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Gio Benedetti – a passion for business 

‘I was born in a small village near Lucca in Italy. We were  

poor but happy. When I was ten, I came to Scotland to live  

with my uncle. It was very difficult. 

When I was 16, there was a beautiful car – a Jaguar – in the  

shops but I couldn’t afford it. It was too expensive. So  

I started a business to make money – a dry-cleaning  

business. Soon there were 15 shops. By the time I was 19,  

I could afford the Jaguar. That was a very good day! 

Nicola was always independent, like me. She could play the  

violin when she was four. Now she plays concerts all over the  

world. I am so proud of her. She practises for seven hours a  

day. Scotland is so proud of her. Everybody knows her now. 

I can’t play any musical instruments. I like country and  

western music, but not classical. Nicola knows what she  

wants. She has a passion to succeed, like me, and she  

works very hard to get it. When she plays the violin, she’s  

passionate – that’s the Italian in her. When I see her play, I  

often cry. I can’t help it. I’m very sentimental.’