My Carlton Love Affair

Recently, I was approached by Carol Saffer, a journalist with the ‘Inner City News’. We met over coffee at one of my favourite places in Carlton. You can view the profile story of our conversation here.

Sergio Alderuccio has a long and strong connection with Carlton.

It is the base for his advisory business; he loves the vibrancy of the Lygon St strip and the heritage of the suburb and its architecture.

He is a board member and vice president of Carlton Inc., the local traders’ association.

While he doesn’t like the term “business coach”, that is what he is; a mentor to business owner-operators.

“I work one-on-one with my clients, on a weekly or fortnightly basis, to provide accountability, guidance and expertise,” Mr Alderuccio said.

“Successful people work hard, but there is a limit to how many hours you can work and still be productive.”

“I help my clients succeed by working smarter, not harder.”

Mr Alderuccio was a pioneer of franchising in Australia.

He was 23 when he created and ran a consultancy that developed businesses such as Crust Pizza, Forty Winks, Autobarn, and many more in a franchise business model.

Twenty-five years later, he sold the business to top tier professional services network
PWC.

“I still love the business side of working with people,” he said.

“My role is to help the business owners to get to where they want to go.”

Mr Alderuccio works with business owners to help them grow their businesses and have more freedom.

He provides an outside viewpoint and acts as a sounding board.

Because he is not involved in the day-to-day running of the client’s business, he can be objective and calm about decision-making, independent of the business but understanding what the company is all about it.

He emphasises building solid relationships.

“Many people don’t do this, but I think this is a key as it helps you get things done when needed,” he said.

He is one of those “men in lycra” getting up at 5am to ride every morning.

Even with an early start, he wonders where his time goes; could it be the stop to have coffee with his mates?

“It sets me up for the day, gets my mind in place, and I like being composed when I arrive at the office each day.”

Mr Alderuccio’s role at Carlton Inc is responsible for the beautification and accessibility of Lygon St and the surrounding area.

He works on a sub-committee with other board members to make Lygon St more enjoyable and safer.

He is impressed with Victoria Police’s assistance and physical presence on the street; “they don’t just give us lip service,” he said.

“We are a multicultural society now and need to be relevant to a wide section of the community.” 

Carol Saffer | 28th September, 2022