On Monday, October 13, I had the pleasure of being at the Politecnico di Milano for the second lesson of Progetto Talento 2025, an initiative by FIDAL Lombardia designed to help young athletes prepare for their sporting future—not only on the track but also off it.
Today more than ever, being an athlete isn’t just about performing; it’s also about knowing how to tell your story, interact with the media, and engage with sponsors, building an authentic and thoughtful presence.
The goal of the lesson was to explain to the students why being active on social media is important and what it means to build a personal brand.
Together with Enrico Gelfi, Anna Sacchetto, Nicolò Fabris, and Beatrice Foresti, we shared our experiences, each bringing a different but complementary perspective. Enrico runs a sport management agency, Anna is a social media manager, Nicolò works in the Sport Communication Area at Inter, and Beatrice manages FIDAL Lombardia’s social media pages, while I bring the perspective of an athlete working with her own personal brand.
We talked about the importance of creating a brand that reflects your personality, is authentic, stands out, and stays true to yourself. Only then can you connect with your audience and build a genuine following.
Communicating isn’t just about being seen; it’s about being understood. Staying true to what drives you is what makes a story credible, and brands today are looking for exactly that: real people fueled by passion.
Part of the lesson focused on dealing with haters, and one phrase from Anna Sacchetto really stuck with us: “Haters don’t talk about you; they talk about themselves”. This helped us put their words into perspective and understand which feedback truly matters, allowing us to focus on what is meaningful and stay true to ourselves.
The message we wanted to convey was clear: an athlete is much more than what they do on the field. Their story can become a powerful tool to inspire others—if they know how to tell it authentically and stay true to themselves.
My hope is that the athletes of tomorrow will be able to share their stories with the same passion they pursue their dreams, recognizing that true strength lies not only in results, but in the journey itself.
