On the occasion of Global Entrepreneurship Week on November 12 AmCham members met with a successful entrepreneur and community leader, Robbie Vitrano.

Robbie has built several companies including Trumpet, Idea Village and Naked Pizza. In his presentation he shared his work and life experience in rebuilding business in New Orleans after a long economic decline and the Katrina Hurricane. Robbie offered an inspirational story on how to succeed in turning around deprived areas. Together with his partners Robbie decided to start raising funds for startups in the aftermath of the disaster, which resulted in creating entrepreneurial hub Idea Village - a place to grow new businesses. Naked Pizza was created next to show that healthy fast food can be part of the solution to global obesity.

A piece of good advice from him: "Practice capitalism in a modern way - doing well by doing good and paying it forward". According to Robbie it is necessary to adhere to basic sustainability principles: "Stay true to the things that link you to the community, people, Earth and the next generation." He encouraged entrepreneurs to go beyond the product itself trying to align value proposition with social impact.

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