In this episode, we speak with Val DiFebo, CEO of Deutsch New York. We talk about defying stereotypes, working hard, and putting family first, and how doing so has helped DiFebo bring so much value to her career, as well as her personal life.  Val is known in the business world for her equally honest and endearing demeanor, having a reputation for straight talk with her clients and compassion with her employees. Get ready for a warm and entertaining episode!

Tweetables

• “Growing up in the Bronx for me meant a lot of family time.” – Val DiFebo
• “Our Sunday dinners were a great way to learn about our family and it made us feel connected to a bigger community.” – Val DiFebo
• “In my experience, in an Italian household, while the dads are out working, they advocate all the other power to the women.” – Val DiFebo
• “Italians are inclined to just be straightforward and express themselves.” – Dolores Alfieri Taranto
• “I was able to accelerate my position in the company because I was able to hire great people, work with great clients and make the agency some money.” – Val DiFebo
• “There are some people in the world that really appreciate honesty, but then there are some people that don’t.” – Val DiFebo
• “You’re not always right, but you will never know if you are or aren’t right if you don’t let people know what you’re thinking.” – Val DiFebo
• “Being thankful and grateful to all the people that you needed along the way is really important.” – Val DiFebo
• “You have to just roll with things sometimes or you will drive yourself crazy.” – Dolores Alfieri Taranto
• As Italian American women we should bring our values into the workplace. – Dolores Alfieri Taranto
• “Respecting what people think is important as it inspires loyalty and inspires them to be more empathetic towards others.” – Val DiFebo
• “Going back to your roots to experience what your grandparents and great-grandparents did is really invaluable.” – Val DiFebo

About our Guest

Val DiFebo

You never know which is bigger, Val’s brain or her heart. With Deutsch for 25 years, she’s helped build mega-big clients and mom and pop brands while simultaneously being a leader, mentor and cultural cultivator to the Deutsch family. Bronx born with the accent to prove it, Val was brought up in a tight-knit family with 3 sisters and accepts no compromise between winning and having fun doing it. Precious family time with her husband Dick and son Bryan is spent exploring the vast richness of New York’s Museum mile, cooking and squeezing in as much travel as they can.

Episode Sponsors

Arthur Avenue Food Tours

Resources Mentioned

Deutsch

The New Neighborhood
IAP 69: “Italian American Women intrinsically feel a sense of their own power” – Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey on the origins of the National Organization of Italian American Women

 Grazie Mille,

Anthony Fasano and Dolores Alfieri Taranto
Co-Hosts, The Italian American Podcast[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/7302332/height-orig/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/height/90″ height=”90″ width=”100%” placement=”bottom” theme=”custom”]