2018 marked 25 years of PM-International. Italian readers among you will know that there was actually an anniversary within the anniversary. One of PM-International’s Mediterranean subsidiaries, PM-Italy, celebrated 10 years in business. During this last decade, it has really grown up fast. It reached its all-time turnover high in April 2017. It also ranks consistently among the top 5 PM-countries.
A Playground for Italian Temperament
So, why is direct selling successful in Italy? Because it is an industry built on emotions. And we all know what they say about Italians: emotional, passionate, and temperamental. Let’s assume these stereotypes indeed apply to many Italians. Then it is especially easy for them to get in touch with people and build up relationships.
What else? It’s a business made for everybody. Anybody can do it, regardless of their previous business experience. So, during a time where Italy’s economic state is, let’s say, challenging, which has many people looking for additional income, network marketing is a really good alternative. When economic misery leaves you out in the cold, you can choose to make your own destiny with PM. It makes no difference where you come from. And that’s why direct sales, and PM-International in particular, have a great future in Italy.
General Manager Sales of PM-Italy, Bernhard Schöpf, started working with PM 13 years ago – even before there was a subsidiary. He was excited about this opportunity. It also gave him personally the opportunity to change things in his life. Then 11 years ago, in 2008, founder and CEO of PM-International, Rolf Sorg, opened up the Italian market. Mr. Schöpf got to be a part of it by taking over as manager. The beginning was slow. They first had to organize a way to work.
While it was a slow growth a first, it has now become incredibly dynamic. Especially the introduction of the “use, talk, demo” concept, made everything so much easier. It launched a dynamic that launched them into the next dimension. And it’s not quantum physics either. It’s really quite simple – just like the logo says: SIMPLE. SUCCESSFUL. That’s what PM-Italy proves time and time again. The simpler you are, the faster you are, the bigger you can become.
The very first employee was Barbara Cerra, who is now the General Manager Operations of the Italian subsidiary. In total, 22 employees work at the Italian subsidiary. For Bernhard Schöpf, his team is the best team in the world: “In 2015, we tripled our turnover from one month to the other. That’s a workload nearly impossible to handle. But the team managed. They worked more and gave their best because they feel like part of the family. I can say for sure that everyone is putting his soul into the company. It’s amazing working in a company where you can be part of such a team. I am really proud of our team and reaffirmed in believing in accomplishing so much more in the future.”
Can We Talk About Sports?
Why yes, we can! A number of Italian athletes love PM’s FitLine products. One person, we can’t go without mentioning, is Antonello Riva. He’s a retired professional basketball player and all-time leading scorer of the Italian League. Towering high at 1,96m, he won the gold medal in 1983 and the silver medal in 1991 at the European Basketball Championship. After being totally convinced of the FitLine products he also actively started in sales in 2014 and has since then made his way to President’s Team.
Most recently, basketball team Reyer Venezia was happy to continue their successful partnership with PM-International and FitLine, going strong into the new season, riding the wave of their first FIBA European Cup win in 2018.