We were lucky to catch up with Corey DiGiovanni recently and have shared our conversation below.
Corey, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I get my resilience from my upbringing. Having grown up in a blue collar household where money was tight and credit cards didn’t really even exist, you could only have what you had the cash for. In other words, today when we want something, its easy just to swipe a credit card to pay for it and as long as you have the room on your “credit” you can have most things. When I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s that wasn’t even an option. We learned if you want something bad enough but didn’t have the money for it, you figured out how to turn “sh*t” into shineola, and embrace the motto “one mans trash is another mans treasure”. My first bicycle we built from several broken bikes, my first motorcycle .. we pieced together from other broken dirt bikes, my first car(s) we purchased two and made one good one. Growing up this way I learned to have a great deal of respect for the things I had, and If you wanted something bad enough, you’ll do just about anything to get it.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
At 53, after exploring several careers, I decided to pursue my passion for pizza making by launching a mobile pizzeria. Unlike a typical food truck, my mobile unit is truly unique—a rolling kitchen and showpiece that invites everyone in attendance to watch as pizzas are made, baked, and served to the public. One side of my mobile pizza trailer is entirely open, allowing a full view of the process. The 2,500-pound Italian Neapolitan pizza oven is a stunning centerpiece, captivating onlookers with its beauty and the romantic experience of pizza crafted over an open flame. People are mesmerized by the entire spectacle.
This venture has opened new doors, allowing me to cater to large events, military functions, and private gatherings. I regularly serve at local breweries, concerts, races, aircraft carrier homecomings, and special ops events. My business has allowed me to share my passion for pizza making with a wide audience, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. This business is a true labor of love, driven by hard work, dedication, determination, resilience, and a deep love for the craft.
As a contractor for the military, I have the privilege of selling my pizzas on both NAS Oceana and NAS Norfolk military bases, providing handcrafted pizzas made with imported, top-quality ingredients to the men and women who keep our country safe. It is an honor to be granted access to these military bases, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I cherish.
For additional details please visit: www.piesocietypizzaco.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Real life experience in business.
Having been self employed for most of my life I have had the opportunity to work for myself quickly realizing the benefits and the draw backs to owning your own business. You make mistakes, some big and some small, just don’t make the big mistakes again and the small ones, get back up and keep moving.
Patience.
When you are young your patience is thin, and you are capable of making emotional decisions mostly for the worse. You learn over time to slowdown, think things through, have more patience, and time heals all wounds.
Be open minded and listen to others.
Some times you are your own worst enemy, the one standing in the way. Learn to listen to others advice and be able to take criticism. Not saying to do exactly what EVERYONE is telling you, BUT take their opinions and advice to heart (with a grain of salt). Don’t be afraid to make changes, try new things, and most of all always be honest as well as brave.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
The biggest challenge for me is growth.
My business is “growing” rapidly and expansion is on the horizon. Hiring staff, managing payroll, searching for a potential brick and mortar, all the while maintaining my current mobile operations, is overwhelming. I’m already working beyond a normal 9-5 workday, and that comes with the job, but sometimes feel overworked and under paid. Trying to wrap my brain around how to achieve all this is a daunting task, but done correctly could have big rewards. Growth is my biggest challenge and how to achieve it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.piesocietypizzaco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piesocietypizzaco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piesocietypizzaco
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