IN CONVERSATION WITH: Dr. Joe Giordano
We meet lots of interesting people in our line of work, however only rarely do we come across an individual who proves to be a genuine inspiration, in so many ways…
One such person is Dr Joe Giordano. An entrepreneur in the true sense of the word, Joe runs his own consultancy specialising in development, project delivery and risk in the built environment; he is also a managing shareholder and owner of various companies in other sectors. But stay with us, as that’s not what this blog is about. We got together with Joe to find out about the amazing things he does beyond the day-to-day…
After years of progression in his chosen career, in 2005 Joe leapt off the corporate ladder confident that he could succeed on his own terms. Which he did. And on meeting Joe it’s obvious why, he has an enviably natural talent for networking, happily admitting that he believes in bringing people together. Our impression during the interview was that he makes little distinction between the energy he puts into ‘work’ or other personal projects. He applies equal enthusiasm and professionalism to all, committing a great deal of time to a handful of charities about which he is especially passionate.
The child first and always:
Joe is also an ambassador for Great Ormond St Hospital Children’s Charity, which in his own words involves “shouting at people at events, opening up my network, getting corporate sponsors on board”. As we later discover, GOSH community ambassadors have an important role as the face of the hospital and charity in their communities. They promote the charity and work of the hospital to community groups, getting people involved in fundraising activities and inspiring others to support the charity.
Joe describes how the time he gives to GOSH is incredibly rewarding, that hearing some of the stories about the children who come into the hospital for treatment is a great leveller, a reminder that much of what we do in life is “just work”. Another positive aspect of getting involved is the way in which the charity really looks after its volunteers, making them feel part of a family. Says Joe, “Great Ormond St Hospital Children’s Charity and hospital has to be thanked and admired; what they do is important.”
The next GOSH event to take place is the London Santa’s Dash on Sunday 9 December, a 5k or 10k run around Clapham Common. Imagine joining 3,000 Santas dashing around the park for the occasion! The race starts at 11am.
Link: GOSH London Santa Dash 2018
Empowering and inspiring young women & girls:
The Girlness Project is a small initiative based in SW London, which Joe supports as an ambassador and mentor. He discovered it through his yoga teacher Pippa Richardson, who founded the initiative after transitioning from a career in the beauty and fashion industry to teaching yoga full time and meeting many inspirational women along the way.
With mental health issues amongst young people increasing dramatically in recent years, due in part to the mounting impact of social media and exam pressures, the aim of the initiative is to support the emotional and physical wellbeing of girls and young women.
Joe explains to us that ‘girlness’, as it has affectionately become known, works with schools, colleges and universities, running workshops and classes to educate and empower girls with tools and experiential practices that develop self-awareness and emotional self-regulation. The aim is for the girls to take this out of the classroom and into real life situations so that they can thrive in all aspects of their personal and professional lives.
Workshop topics include healthy body image, self-compassion, media literacy, managing stress and building resilience. Yoga and meditation lie at the heart of the offering, as life-long skills that help participants to develop a healthy relationship with body and self.
It’s fascinating to hear about The Girlness Project, we agree with Joe that it serves an important need and the issues it aims to address will resonate not only with young women and girls but people across all ages and gender.
Empowering veterans to aid in the prevention of wildlife crime:
Joe is continuously helping projects that promote Veterans, these have two noble causes at its heart: the protection of rare and endangered wildlife species and empowering ex-service personnel who have been diagnosed with conditions such as PTSD. From the start, getting the right kind of people on board to promote the charity’s causes proved vital. Inspiring role models have been brought in as Ambassadors, amongst them extreme explorers, adventurers and highly successful sportspeople.