How Nerio Alessandri started Technogym in his parent’s garage and turned it into a billion-dollar company heading the Paris Olympics

Nerio Alessandri, the founder and CEO of Technogym, likes to have his products speak for themselves. The fitness company founded by Alessandri is still headquartered in Cesena in Emilia-Romagna in the north of Italy, where he was born and started the business. His thick Italian accent in English is in stark contrast to the sleek globally-renowned designs his products are famous for.  

Technogym supplies all the athlete training centers in Paris, he told me, and that is by far the best product placement and feedback mechanism he could imagine. The fact that such a presence cost Technogym – which has roughly $1 billion in revenues – millions of dollars in marketing fees, is something he happily takes on.

The passionate, well-connected Italian shows more of his colors in this exclusive interview with Fortune. WhatsApp, he told us, is one of his favorite productivity tools. His children and their friends are on the sexagenarian’s personal board. It allows the man who in 1982 started Technogym in his parent’s garage to have the “feedback from younger generations.”

This interview has been edited for brevity.

Down to business

Fortune: What is the single most important project you are working on with your company? 

The Olympic Games in Paris. Technogym has been chosen for the 9th time as the Official Supplier of the Olympic and Paralympic Games for athletic training. In Paris, Technogym has equipped 29 training centers for the 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes with the most innovative equipment and digital technologies. 

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TECHNOGYM

Which long-term trend are you most bullish about for society and the economy at large?

Health and longevity are among the key consumer trends at the moment.

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If you were an economic policymaker, what would be your top priority?

When it comes to health we need to move from today’s approach mainly based on cure to an approach based on prevention. There is plenty of scientific evidence on the fact that physical exercise is a real cure for many metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. 

Being productive

What time do you get up, and what part of your morning routine sets you up for the day?

I get up at around 6:30 am. I always workout, have breakfast and then then start the work day.

What time do you work until? Do you continue sending emails during the night and/or weekends?

I typically work at the office until 7 pm…but I’m very lucky to work in a very exciting industry so pretty often my work mixes with my personal life in an exciting way. At the moment for example I’m in Paris to follow the Olympic Games…it’s a lot of fun but also offers the chance to connect with business contacts in the sports industry.

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What apps or methods do you use to be more productive?

Nothing really special, technologies and organization tools are becoming more and more commonplace. I believe that creativity is today’s number one technology able to make a difference. I personally use WhatsApp a lot. The group chats are extremely helpful to quickly update and share information with the different teams on the different projects.

Who is on your “personal board”?

My kids, Erica and Edoardo, and their friends. For me, it’s fundamental to have the view and feedback of young generations in order to work on a long-term plan.

Getting personal

What book have you read, either recently or in the past, that has inspired you?:

Open by Andre Agassi.

If you could ask your idol one question, who would it be, and what would you ask?

Very difficult question. I don’t really have an idol, but I love to listen and ask questions to everybody…from top CEOs or political leaders to ordinary people. I believe that being able to ask the right question and being humble enough to listen is the best way to learn and to improve.

Betty Laura Zapata/Bloomberg via Getty Images

As a consumer, what is your favorite company and why?

Apple for its combination of excellent design products, content and community. When it comes to fitness and sport, at Technogym we have created a unique ecosystem to connect people to their personal training experience: at the gym, at home, at hotels, at work, at the doctor and outdoor. People can login to their personal profile on Technogym equipment or on our App, anytime and anywhere. 

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