Niccolò Branca is President and CEO of the family business, Branca International. His third book is an invitation to listen to one’s consciousness and turn it into Awareness.

It is a profound reflection, a detailed, well-thought-out work which is clearly the result of his extensive experience as entrepreneur and leader, but also as a man and person on a spiritual quest. It is a rare combination and one which makes him a unique voice in the business world, not just in Italy. A reflection that yields a simple yet precise treaty “for a new brand of humanism at the disposal of the economy”, and for the wellbeing of people and environment alike.

 

 

A clear invitation to choose and take action

Above all else, this pleasant read is a clear invitation to choose and take action. And to my mind, this is its greatest asset. To ensure our choices and courses of action are courageous, determined and inspired so that we can all push beyond our personal interests; to bring about change and growth that involve us all whilst respecting the value of the individual, communities and the environment.

For a culture of responsibility

The invitation to choose and take action is aimed at all readers, but particularly at entrepreneurs, at businessmen and women. This is the environment the author experiences first-hand, the one dearest to his heart. Yet it is also the environment that could see the most impacting change of all. For “a definitive alliance between ethics and freedom of profit”, for a culture of responsibility as opposed to the all-powerful culture of power.

It is a crucial message in this day and age where time is always short, processes are accelerated, and the choices of relatively few people have rapid if not immediate effects on communities, quality of life, social structure and health.

With a precision verging on the academic which also manages to remain accessible, the author examines the various aspects of what he terms the “Economy of Awareness”, an original model he has adopted for managing his own group. It is all backed by statistics, anecdotes, myths and literary references, not to mention the case of his own company, Branca Distillerie.

A manifesto not always easy to apply

It is also manifesto. At times it might seem that actually applying it in corporate environments on a day-to-day basis would be utopian; we are all too familiar with the struggles and difficulties posed by these environments, the anxieties, conflicts and misunderstandings they foster, and the compromises we often have to make. In his closing message of thanks, Branca himself admits he isn’t always able to put it into practice. This admission of fragility, which “opens us to show compassion for the fragility of others” demonstrates how valuable this testimony really is, and that it can be a springboard for many of us to try, to get onboard, and accept that it is not infallible.

An intimate diary of Niccolò Branca’s experience

Lastly, this book is also an intimate diary of an experience. It can be read on many levels and will resonate in different ways, depending on what path each of us is treading, on our lifestyles, our roles and our goals. It can become a fruitful dialogue between each of us and our own consciousnesses, as well as with other people. It can foster reflection, exchange, choices and actions, all made with awareness.

Alessia Tanzi