What would you do if everything was taken from you?

That happened to Stella Gianotto, the 147th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers.

Stella lost her marriage, her business (her husband was her business partner), her home and most of her possessions.

She also lost her identity, because without those things – who was she?

A long period of introspection followed, during which Stella thought about what made her happy and who she really was.

That was more than a decade ago, and Stella has since become a much bigger version of herself.

These days, Stella is many things – a mother, an entrepreneur, a creative, a consumer futurist, a lifelong learner, a foodie and more. Above all, Stella knows who she is and is very comfortable in her own skin.

Stella has Italian heritage and speaks fluent Italian. In the next two or three years, she plans to buy a house in the town (near Venice) where her family have been living for generations, and run her business from overseas. 

As Stella explains, this will be a rich life experience for her and her partner, and a valuable learning opportunity for their young son.

I’ve told Stella to expect a visit from me.