Women of Today: In A Position To Change The World w/ Carolina Venosi

Get ready to be inspired by a conversation with the incredible female founder of Rome Is More .

She'll take us on a journey of her incredible path, from the influence of her witty and humorous grandfather to her profound connection to the Roman culture. This powerful combination has driven her to create a thriving online community with over 300,000 members, and so much more.

Carolina's captivating story has always been a tremendous inspiration to me and you will soon realize why.

Meet Carolina Venosi , an entrepreneur, brand strategist & founder of Rome is More.

Isabelle: What do you believe has influenced your career path the most? How did you end up doing what you do today?

Carolina: The idea for everything came during the year I lived in France. At the time, I was studying architecture at university and did an Erasmus year in Paris. It was a period of great discovery, and among the various experiences, I realized something fundamental: I didn't want to become an architect. That was the first major change. The second one started almost as a joke: with a friend of mine from Rome, we had fun translating the Roman dialect into English to make our foreign friends laugh. It was 2012, and that little thing stayed in my mind, even though it hadn't evolved yet.

When I returned to Rome, I started a blog called 'La Vie à Roma', where I recommended places, restaurants, events, and museums, and I also began experimenting with creating a website. That's when I realized I wanted to work in digital communication and marketing, not architecture. So, I opened an Instagram account. It was 2012, a very early time for Instagram in Italy. I remember going to restaurants for interviews and photos; people would look at me like I was from another planet. The project lasted about a year and a half. Still, I had to let it go when I started working at a communication agency and was finishing university, mainly because there wasn't the opportunity to monetize it.

After seven years at the agency, where I became a project manager and strategist, I moved to another company to work as a marketing manager. But at some point, I realized I couldn't express my creativity as I wanted. Corporate decisions prevailed, and I felt the need to do something of my own. So, I revisited the project and launched the 'Rome is More' page.

My first post was inspired by my grandfather, an authentic Roman, the eleventh of eleven siblings, with such a contagious sense of humor that it even embarrassed my grandmother. I grew up surrounded by that humor and Roman spirit. This deep connection to Rome and its culture is what fueled my journey.

'Rome is More' started as an editorial project, not a business venture. It was meant to be a creative outlet, a way to create content that could potentially work online. I never imagined it would go viral, and the success was truly a surprise.

I: What story went viral?

C: The feeling was that people were waiting for precisely that kind of content. Compared to what happened with 'La Vie à Rome,' 'Rome is More' was the right thing at the right time. I managed to capture a moment when Instagram was still functioning differently. If a page like this were to be launched today, it wouldn't have the same success it did in 2018.

The first post was published in October 2018, and you can imagine scrolling through Instagram filled with photos—then suddenly seeing just text. That alone was visually different and instantly caught people's attention. The black-and-white, minimalistic design made it even more eye-catching during the scrolling. And then, of course, there was the humor, which worked really well.

It was essentially a meme in its own right. I call it a 'meme 2.0' because, unlike the traditional meme that combines an image with text, this one was just text. This format demanded a bit more effort from the reader, but because it was presented in a structure similar to a dictionary entry, it became more accessible. I think this mix of visual originality and recognizable content made the project work so well.

I: What gets you out of bed every morning and drives you to make a difference? What has been your guiding force in business?

C: When I saw this question, Isabelle, I really had to think about it. I needed to pause for a moment because, to be honest, I'm currently in a period of significant change. You should know that it's now been more than six years since I started this project. What began as a simple Instagram page has now turned into a real business: I have four employees, and we have a physical office in Testaccio, a neighborhood that holds special meaning for me. This is where my grandfather used to work in the market near the square, and finding this space was not just a business milestone, but an incredibly emotional moment for me.

Six years on a project is a long time for someone with my personality. Last year, I decided to launch a new brand called 'Domenica Italiana,' alongside 'Rome is More.' 'Rome is More' wasn't originally conceived to become a business; it started as an editorial project that later evolved. Of course, I made it happen because I wanted to, and there was undeniable potential, which still exists today. But at some point, you realize that you grow alongside the project, and what motivates you to get up in the morning can't always be the same thing every day. Sometimes, you need different drives.

With 'Domenica Italiana,' I've started exploring new directions. For example, for the past two years, I've been teaching Digital Communication at IED and recently begun offering consulting services, something I'm passionate about. I've realized that I need external stimuli because it felt like I was trapped in a bubble that was, in some way, draining my energy.

I understood that the project couldn't be experienced in the same way anymore. For a long time, I didn't want to confront this reality because it's tough to accept that you no longer feel the same drive toward something you've created. But it's important to acknowledge it, understand it, and transform it.

For me, creativity must remain the foundation of my work, even if it only makes up 10% of what I do. The rest is about managing a business and all the responsibilities that come with it. But that 10%, even if small, needs to be incredibly stimulating; otherwise, I start having difficulties.

My driving force at the beginning was independence and the satisfaction of having created something that didn't exist and of having grown it in my own way without necessarily being the face of it.

Of course, reaching such a large audience—potentially 300,000 people—can be intimidating. It's a significant mental challenge, but it's also a huge source of satisfaction. Custom projects have brought me immense joy, and these moments have confirmed that I'm on the right path.

I: Looking back at your business journey, what were some challenging moments you managed to overcome??

C: This period that I have just gone through was perhaps the most difficult. I lived a year and a half in which I struggled a lot because I did not understand what was happening to me. I felt I lacked energy; I could no longer wake up in the morning with that drive that has always guided me naturally and spontaneously. I didn't understand why this was happening, and it was really frustrating.

I found myself suffering, looking for solutions that did not come, and I kept looking for the problem outside of me before realizing that it was all inside of me. It took me a long time to understand this, mainly because, as I told you before, when a project is so much part of you, it's hard to accept that you don't feel the same drive as before. I felt an enormous sense of guilt at the beginning; I did not take it with the positivity with which I speak now. Only after working on it did I understand that it was simply the need to renew myself.

I have no partners, and I am alone in managing the company.

This gives me the privilege of doing what I want but also involves many other challenges. At one point, I realized I was going around in circles, continuing to dig in the same circle without getting out. This led me to difficult times, but it also helped me find the time to really listen to myself. I had entered a spiral of ongoing work, thinking that the problem was that I was not doing enough or that I was not informed enough. Eventually, I realized that the real problem was that I wasn't listening to myself.

When I think about the beginning, it makes me smile.

Those were very tiring moments but also very fun. When I started, I worked full-time in a company on the other side of Rome, near exit 13 of the Raccordo, where the headquarters were located. I was spending hours in the car and, at the same time, I had just bought a house and started renovating it. Since I am an architect, I decided to follow the work personally. Every morning, before going to the office, I would go to the construction site at seven, stay there for an hour with the workers, and then run to the company. I left the office at six, came home at half past seven, and started packing for the e-commerce site I had just launched. The next day, I would load the packages in the car and do the rounds: construction site, post office, company, and so on, every day. I was going crazy!

Fortunately, at one point, I found a girl, a friend of my sister, who was looking for a job, and I asked her to take care of the packages. She was my first assistant, and from there, things got better. But I still had to do all the graphics for social media and manage the community, which was growing. My e-commerce started with a shelf in the house, but then I had to take over the basement and set up a box. I was in this garage doing everything. I also participated in the weekend markets, so it was a very tiring project, but it makes me smile when I think about it.

I sometimes wonder how I did it!

I: You told me that you now have four employees. How important was it for you to find the right people for your team? You mentioned that one of the first people you involved was a friend of your sister and that she turned out to be a good choice for the company. How did you handle the process of delegating responsibilities? Was it easy for you or did you encounter any difficulties? I always find it a bit complicated to let go of control.

C: What I underestimated the most about having a company is the management of personnel, an aspect with which I had to deal without having planned it. I never thought that one day I would have employees. I must say that the selection and management of human resources was one of the most difficult challenges, especially because, perhaps due to inexperience, I made the mistake of thinking that others would work like me with the same commitment and vision. I thought, 'I would never do such a thing at work, so no one would.' But clearly, that is not the case.

I tried to create a work environment in which I would have liked to work, and to hire people who could appreciate this approach. In particular, I realized that those with more experience tend to recognize and appreciate certain values. For example, the first person I hired, a friend of my sister's, was initially perfect for a more informal and less structured situation. However, when the company started to grow and become more organized, with greater efforts in time, investments, and personal growth, I realized that she was no longer willing to make that leap. And the biggest difficulty was that she didn't admit it, which made the situation even more complicated.

Later, a similar episode happened with another person, and I realized that the real problem was a misalignment of values.

The job can be taught, but you do not go far if there is no alignment of values between the company and the person that works for you. You can be as experienced as you want, but if you don't share certain principles, it just doesn't work.

When I recruit, my job ads don't necessarily require qualifications because I'm not only interested in knowing the academic background but also considering my personal experience. When I started working at the agency, I was an architecture student, and whoever hired me at that time was good at looking beyond my formal background. I try to have that same openness in a country where too much importance is often given to the degree.

Now, I have three meetings during the interviews instead of the two I have done before. I also involve my 'second', a girl who has become my right-hand girl. It is important to have someone else's point of view, especially in a small company, where the inclusion of a new person immediately impacts the whole team.

So, we try to figure out together if the new element can integrate well and make the whole work.

I: You have two masters in Marketing & Communication and Digital Marketing Strategies. What do you think is the most important thing when it comes to building a great brand?

C: Surely, self-confidence is never too much, but I think consistency is key for a brand. Speaking of my experience, both with 'Domenica Italiana' and with 'Rome is More,' two very different brands, what made them strong, especially at the beginning, was communication consistency. Each post was unmistakable, no one could get it wrong. If someone tried to imitate us, the public immediately recognized the original. This means that the branding work was done well.

But what do I mean by consistency? Consistency in terms of style, values, tone of voice and communication. These are all things that are difficult to define at the beginning because you often realize them along the way and make changes.

In my opinion, however, consistency makes a real difference in building a brand identity.

It's what guides choices, from the product you launch to the music you use. Imagine if Nike launched a cookware collection tomorrow; what sense would that make? It would not be consistent with the brand, even if the pots were the best-selling product of the moment. Doing business is not just about making money but doing it while respecting the values and communication of your brand.

As for the branding part, I personally take care of it. I define everything in the early stages, and once the guidelines are clear, the girls on my team can follow them independently. Although 'Domenica Italiana' is a bit more complex, in the end the guidelines are respected and communicate exactly what I want. I manage everything initially and then I leave the team the tools to be independent.

I am very critical of myself, perhaps even too much, but I try to be constructive when I have to criticize the work of others. If it is a criticism of myself, I can be very hard, but I try to be more balanced when it comes to others. For example, today it happened to me: I said, "Great job, I really like this part. But I think this other part could be improved. Try to do it this way and show me the result in half an hour." It's a nice way to say that something is not working without demolishing the person's commitment to their work.

I think it's important to recognize the commitment of the people who work for me because they have dedicated a part of their day to that task. If something can be improved or made more in line with what I want, we do it together.

My idea may not be better, but it is important that the result reflects my vision of the brand.

I: As women founders, we often face gender bias and stereotypes, which can lead to self-doubt. I would love to hear about your experiences with self-doubt and how you overcame it to achieve your goals? I'm sure many of our female audience members would also find your insights valuable.

C: The most significant hurdle I encountered was not so much the stereotypes but rather the lack of support I got from institutions, particularly the banks.

My company was born from the 'bootstrap' model, a self-sufficient start-up that thrived without external funding. I secured a bank loan, but I still needed to match my initial vision for starting the business. What truly left me grinning was that, instead of funding the business, the bank actually granted me a loan to renovate the space I had leased for my company. This experience made me realize how challenging it can be to secure financial support, especially for young women.

In this sense, my biggest hurdle was navigating the treacherous waters of banking relationships. I have male peers with small businesses like mine, and they earn less, but when they approach banks, they find doors wide open: loans, funds, credit lines.

For me, though, it's always been a steep, winding climb. Despite my unwavering dedication and the company's remarkable achievements, I'm left with the bitter taste of being treated differently. I often joke that maybe it's because I'm young, blonde, and pretty, traits that apparently don't inspire much confidence in securing credit.

This feeling of discrimination is a source of immense frustration for me, and even today, it sparks a profound reflection on the challenges of being taken seriously in specific environments.

In the end, I realized that I had to forge my own path, and that's when I discovered my inner strength and resilience. After that first loan for renovating the venue, I embraced the idea of self-financing, even if it meant sacrificing my turnover growth. The challenge lies in the seasonal cycles that shape my business, similar to many others. The peak months of October to January and April to May bring a flurry of activity, while sales plummet from June to mid-September. At that moment, I'm craving liquidity to fuel my Christmas production, but with a bank's support, navigating those months is a manageable task.

I know that my company's management still has room for growth, as it's still in its infancy (founded just four years ago), but a bank credit line would be a game-changer in navigating those challenging periods. Despite my best efforts, the bank refuses to grant me the necessary funds, leaving me no choice but to self-finance. I should be more proactive, perhaps exploring alternative avenues, but I often think that I have to make it on my own, and I continue on this path.

I: Running a business can often feel very overwhelming. How do you find balance between work and personal life? What do you do to stay connected with yourself and maintain a sense of harmony?

C: Honestly, I didn't immediately grasp the significance of striking a balance. I was a ghost, a mere shadow of myself in the early years. My relationship was the center of my world, and I was determined not to neglect it, but I ended up neglecting myself. I once believed my work entirely defined my identity, and this is the biggest mistake one can make: equating 'you' with 'your work.'

At a certain point, you realize that what you do doesn't define who you truly are. Beyond work, there's a world of possibilities: your life, your needs, and the urge to do simple things, like a stroll with a friend or a solo adventure, to clear your mind.

After this realization, especially during the last year and a half, I've been on a quest to strike a harmonious balance. I've established a rule that's as solid as a rock. Since September, I've been making half-day trips to the office every day because it's only fair that the girls get their independence. Otherwise, whenever I step into the office, I'm met with a tidal wave of questions, like a tsunami of curiosity. The other half of the day, I dive into my home office, where I focus on tasks that demand solitude and concentration, like crafting consultancy strategies.

I must admit, the mere act of working from home, in my own tranquility, feels like a triumphant achievement. Clearly, the aim is to carve out more and more time for myself, to indulge in the things that bring me joy and nourish my well-being.

Striking the perfect balance between work and personal life is a daunting challenge for those who run their own business. When running your own business, you're constantly haunted by the feeling that you're never doing enough. It's as if your business is constantly craving more attention and time, but you're always struggling to keep up with its demands.

But perhaps this is a common mistake we make, shaped by our modern-day society's perspective on work. In Italy, we're accustomed to not working towards goals but instead measuring our work based on the time we invest in it. I believe this mental shift helped me strike a harmonious balance between my personal life and work.

I say 'better' because I haven't yet reached the pinnacle of success, but I'm actively pursuing it.

I: If you could offer a single piece of advice to all the aspiring female entrepreneurs who are eager to bring their business ideas to life and set them in motion, what would that advice be?

C: If I could offer a word of wisdom to all aspiring entrepreneurs eager to bring their project or idea to life, I'd share two nuggets of golden advice. First, craft a plan before diving headfirst into the unknown. I frequently hear phrases like 'she took the plunge' or 'she jumped without a parachute,' as if these decisions were made in a heartbeat, without a second thought. Instead, my top tip is to meticulously craft a strategic plan, ensuring you're fully prepared and equipped to tackle the challenge head-on.

This approach will not only give you a clear understanding of the solidity of the business you're envisioning but also reassure you and instill confidence in your approach. Solidity doesn't necessarily mean that the company is already generating revenue, but rather that there's a solid, well-crafted plan to launch it, armed with all the necessary tools and resources.

The second step is to embrace the power of external consultants and collaborators, especially during the initial stages. Small business owners often shy away from this expense, thinking they can save a few bucks with their limited initial budgets. The right consultancy can be the game-changer between a new business's success and failure. Finding the perfect consultant at the start can genuinely shape the company's destiny.

I: What inspiring woman would you like to see us interview next?

Have you heard of Chiara Cascella? She's the brilliant mind behind Espresso, an absolutely captivating Italian makeup brand that's making waves in the beauty industry. Her entrepreneurial spirit is truly inspiring! I've been a fan of Chiara ever since she started her company, and I'm excited to support her. She's a woman who's really making things happen and definitely worth getting to know.