Working alongside his parents, who taught him the fundamentals of production, and Peppino Aiolfi, from whom he learned how to support customers on a technical and commercial level, Antonio Rillosi built his vision with unwavering determination. His efforts contributed to the reputation of “Made in Italy.” “I have always had a burning desire, a flame that has fueled my work ever since: to spread beauty throughout the world,” with a passionate enthusiasm that continues to drive him today, 40 years later.
You founded Extravega at the age of 17 in 1985, which was a challenging endeavor for a young man.
“I have always had a burning desire, a flame that has fueled my work ever since: spreading beauty throughout the world. This passionate drive still accompanies me today, even after 40 years”.
At such a young age, was it your family that inspired you?
“I feel a deep sense of gratitude toward my father, who taught me the value of our work. However, I wanted to forge a different path from the one taken in my father’s company. A path without fixed hours and a rigid hierarchical structure, where one can work by expressing their own ideas”.
So, you were able to work freely.
“Working freely and being able to express your ideas leads to better outcomes and greater productivity, building a close-knit team with shared goals. I love it when this magic happens, even though I understand that it’s not easy for an employee to overcome their fear of making mistakes”.
Are you afraid of making mistakes?
“I’m not afraid, but I do make mistakes – and I own up to them. Taking responsibility for your mistakes is a valuable asset. It allows you to create things that didn’t exist before”.
What was the most magical thing you’ve ever witnessed?
“When I met Osvaldo Borsani, the enlightened entrepreneur behind Tecno. I owe him a debt of gratitude as well. In 1999, Tecno asked us to become their metal partner for a few months to supply the interior furnishings for the Pompidou Center in Paris. That project marked a turning point for us”.
A milestone for the company.
“With the Pompidou project, we lost everything we had worked so hard to gain over the previous 14 years. But, the enthusiasm with which we pursued it helped us overcome every difficulty, almost without noticing it”.
A lot of stress.
“I say this without wanting to sound presumptuous: stress can be a wonderful fuel, useful for life itself and for progress. I practice transcendental meditation every morning at dawn and dedicate myself to my passion, which is my job, at every moment of my day. I believe I’ve learned to turn off the stress engine. In the evening, I fall asleep like a baby”.
Could enthusiasm be one of the ingredients for success?
“I would also add optimism, a pinch of recklessness, and a few technical and mental challenges. I imagine that’s what Leonardo da Vinci did when he tackled the prototyping and development of one of his flying machines, or what Guglielmo Marconi accomplished with radio communications”.
Are these the people who inspired you?
“Not only them. Carlo Scarpa, Olson Kundig, Saana, Tadao Ando, Franco Perrotti, and many others. Human beings whose ideas and dreams comes to life through their drawings”.
And what is your dream?
“One day, I want to build a skyscraper. This dream merges my personal and professional worlds”.
You are constantly inspired by architects, but what could they learn from Extravega?
“That knowing how to draw or direct is no more important than knowing how to do things and ‘getting your hands dirty’ ”.
Have you “got your hands dirty” over the past 40 years?
“Yes, We’ve trained well”.
Are you referring to yourself and your colleagues?
““Yes, in forty years, I’ve worked alongside some wonderful people. I’ve tried to create a stimulating work environment. By making different objects every day, we encourage creativity. Everyone feels free to create and propose ideas. By combining everyone’s skills and know-how, we produce the sought-after ‘Made in Italy’ products”.
What do you think your employees have learned from you?
“They’ve learned that there is no boss or general manager; instead, each person makes the choices and takes responsibility”.
Did they grasp that concept?
“Many left before the handover was complete, opting to do something similar to what they did here, but not what they could have become at Extravega”.
That sounds ambitious.
“I hope my employees want to build a future at Extravega, one that extends beyond my time here and sees them getting involved as entrepreneurs in a group. That’s a revolutionary idea”.
Are you envisioning the future direction of the company in this way?
“A mentor of mine taught me that not everyone can be entrepreneur, but I never stop trying to inspire my team. It has become my life’s mission”.
What barriers might you encounter in this mission?
“One barrier is that we are small and still relatively unknown. However, as a small to medium-sized enterprise, we will tackle this challenge one step at a time and one project at a time. With our experience and management skills, we will increasingly highlight our uniqueness”.
Speaking of uniqueness, Extravega has always worked on a bespoke basis. If you were to decide to mass-produce your own line of products, which item would best represent your experience and philosophy?
“We would like to mass-produce unique products”.
You would never give up the soul of customization.
“Exactly! The soul of customization is what sets us apart, regardless of the form or scale”.
What kind of “legacy” do you wish to leave behind, not only as a company and entrepreneur, but also as a person?
“I want to be remembered for the love I put into even the most insignificant actions. One of my teachers taught me that results only matter only when they are achieved through love”.
