As featured in GQ Magazine

Nunzio - "La Dolce Vita", starting a business from your passion.


 

Entrepreneur Nunzio talks to Beardfluence about everything - from Tom Ford to not quitting in the face of adversity!

 

Q&A

Thanks for coming to the first of our series of Beardfluence Interviews! So what inspired you to start your business - Buffalo Easy?

Coming from a small business family. My Mum and Dad both immigrated to London, they started in the early 90s with a small Italian restaurant on the Goldhawk Road, Shepherds Bush. Then around 1996 they started importing coffee from Italy, which spiralled into an ever wider range, and so our main family business became the import and distribution of Italian food for the B2B sector – restaurants and pizzerias mainly. At their height they had a team of about 25 full time people which I found inspirational, and I remember as a child helping Papa on the weekends and absolutely loving it. When the opportunity came to start afresh with Buffalo Easy, building on our experience in the sector to bring authentic fresh mozzarella production to the UK, I dived into it head first!

What have you learned or are you learning about yourself in the process?

Learning to make constant iterative improvements, being resilient in the face of tough days, and staying the course. I have learned to value the importance of showing up every day, putting in the work and trusting the compound effect to take care of the rest.

The biggest misconception about entrepreneurship in your opinion?

 Simply, that there is a ‘quick fix’ or shortcut to making big returns. 

Do you have a self-care practice? 

Yes but the Covid period has been kicking my a** in the exercise department. I was in a great rhythm of playing football Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and running on the off days, but since the crisis hit football is gone and the running has disappeared with it. The business has truly been taking all of my energy. Getting back into my running will only have positive knock on effects, cannot wait to get started again.

Therapy has been a key component of my self-care practice over the last 5 or 6 years. Glad to say I’ve acquired the tools to effectively deal with the significant day to day stresses that running a small business has to offer. 

How do you take care of your beard

Beard oil once a day in the mornings post-shower, beard trim once a week. Beardfluence will really get my house in order.

What 3 points of advice would you give to someone starting a business today?

  1. Know your product and your market inside out. What pain point are you solving? Who is your customer? What makes you different to the competition? 
  2. Delegate responsibility, create robust processes that function without your direct input.
  3. Stay the course. Never quit in the face of adversity. 

What is your grooming routine for a night out and for a day at the office?

Day time is simple. In the AM: Shower, Nivea, Beard oil and a Palmer’s Moisturiser. For the evening, simply add any Tom Ford eau de parfum.

What can you recommend from Buffalo Easy Retail?

Everything. There is something there for anyone even remotely interested in Italian cuisine. We have put together an enormous range of nearly 1,500 Retail lines and all we ask is that you have a browse and see for yourself. We are still at the pre-launch stage so now is an exciting time to get on board.