Mario Berta successfully combines an academic role in one continent with a real estate business in another.
What’s your story?
I am Italian by origin (nobody is perfect!) but spent a considerable amount of time in Spain which I consider my European home. After graduation I kicked off my international sales career and landed in the Philippines which is now my main home and headquarters of my businesses.
What excites you most about your industry?
Real estate is the world’s biggest asset class, and there is no fortune in the world that does not have a real estate component. I love to go around and visit our space partners and see their amazing architecture and design, and taste the good (or bad !) coffee around Southeast Asia. I am also involved in a Real Estate Fund in the Philippines with alternative asset classes. There is always something new and exciting in the industry and it’s filled with amazing business people.
What drives you in business to push beyond what other people consider normal?
My team and I are extremely profit focused: this is the key driver of our organisation, which pushes us to think outside the box and strategically plan for how to retain customer relationships better, making them happier, having them returning etc.
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
There is 1 skill that you need to master to success which is SALES!
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.
Who inspires you?
In a fiction world it would be Tony Stark, in a real world my best inspiration would be Nikki Lauda, whom I met once and I was extremely sad to hear about his death. Love you Nikki!
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
Think bigger, and then even bigger. It does not really matter trying to hit it big otherwise.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I would learn fluently one of these languages: Chinese, Arabic or Russian.
How do you unwind?
Nothing out of the ordinary, sports and travel, also I am a professor in my Business School (IE, Madrid) and I truly enjoy teaching.
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your business?
COVID is where the rules have changed for everybody. Businesses like hotels which were at their peak suddenly got killed. For the foreseeable future unless you are an Amazon or Alibaba you should be in an extreme survival mood and surviving at any cost … to then reap the benefits.
Everyone in business should read this book:
Measure what Matters by John Doerr
Getting to plan B by John Mullins and Randy Komisa
Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness
Shameless plug for your business:
AHAHA you got me unprepared at the moment on this!
How can people connect with you?
I am very much out there:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marioberta/
www.marioberta.org
Social Media Links?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marioberta/
This interview is part of the CallumConnects series. Every entrepreneur featured has been recommended by one of our previous guests.