We recently connected with Dennis Pitocco and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dennis, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Growing up I felt like everyone around me knew exactly what they wanted to do with their lives. It’s like they magically knew their purpose in life the moment they got out of their mother’s womb. They were going to be doctors, reporters, singers. While yes, I did have some ideas of my own but never really settled on my purpose until after a storied 30+ years in the banking industry, taking me around the world and back. It was as if my focus on what was really important was taking shape with every person I encountered, every experience I enjoyed, and every challenge I had to overcome. Over the course of many defining moments, I began to realize that with enough success behind me, I would have the luxury of “choice” – then deciding where and how to invest my time, my talent, and my treasure. I should add that my wife Ali joined that journey and added even more value and perspectives to the notion of OUR (versus) my true passion and ultimate purpose.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the Founder & Chief ReImaginator of 360° Nation, encompassing a wide range of multimedia enterprises, including BizCatalyst 360° —the award-winning global media digest; 360° Nation Studios —dedicated to reaching across the world in an effort to capture, produce, and deliver positive, uplifting messages via blockbuster global events, and; GoodWorks 360° —a pro-bono consulting foundation focused entirely on providing mission-critical advisory services to nonprofits worldwide. Collaborating with my Chief Inspiration Officer (and wife), Ali, everything we do is “for-good” vs. “for profit”. Our mission over the past decade-plus has been to rediscover humanity at its best, influencing and showcasing it every step of the way. Together, we do our very best to figure out what the world is trying to be —then using all of our resources to help it to be better every day in every way. We understand and embrace the notion that it’s not about me or you; it’s about caring for the people we serve and more responsibly stewarding the precious resources in our care. And we believe it’s about showing up, being present, and intentionally giving our invaluable gifts of time, talent, and treasure “for good”. I am a contributing author to these Best-Selling Books ♦ Chaos to Clarity: Sacred Stories of Transformational Change ♦ Journey Well, You Are More Than Enough ♦ The Four-Fold Formula For All Things Wellness: True Stories of the Heart, Spirit, Mind, and Body ♦ Voices of Strength ♦ Win the Wellness W.A.R. We Are Responsible.
We are very excited about our latest venture, INSTEADTALKS 360° –intended to pivot away from monolithic monologues and creating space for interactive dialogue. More about it all here: https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/humanity-speaks-time-to-replace-monologue-with-real-dialogue/
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Without question, developing a keen understanding of my own values was mission-critical from early in my career, as they were repeatedly tested over the years. I had to understand what was really important to me, what I believed in, and what kind of impact I wanted to make on the world. I also had to consider my real strengths and talents – or rather, what was i really good at; what did I enjoy doing; what came naturally, etc. Emerging from it all was my passion for giving back. Underpinning all of this and ultimately a cornerstone of whatever success I’ve been blessed with was my innate ability and willingness to be a risk-taker. When opportunities came up during my career, i was always the guy that was willing to jump at opportunities versus hesitate or remain steadfast in my comfort zone. Over time, every risk taken translated into more confidence and more opportunities. I also learned not only to bounce back from failure, but to celebrate successes, no matter how small they seemed at the time.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Over my 30+ years in the banking industry, I had the luxury of working directly for (and being mentored by) some of the very best and brightest people in my field –many considered industry icons at the time. Not only did I acquire technical knowledge/skills borne of the wisdom of experience, but learned the value of “doing the right thing, even when no one was watching” –the classic definition of integrity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/about/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/360nationnow/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BM360/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisjpitocco/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bizmasterglobal
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsRwqGEu1eyL8h5SpvpGA1A
- Other: https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/humanity-speaks-time-to-replace-monologue-with-real-dialogue/
