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“The obstacles you encounter along your path are just stones you can use to cross the river!”
From this vision of life—spread by the father of motivational science, Napoleon Hill—comes the first book by Carmen Mancarella, professional journalist and publisher, entitled “16 Success Stories, Inspired by Napoleon Hill.”
Entrepreneurs, professionals, and well-known journalists from Salento and beyond tell their stories candidly, revealing above all the hard moments they faced and how they overcame them. “A gripping and sincere book that opens up new perspectives,” as it has already been described by its very first readers.
The book will be presented for the first time on December 6 at 6:00 pm in the conference hall of the Castle of Acaya, in Salento—the ideal Renaissance city designed by the military architect Gian Giacomo, who in the 16th century wanted to make his residence a mirror of perfection. After the greetings from the President of the Province of Lecce, Stefano Minerva; the President of the Union of Municipalities Terre di Roca and Acaya, Paolo Greco; the Mayor of Vernole, Franco Leo; and the Mayor of Melendugno, Marco Potì, the discussion with the author will feature Francesco Renzelli of the historic Caffè Renzelli in Cosenza—who also wrote the book’s preface and is a respected personal coach—along with the entrepreneurs, journalists, and professionals who are the protagonists of the book: Francesco Cantoro, inventor of Friscous; Consiglio Capraro, founder of the restaurant La Grotta del Conte; Valentino Caputo, Commercial Director of Cantina Conti Zecca; Cesario de Cagna, founder of Luminarie de Cagna; Angelo Maci, President of Cantina Due Palme; Valentina Manta of the eponymous pasta factory in Aradeo; Giancarlo Negro, President of Links and Confindustria Lecce; Ugo Potenza, owner of the beach club La Sorgente and the restaurant Gusto; Antonio Santo, a leading expert in oncopneumology; Daniela Segale, President of the Antola Park in Liguria; Vante Totisco, President of CDSHotels; Maurizio Zecca, President of Mebimport and BirraSalento; Maria Antonietta Zecca, sole director of Mar de Plata in Casalabate; and Clemente Zecca of Cantina Conti Zecca.
The book also includes an interview with the Director of Affaritaliani.it, Angelo Maria Perrino, who is credited with bringing journalism to the internet and the internet into journalism, starting back in 1996 when he founded Affaritaliani, the first online daily newspaper.
As a surprise, Donato Pagano—the father of Payà of Boomdabash—talks about the difficulties his son faced before achieving success, in a collective interview that also features friends and close family members.
“To write this book,” Carmen Mancarella reveals, “I got on the swing of emotions. I did it because I wanted to fully experience the adventure of life. And… I was struck by the fact that none of the people interviewed consider themselves successful… quite the opposite.”
