Here are some useful tips from Gerardo Bonelli, a 22 year old entrepreneur

Gerardo Bonelli is born in Matera on February 27, 1998 and he is a digital entrepreneur, a passionate traveler but above all a small big network phenomenon that has become popular thanks to his digital marketing skills. He began to deal with this matter without yet knowing its name when he was 15 years old.

What do you think is the combination of attitude and competence that must be developed and possessed in order to succeed in new digital professions or in online entrepreneurship?

To be successful, it is certainly important to always have your goals clearly in mind and continue to pursue them, without letting yourself be overwhelmed by any initial failures, which are normal and physiological.

Learning to stand out and always be determined are certainly the keywords to be successful in this sector. Being determined does not simply mean knowing where you want to go, but also struggling to improve yourself, expand your knowledge and achieve your goals day after day. The skills to be developed must be those for which a strong passion is nourished. Any person who has a passion for a subject of interest can really study it thoroughly and specialize in one of its many facets. Becoming an expert in a specific subject or activity is a symbol of professional success and leads to a consequent enrichment of the person in the workplace, making it necessary for others.

What, instead, is an obstacle for those who want to work in this area?

Fear, uncertainty and procrastination are the three major causes of failure for many businesses. In addition, many expect great results immediately and for this reason they give up the first failures.

Being successful online must be taken as a marathon: we sow well today to reap the fruits of our great work tomorrow.

How can growth hacking help young startups and SMEs with limited funds?

As I always try to make my interlocutors understand, Growth Hacking is not something confined to startups. It was born in that environment for obvious reasons (scarcity of resources, time and money), but then it was fully embraced by companies of all types and all sizes. Let’s say that, specifically, startups and SMEs can take advantage of a Growth Hacking approach to move in a lean way both on product and marketing aspects. Because then in the end this is what it is about: a process that aims at extreme optimization from all points of view, not just on marketing.

What do you foresee in the future of digital and innovation?

This is a question that is always difficult to answer. I am a person who reads a lot and who keeps herself fairly informed on both issues, but I rarely throw myself into forecasting.

Let’s say that from the things I read around, that is from the forecasts of others, I believe there are two interesting strands: that of virtual reality / augmented reality and that of artificial intelligence / machine learning. That if we want to be honest, it is not the future but the present. The latest announcements from companies like Facebook and Snapchat and the latest statements from experts like Bill Gates and Elon Musk should make us understand how these trends are already an integral part of our daily lives.