Bianca Summa

 October 2024

“Embracing opportunities and celebrating connections”

by Dora Rossetti | Language Service Provider | PWA Board Secretary

Bianca, is your current job the same one you dreamed of when you were young? 

I've always been fascinated by books and I still remember the cover of my favorite fairy tale book when I was a little girl and couldn't wait for my grandmother to read me a story.

My parents owned an international bookstore and I started helping them occasionally during book fairs or book exhibitions. Being involved in this wonderful world made me decide to continue working in the bookselling and publishing industry.

During my 40 years of experience in international scientific book and journal publishing, I have witnessed the industry and technology revolution comparable to the Gutenberg printing revolution! Today, my company sells mainly digital libraries and e-books.

Who was your role model growing up? 

 I come from a matriarchal family and my role models were my mother and grandmother.

Women in my family represent strength, power, resilience and love.

Love for their family, love for their profession, love for their life, despite all the challenges and hard times they faced.

These role models have helped me so much to find the strength to keep going and to do my best to achieve a goal. I will be forever grateful.

What are you most proud of in your personal or professional life and why? 

 I have to admit it: I feel much better in my sixties than I did in my twenties! And why is that? Because I have been building my life day by day, making mistakes and learning from them. Because I have a wonderful family with my daughter Anna, a young career woman full of energy who inspires and rewards me every day, because I have dear friends in Rome and all over the world, and because I am finally successfully running my own company.

What inspires you or are your greatest passions in life?

 I'm so happy to be part of the PWA for many reasons, first of all to meet so many excellent professional women in an international environment. I love the workshops, the presentations and all the social opportunities to make new friends. I'm eager to learn from so many different experiences, so many different professions, it's a pleasure.

My passions are: movies, theater, art exhibitions, traveling, cooking (especially cakes).

What strategies do you use to maintain a healthy work-life?

 I think women (more than men) always have to fight the feeling of "guilt" when they take time for themselves. In general, of course, many women struggle with the 24-hour day, because to do what they want to do, they need at least a 48-hour day!

Finding a balance between work, family and passions is the secret to a healthy work life.

Women are multitaskers, right? So I try to find some time for myself every day by reading or walking.

This helps the mind to relax and not focus on problems, maybe for 1 hour, but it helps!