It is not easy to blend into a family business, with its rhythms and roles tested for years. Nevertheless, Beatrice did succeed in that. She did it thanks to her innate skills, perseverance, and will to learn – without expecting a special treatment due to marrying Renato Alzani. It was 1991 and a young woman began a new life, which would turn her into the expert manager that we all appreciate today; together with Renato and Giovanni, she represents Imbalplast.
Is it a hard path? We now ask her – this is a brief interview to get to know her better
Beatrice, please tell us about your beginning in Imbalplast.
“I had already experienced office jobs, but I knew nothing about packaging. To me, those bags were just plastic and it took me some time to understand the complex world of polyethylene, of various blends, productions, and sanitary applications. Day by day, I got more confident with orders, codes, and materials and I began to navigate with self-confidence and proficiency.”
Did you feel comfortable or did you struggle to blend into the company?
“If you know the Alzanis, you know they are very welcoming people; so, under this point of view, I did not encounter any difficulty. Indeed, I did have a great teacher in the person of Mariuccia, who taught me a lot – also about the relationships with employees. She was a skilful manager, and she was still active not so long ago; she used to handle everything and everyone, with an iron fist in a velvet glove. She was determined, fair, and attentive to the human side – a great example to follow.”
In a fast-changing world, in your opinion, what is your main contribution?
“The company has grown; we began with 13 employees and now there are 49. This evolution required many changes, above all digitisation. For this, Renato took care of the technology aspect, while I followed the management one. However, I did not do everything by myself – I could not have done so. By my side, I have an excellent team and we are more than qualified and experienced to face any possible event.”
What part of your job do you like the most?
“There is not a precise aspect, I am happy with what I am doing and I am aware that I got everything that I expected since I was a kid: a beautiful family and a gratifying job. Nevertheless, if I have to choose one particular aspect, I would go with the relationship with customers – this is what I care about the most. It is a relationship built on reciprocate esteem and beyond-job connections. I think I have never ended a phone call without chatting about holidays, or health, or about the school of our kids. That is what we all care about in Imbalplast.”
We all know that women are multi-tasking; how did you manage to balance a demanding job with your family?
“Like the majority of working women, I succeeded with dedication, perseverance, passion, and mostly affection for my beloved ones. We also had our critical moments… Renato and I had our twins Leonardo and Benedetta, who are now in their twenties; but looking after them both at the same time was not a piece of cake. Luckily, we had the support of their grandparents, and I am very proud of the results.”
We thank Beatrice for this heartfelt interview – we have not heard a single negative word from her. There must be some defect, but her nature makes her see the glass half-full. And this is an approach that we truly share. Beatrice has an objective view of work, focused on responsibility and acknowledgement for the fundamental merits of employees. This is entirely the result of a constant and perfect harmony with Renato; they are a couple in life and at work and they built their team with great balance and spontaneity.
