Gruppo Toscano lands in Martinsicuro with Alfonso Soto

A new beginning for Toscano in Abruzzo thanks to Alfonso Soto, a broker with decades of experience and an ambitious entrepreneur. He is the one who opened the first franchise agency in the Abruzzo city on the border with the Marche region. Let's get to know him better.

Alfonso, you have been working for a year to open your new agency. Can you tell us how it went, what choices you made, and what convinced you to open a franchise?

“Before opening a franchise, I worked alone for a long time with my own private agency. Over the years, I realized that it's very difficult to do everything on your own, especially if you have plans for expansion. This necessarily requires a lot of control over other people's work and a lot of resources. So you need a platform, an organization that can provide these tools.”

Let's take a step back: how long have you been doing this job and how have you grown over time?

“I started ten years ago, working for the first two years in an agency where I gained experience. Then I felt it was time to take that extra step and I chose to start my own business. After eight years, I felt the need to take another step forward and I enthusiastically embarked on this new adventure with Toscano.”

So after being self-employed for eight years, you decided to take this leap with Toscano. What was the leitmotif?

"Very simple, I wanted to improve, grow professionally, personally, and in terms of knowledge. The combination of these factors pushed me towards something more concrete, which only franchising can offer. Toscano was the best choice because of the way it operates, how it is known and recognized nationally, and the competition in the area. It is the first Toscano agency here."

With franchising, you have more opportunities. Among these, how important do you consider the expansion of your team and your company?

"If I didn't have these ambitions, I wouldn't have made this choice. I don't want to limit myself to having a small team and a single branch as a point of sale. Being affiliated with a national franchise also determines my growth."

And what are you looking for or expecting from the people who want to be part of your team?

“Reliability and seriousness. And then professionalism, which is built over time: it's my job to train the people who want to work with me.”

We are almost halfway through the year: what are your goals between now and the end of the year? And for next year?

"I am a practical person. In seven months, I expect to have 25 to 30 assignments and between 12 and 16 sales, with a conversion rate of around 50 percent, which is basically ordinary work. Looking further ahead, to 12 months, I have set myself the goal of opening in San Benedetto del Tronto, on the border with Martinsicuro, also to get closer to my hometown of Ascoli Piceno."