Agriturismo Serafina | A Family of Entrepreneurs in Italy | July 2019

By: Samantha Prince

FURORE, ITALY. Happy to introduce to you the Fusco family – owners of Agriturisimo Serafina. Since we are on break for the summer, I thought it fitting that I write a post about this entrepreneurial family that I had the pleasure of visiting last month.  I am hereby dubbing them our July Entrepreneurs of the Month.

In planning our trip to Italy, it was important to my son and I to visit the Amalfi Coast but do so in a manner that was more adventurous than simply staying in a busy town hotel.  Additionally after being in Rome for a few days, and hiking up Mount Vesuvius, a quiet place to relax was warranted.

In comes our visit to Agriturisimo Serafina!  This 4-generation family run mountainside farm opened its doors to expand its business from agriculture alone to a B&B and restaurant experience that is unparalleled!  The view from there is spectacular as you can see in this photo.

Rosa (one of two daughters in the family) met us upon arrival and enthusiastically showed us their kitchen and farm.  One could easily tell that she was a hard worker (she carried my 45lb suitcase on her shoulder down a very steep flight of stairs), but if there was any doubt, she explained that since they are on the mountainside, all farming needs to be done by hand – no machinery.  They grow what they need in order to provide for their family and guests: Lemons, grapes, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, garlic, olives, etc.  They also sell food items they’ve made.

What’s in a Name?

Choosing a name can be a daunting task for an entrepreneur starting a business. Some choose names that are descriptive and some choose names for the meaning.  In 1996, when Domenico and his wife Giuseppina opened their farm to the public, they had to select a name.  They chose the name “Agriturismo Serafina,” after Domenico’s grandmother.  Why? Serafina was a strong woman who took care of the farm, family and animals but was also known in the village for her generosity: primarily sharing food with lower paid farm workers in the village so that they could feed their families.  In essence she was an early social entrepreneur!

Expanding FarmING into Tourism

Some entrepreneurs change business direction, or include an add-on when they see a need in the marketplace but some expand out of financial necessity.  Given the taxes and other stresses for agriculture in its area, the family farm needed to do something to survive financially.  The answer was to open to the public in the form of a B&B and restaurant, or “agriturismo.”

However, no matter what your initial motivation is when expanding, a conscientious and successful business owner must prioritize customer service and provide quality products. The family at Serafina exemplifies this philosophy.  For example, dinner was from 8-11 and all of the prepared food was grown or raised on their farm.    During those three hours, we were served course after course of delicious fresh food.  Also, each time Rosa brought something to our table, she gave us an explanation.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful homemade wines and liqueurs that accompanied the meal as well!

Know the Laws

No matter what your industry is, you must know the laws that apply.  When expanding your business, you must learn more laws as now additional ones may apply.  In going from solely an agricultural business to one that has overnight guests and a restaurant,  Agriturismo Serafina had to learn about and abide by laws such as hygienic laws governing dwellings and food safety.  Being compliant can take a lot of energy but it is better than violating the law and dealing with the consequences thereafter.

Conclusion

Running a farm is a large endeavor; adding the layer of having guests arrive and attending to them is an even larger endeavor!  Before we departed, Domenic0 handed my son a Serafina card and a bottle of homemade mandarincello and said “tell your friends.” Good service, good marketing, solid business philosophy… or simple kindness?  All of the above!

The Fusco family are a multi-generational family of social and agricultural entrepreneurs.  We were happy to get to know them while on our travels.

 

Author: Prof Prince

Professor Samantha Prince is an Associate Professor of Lawyering Skills and Entrepreneurship at Penn State Dickinson Law. She has a Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center, and was a partner in a regional law firm where she handled transactional matters that ranged from an initial public offering to regular representation of a publicly-traded company. Most of her clients were small to medium sized businesses and entrepreneurs, including start-ups. An expert in entrepreneurship law, she established the Penn State Dickinson Law entrepreneurship program, is an advisor for the Entrepreneurship Law Certificate that is available to students, and is the founder and moderator of the Inside Entrepreneurship Law blog.

2 thoughts on “Agriturismo Serafina | A Family of Entrepreneurs in Italy | July 2019”

  1. Remarkable! What a feat it must be to farm that mountainside by hand! But I am sure that view of the Italian countryside is worth it!

    1. I can’t imagine how they do it! You are right that the view is worth it! Even their crops are beautiful! Lemon, orange, and olive trees!

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