We recently connected with Carolina Gengo and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Carolina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
When I was excessed from my job as an elementary Italian teacher I was very sad. I had spent the last two years developing a fantastic curriculum for PrK – 5 in the Italian language and culture. I couldn’t bare to see the curriculum get filed away. I immediately had some creative ideas to keep using the curriculum in a personal way. We were going into the summer so I thought, let me run an Italian camp for toddlers out of my home, as I had a nice basement space that flowed out into our backyard.
I did grassroots advertising, pinning flyers on supermarket bulletin boards and in the train stations. I enrolled a robust group of toddlers and also pitched the story to the local papers where we received a color front page article on our little Italian camp.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Meet Carolina — Our Passionate Founder & Director
Carolina Gengo felt a deep connection with her Italian roots from a young age, and a calling to learn the language and share it with others.
She studied Italian at the University of Denver and received an M.A. in Italian from Middlebury College in Florence. Working in entertainment and fashion presented countless opportunities to travel to Italy, where she immersed herself in language, culture, and customs.
In the 1990s, she finally followed her ultimate passion and began teaching Italian in schools, colleges, and universities across the New York metropolitan area. Now with over 30 years of experience, she brings her expertise to children and adults who value the advantages of bilingualism at La Pizza Di Carolina.
New York State-certified Italian and Spanish Instructor K-12.
Master’s in Italian Studies from Middlebury College, Florence
Recipient of the AATI Teachers Grant to the Università of Siena
Awarded the National Endowment for the Humanities Teachers Grant to the University of Oregon.
High-Quality Language Immersion Trusted Since 2005
For more than 20 years, we’ve been introducing children and adults to the Italian language through exciting, creative learning. Immerse in our vibrant classes and take advantage of all the benefits of speaking a second language, including:
Improved cognition, memory, executive function, and problem-solving skills
Deeper cultural understanding and enriched communication
Greater career and travel opportunities
Preparing for Higher Learning With Italian As A Foundation
Our academically rich, age-appropriate programs give preschoolers and school-age children an authentic Italian language and cultural experience in a full-immersion environment. Our playful, creative approach supports your child’s development while expanding their command of Italian.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
“From a very young age, I felt a profound connection to my Italian heritage. My summers with my grandparents in Canada left a lasting impression, defined by evenings of homemade dishes and lessons in the ‘proverbial second kitchen’ downstairs. There, amidst my cousins and the sound of Nonna’s opera playing in the background, we learned the art of making gnocchi and pasta.
I knew I was Italian; it permeated my very being. Yet, there was a missing piece I couldn’t quite grasp: the language. I frequently asked my relatives, ‘Why aren’t you speaking Italian to me?’ They didn’t have a clear answer—likely a result of the pressure to assimilate and prioritize English at home. But I was relentless. I told my nonni and zie, ‘Please teach me now! Because if you don’t, one day I will learn Italian on my own, come back, and teach everyone!’ That is exactly what happened, and it became the foundation for my mission today.”
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
In the beginning, the budget was nearly non-existent. I funded the initial outreach myself, printing and posting flyers to get the word out. However, I knew that to scale and hire part-time teachers, I needed a strategic financial boost. I began by reaching out to personal connections for initial donations, which proved to be a successful starting point. Using those funds, I hired a professional grant writer to help us target foundations dedicated to Italian language and culture. The effort paid off: we secured a $12,000 grant, providing the essential capital to propel La Piazza di Carolina forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: www,lapiazzadicarolina.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italobimbi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lapiazzadicarolina
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinagengo/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cgengo
Image Credits
Carolina Gengo took all of the photos