Matteo Giuseppe Oliveri

Autobiography of a Barefoot Businessman: the Story of a Real Godfather Matteo Giuseppe Oliveri

The reader will enjoy and appreciate the author's account of his rise from relative obscurity in one small Calabrian town to being a major factor in the Italian olive oil industry. His career spanned a period of much change in Italian society which began at a time when nineteen century customs and values were still dominant to the present day at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Throughout he maintained a strong commitment to family in periods of adversity as well as in good times. He provides a close look at small town thinking and customs as he moves from times of scarcity to times of well-being. Lessons he learned early imparted to him by mother and teachers were reinforced by dealings with neighbors and businessmen. He was truly a "barefoot businessman" not taken too seriously at first but who made good and won admiration.and some envy. But all was not business. He did not hesitate to take action against someone who he thought impugned his sister Maria's honor and paid for it. For a time like many of his countrymen he sought to make his fortune in a new world, in this case, Australia. There he learned as well as gave some lessons. But the love of fiancée, family and country was too strong and he returned. He survived the loss of his eldest brother to whom he was deeply devoted and the parting with his younger brother. Very early he gained the respect of a lawyer (his consigliere) on whom he relied for advice and support for much of his life. He was asked to manage the local soccer team for several seasons and now owns two teams. Matteo Giuseppe earned and kept the respect of neighbors and associates alike and competitors found him a tenacious opponent.