Stefano Versace tells us his sucessful careers in Miami | Success Stories

Miami - USA, 24.10.2014

Stefano Versace tells us his success story that made him move to United States to open a gelato shop with his family. On May 2014 he wins the North America stage of Gelato World Tour and the Technical Jury mention at the Great Final in Rimini, where there were other 23 artisans selected from all around the world. He tells us his careers path as gelato artisan in the United States to fulfil his dream with his wife.

In November 2012 we had the idea to move in the United States to begin a new life. Since Italy was in poor economic conditions, it wasn’t the right place to do business. My wife and I spent a whole night wondering where to go and what to do in order to improve our situation. The first thing we decided was to start a job we liked, a job that would make happy us and our costumer. The gelato world, by which we have always been fascinated, appeared to us as the best solution. What make people happier than a good cup of gelato?

At this stage we just have to decided where to open our gelato shop. Since we had lived for 5 years in Caracas and we really missed the worm weather all year round, we choose Miami as our new destination. So, we started collecting information about the costs of opening a gelato shop. Every day we used to call the Gelato Shops in Miami asking how much was the sugar, the power, the milk and all that was needed to open the business. We collected much information as possible to minimize economic risk.

We left with a suitcase, so many dreams , little money, but together with our family. We brought with us our children, one aged 6 and the other aged 1. The eldest would have to learn a third language and change school for the third time. We knew that everything would have been very difficult for him but we were also sure that this effort would bring results in the future.

On 24^th July 2013 we left with destination Miami. During the first period slept in a squalid hotel near the airport. We chose the cheapest one since we didn’t want to undermine the capital reserved to the opening of the ice cream parlor.

Just arrived, we started looking for a place. We spent days wandering around the city, konckking on doors, asking for telephone numbers and looking for signs with the word “FOR LEASE”. For the first time we faced the harsh American reality. Since we lack a social security number, nobody wanted to rent us a place where to open our gelato shop. That was the first time I thought that we had made the wrong choice. But the same determination that has led us to embark on this adventure, it also helped us to overcome the difficulties . We manage to find a home on 18^th of August, just the day before our son Alejandro began school .

Then, we finally managed to be accepted to the Miami International Mall, one of the most prestigious mall in Minami. Once again we had to front the hard American burocracy, that we didn’t know at all. We made many mistakes, risked a lot and lost time and money.

But in the end, thanks to the strenght that characterizes our family we managed to open our Gelato shop on 16^th of November. I was full of emotions. When we arrive at the mall in the morning we saw that the protection panel had been removed and the shop was visible to everyone in all its glory.

Every time I think about that day my legs are shaking. My only thought at that moment was:
“I'll be able to do it?”

Then, step by step, I got used to the job and the experience gave us courage and confidence.

The most important thing was that the clients started to appreciate the quality of our product.
In very short time we became a benchmark not only for many local people but also for the others gelato shops. Versace is synonymous with “quality”. On 11^th of May we won the first prize as the Best Gelateria in the USA during the Gelato World Tour in Austin, Texas. In September we will take part in the Grand Final of Gelato World Tour that will be held in Rimini, Italy.

Not long time ago we received the visa in order to live in the USA and two days ago our social security number also arrived. We are here from less than one year and we are already perfectly integrated in American society. We can state that…yes, it is worth it!!