In Grosseto, the largest municipality in Tuscany, there is another local operator that has made history in the Internet sector in Italy. His name is Lorenzo Busatti, who since 1997 has been at the helm of the GrifOnline Srl.

Samuel Lo Gioco discovered its history, the creator of Van Working Tour, who with Assoprovider travels through Italian villages to discover the faces and stories of independent providers who strive to reduce the digital divide in small Italian municipalities. 

Let's discover together the story of Lorenzo and his company.

At 15 years old, he writes his first programs

Lorenzo recounts the beginnings of his career, when at the age of 15 and passionate about IT, he wrote his first programs in assembler.

Then, as he grows, his passion becomes increasingly strong and clashes with the limitations of the territory. He notices the absence of an Internet Provider in Grosseto and in 1997 decides to embark on an entrepreneurial venture: 

"We started with Dial-up connections, then with ADSL, up to wireless. "We began offering connectivity by expanding in our municipality. In eight years, we covered it all," says Lorenzo.

In the history of Assoprovider

Lorenzo is one of the historical members of Assoprovider. When the association was about to be established, he was there among the founders:

"I have been with Assoprovider for many years, and I wouldn't know what to do without it. With the members, we are friends, we fight common battles and also do business, exchanging products and services," Lorenzo continues.

A dream come true: the Tower Company

Lorenzo has set increasingly ambitious goals for the growth of his company. Among these is the construction of towers that has transformed GrifOnline Srl into a tower company: 

"Today we have become a tower company, a project started five years ago. 80% of the network we use is owned by us. A step that has allowed us to free ourselves from many blackmails and to conduct our business with much more peace of mind."

3 lessons we can learn from its history

What can Lorenzo's story teach other local operators who aspire to follow in his footsteps? We have gathered three lessons that we can learn from his story:

1. Do not lose contact with the customer. Lorenzo explains that he has always sought a balance between the desire to grow with his company and maintaining a direct relationship with his users: "We have always avoided expanding too much; the competitors who did so eventually imploded. Why? They lost our strength, the direct contact with customers," he explains.
2. Taking control of one's own destiny. Lorenzo has been able to plan increasingly ambitious goals for his company over the years, aiming for independence: "80% of the network we use is our property. A step that has allowed us to free ourselves from many blackmails and to conduct our business with much more peace of mind," he continues.
3. Sharing one's knowledge. Lorenzo has decided to share the skills he has acquired in order to strengthen his network of acquaintances. Today, he holds conferences worldwide, where he puts the knowledge he has accumulated at the service of others.

Samuel Lo Gioco thus recounts his meeting with Lorenzo Busatti and Giuseppe Orofino (if you want to learn more read here):

"In these initial meetings, upon meeting Giuseppe and Lorenzo, I appreciated two things they have in common: their great availability and passion.

With Giuseppe, I appreciated the great passion he has for his territory. Looking at the Apuan Alps, he told me stories of those mountains, their evocative landscapes, the unspoiled nature, and the marble quarries, which since Roman times have created an important economy in the area.

With Lorenzo, without a doubt, the passion that immediately stands out is for the IT world. It takes just a few minutes to understand his technical and theoretical mastery, which is almost disconcerting. Another passion that I naturally appreciated, being a former motorcyclist, is for two wheels. Time flew by listening to his race anecdotes and sportsmanship in competition. 

Certainly, their value as a professional is undisputed, but today, thinking about our meeting, I remember and appreciate, happy to have met them, their human side.”