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START SMALL, FINISH BIG
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Fred De Luca co-founded the Subway fast-food chain in 1965 with
only $1,000 when he was just 17 years old. De Luca started making
sandwiches out of his Volkswagen bug, and then made the move to
a VW van for more space. He eventually had to hire a delivery service
to help him.
Today, Subway has more than 15,000 restaurants, second only to the
McDonald’s Corporation, in 74 countries, reporting sales of more
than $4 billion a year. De Luca started Subway with Pete Buck, a
doctor and family friend. De Luca wanted to get through college,
not build a career, and graduated from the University of Bridgeport
in 1970 with a psychology degree. He learned how to run a successful
business on the go by working hands-on and visiting other sandwich
shops. His Italian mother went with him to help convince suppliers
that he was a credible businessman and not just another naïve teenager.
The business was able to expand quickly because the stores required
less equipment than most fast-food chains. In 1974, De Luca built
on his success by franchising Subway. "The best entrepreneurs
are visionaries who benefit by their ability to see the Big Picture"
stated De Luca in his first book, "Start Small, Finish Big".
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CARRARA MARBLE
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The story is of an Angel, who was in charge of creating the Appennini
mountain chain. While carrying a huge amount of stones on his shoulder
to central Italy, he was distracted by the beautiful scenery and
he left to follow the divine stones: the MARBLE. This is the legend
of how the beautiful Apuan Alps were born on the northern Tuscan
coast of Versilia. This breathtaking view is nestled between the
blue sea and the white marble, where the marble has been evacuated
for centuries.
It was back in the 1500’s that the Medici family asked Michelangelo
to explore the quarries to look for the best marble in Italy, and
the name of this famous artist still echoes throughout the region.
Today many sculptors have chosen to work around Carrara and Pietrasenta,
including Botero and Yasuda. It is possible to visit the Carrara
quarries, as well as some artists studios and to enjoy time in the
lovely village of Pietrasanta, sitting at the Michelangelo Bar in
the wonderful Cathedral Square or wander along the streets lined
with art galleries, fashion boutiques and 16th centuries Palazzos.
Due to its peculiar position between the sea and the mountains,
the food tastes range from fresh fish to great meat dishes typical
of the area. Be sure to make it a stop on your next trip to Italy.
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