Here's How a Woman Entrepreneur Giorgia Mondani is Making Her Mark in a Men's Dominated Industry
There are only 37 women among the Fortune 500 CEOs. That is a meagre 7.4%. It is a sad reality, but a true reflection of a group that has been marginalised for centuries and forced into a social minority. It goes to show how difficult it is for women to lead in business and most other sectors of the world. While this is true, there are some women that continue to defy the odds and do what many only dream of. It is amazing for a woman to thrive in any sector at all, but to lead in a men's dominated industry is extraordinary. That is the story of Giorgia Mondani.
Born in 1984, Giorgia Mondani grew up around wristwatches. Her father, Guido Mondani, is a world renowned Rolex Expert, collector and author. Her mother, Franca, was also involved in the family business, co-authoring books about Rolex and luxury wristwatch brands. In fact, it was her gesture in 1986 that changed the course of the family's story forever.
As a young Italian girl, no one truly expected Giorgia to be in love with wristwatches or the business of it. Even her father didn't think she'd be interested as she famously admitted in a New York Times interview. Hence, an auction in 2006 that saw him sell 309 pieces of wristwatches in his collection. I'm sure he thought there was no one to pass on the legacy to. Meanwhile, Giorgia was secretly nursing a passion for wristwatches. But it was that singular event of 2006 that made her speak up.
Before that time, she was a teenage tennis sensation and was listed among the world's best 400 players before the age of 19.
After interning at Antiquorum for a year, she came back and joined the family business. That was more than 12 years ago. After working with her parents and co-authoring several books for a few years, she decided to find her own path. And she did.
She is today a Rolex expert in her own rights, publishing several books on several models. But it's not just Rolex she's interested in. As she says, anywhere there's prospect and interest, she grabs it.
Mondani Web
Mondani Web was a child of necessity. After amassing hundreds of thousands of followers who desired a reliable platform for reaching out to credible wrist watch dealers, Giorgia decided to create one. But it started on social media- creating a network of enthusiasts, sellers and buyers. Today, Mondani Web is one of the most trusted names in the wrist watch business, with more than 200 dealers and 50 partners.
Mondani Books
Giorgia has written quite a number of books since joining the family business. These include Rolex GMT-Master, Rolex Day-Date and several others.
Mondani Magazine
Another business Giorgia Mondani is running successfully is the Mondani Magazine, which is one of the most trusted publications in the industry. She serves as the author and features brands like Rolex, Panerai, Omega and Patek Philippe.
For more than a decade, Giorgia Mondani has continued to prove that she can. Her persistence paid off eventually. In her own words, "I think in the beginning, my role in this business as a woman was a bit underestimated, but my continuous presence led many people to change their opinion". Giorgia Mondani has paid her dues and truly deserves to stand tall.
