Marco is 30 years old and has a law degree with top marks: a promising career in the world of law on the one hand and a dream to open an organic farm that puts the quality of its products above all on the other.
This is the story of Marco Zaffino, a graduate of “Talenti per l’Impresa” (Talents for Entrepreneurship), who chose the most difficult path and founded Apicoltura Torinese with his cousins Giacomo and Francesco. Today, thanks to his passion for authenticity, his concern for territory and quality, his business in Collegno has been recognised by the Turin Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber’s Chemistry Laboratory and Slow Food as one of the Masters of Taste 2021/2022, an important goal achieved thanks to his years of dedication. Here is how it went.
Why beekeeping?
I decided to invest by listening to my passion rather than to logic. My partners and I decided six years ago to embark on this adventure and focus on the production of organic honey from Piedmont, not the easiest sector and one that gives us new challenges every day. Besides the constant commitment that production requires, it also needs a good dose of ingenuity and adaptability. The world of beekeeping is on the move and it is important to keep up with it, especially when it comes to innovation. Besides the constant commitment that production requires, it also needs a good dose of creativity and adaptability. The world of beekeeping is on the move and it is important to keep up with it, especially in terms of innovation.
How did you find the time and energy to pursue “Talenti per l’Impresa”?
There is always very little time, but you have to find it for important things. The quality of our production is the foundation of our business, and in order to do this, training is essential. We believe in this to the extent that at Apicoltura Torinese each member is entitled to one day a week to focus on studying what he or she considers most useful; in 2018, I decided to invest my time participating in “Talenti per l’Impresa” project of Fondazione CRT.
What has “Talenti per l’Impresa” contributed to Apicoltura Torinese?
As in all small businesses, in Apicoltura Torinese each member has different roles: we are beekeepers, press officers, marketing officers, accountants, salespeople, owners, employees: in a word, entrepreneurs. “Talenti per l’Impresa”, with its nine months of continuous inputs, proved that entrepreneurship is a modus operandi rather than a profession to be learned: in addition to the more technical terms and the more operational tools, the course has given me the opportunity to listen to what already established entrepreneurs have to say, to understand what sectoral and territorial focus I should put on my business and, above all, to apply concretely what I have learned, supported by a team of mentors and teachers. A unique opportunity, both for me and for Apicoltura Torinese, and the results are now visible.
Who would you recommend to sign up for the next edition of “Talenti per l’Impresa”?
“Talenti per l’Impresa” is a project for enthusiasts, for all those who do not want to be passive listeners of a simple theoretical programme, but want to get involved and be active in the training. Enthusiasm, initiative and practicality are essential prerequisites for making the most of this training opportunity, but also for being an entrepreneur.
