passion, constant innovation, refined blends that interpret a long tradition. And that emotion that is essential to transform goodness into excellence and that should make everyone reflect on the fact that “doing well” very often goes beyond any limit. Even that of gender.
