first things first ☝️
you know what you're reading, but you don't know who's writing it. well, you are about to discover it.
Ciao a tutt*,
Welcome back!
In a nutshell: now that the celebration is over, it is time for the introductions and, we start with me, Silvia, but only because it’s easy.
To get off on the right foot, I highly recommend you to share the newsletter with at least one friend! (and this week, we got you this brand-new button to make the sharing part easier ✌️)
Summary:
Fears and doubts
First things first
Your to-do list (again)
ONE: “You should start with a newsletter”.
Well great, but how do you write one?
What is the story you are telling?
Who is going to read it?
Are they going to read it?
What if they don’t like it?
These are only a few of the questions that came to my mind when we first thought about launching a newsletter and, I am going to be transparent with you, these doubts did not leave yet.
But I guess we have to start somewhere. You have to jump in the water if you want to learn how to swim. You have to engage in new things to achieve new goals.
And here we are, you and me, entering this new chapter, this new adventure.
TWO: I am a big fan of the first things first idea, and for this newsletter, the priority is getting to know each other.
For some strictly practical reasons, we are going to start with me.
Somehow, I thought it would be nice to learn a bit more about the person that will fall into your inbox every week.
My name is Silvia, 26 years old on passport, 86 according to my back, born and raised in Italy. Do you know Lake Como? Does George Clooney ring any bell?
Well, I grew up there, it is lovely (British accent).
Lately, I have been missing my country quite a lot.
Not necessarily Italy per se, more the dearest loved ones who are there. With everything that happened during the pandemic, perspective on family changed, right? (who can relate?!)
I left Italy almost 7 years ago (whaaaaat?! 😱).
I first moved to London, where I got my bachelor degree, and then to Paris, where I got my master degree, my first job in fashion, my first adventure in luxury, where I got a cat (look at this cutie pie 🥺), and founded my startup.
While reading it, you might be like: “Wooaaah! That is super cool, she's probably splashing out daddy's (or mommy's) money!”.
I realise numerous people had this impression, but the reality is that the narrative has been quite different.
I left Italy 7 years ago with 700 euros in my pocket (well, on my debit card because I was too scared to keep that money in my pockets). I moved to London because I got offered a scholarship to attend a business school and, despite the degree of risk involved, we decided to embrace it all.
People would only see the Instagram stories of the Saatchi Gallery, the photos taken at Covent Garden, the videos from Notting Hill, but they had no idea of what was going on behind the scenes.
Those 4 AM alarms to go cleaning apartments in South Kensington before going to class, or the late-night shifts in restaurants during exam week, were the things going on behind the curtains.
Why am I telling you this? Well, I strongly believe that without that hustle, I would not be here writing this, and you would not be reading it (that was an easy one 😎).
It is also an example that, as cliché as it might sound:
everything you need to reach your goals is already within yourself, and you are the only obstacle between where you are right now and where you dream of being.
Paris has been home for four years now.
The architecture is my favourite part, I am not going to lie. & maybe pain au chocolate when you get them at the bakery, and they are still warm.
I do speak French, bon j'essaye (aka I try to).
Paris is the place where a real introspective journey began.
Honestly, it started in London, yet London never gave me the time, and the space, to stop and stand still and observe things flowing.
Paris gave me the chance to do so.
In the first place, I did not perceive it as a chance, but with time I realised the luck I had to undertake such a journey.
In Paris, I met my deepest fears, and I had to deal with them (team panic attack, where you at?!).
But I also met people that changed my life forever, and for good.
If you are not new to Futura Care, and you know a bit of our story, you should know that everything started because of Jessica, who used to be my boss and that later became my best friend.
Futura Care was born to make Jessica's life better and reduce the pain (read psychological and physical pain) she lived because of how crazy the woman body can go.
You know when someone you love is in pain, and you are powerless?
That's exactly how I felt and what pushed me to leave everything I was doing behind, abandon any certainty, and jump.
Jump into waters I did not know, no life jacket, only me and my convictions.
Here we are, one year after, with a tiny little startup called Futura Care (how many times did I mention it?), which aims to revolutionise the hormonal health (and not only) of women all around the globe.
Enough for today, what do you say?
THREE: We grew by 5 compared to last week.
The more we are, the funnier it gets so, do not hesitate to share it (or spam it! we love a bit of healthy spam).
Also, and more importantly, share your feedback. As said last week, I'd love to hear from you. I will do my best to get back to you in a couple of working days.
Also (x2), if you wish to take the stage and share your story, get in touch.
These past months, I had the privilege of meeting some wonderful women and we dug deep into their life stories, their experiences, their fears, their doubts, their dreams, and, allow me to say that, it made me feel like the luckiest person on earth.
I am still glad to have you here.
If you got till the end, you are still a hero! ✨
I will meet you here, next week.
In case you miss us terribly, see you on Instagram (or Facebook. Twitter if everything goes down again!)
Tons of love,
Silvia
💖
P.S.
If you are curious about hearing my voice, we got a podcast — find it here.