Steven Basalari built Italy's largest nightclub by age 20 and now runs the country's top-performing new media company, all before turning 30.
Steven Basalari has entrepreneurship in his blood. His father opened Italy's iconic Number One club while his mother is a successful restaurateur. Growing up surrounded by the relentless energy of hospitality and entertainment, Basalari absorbed lessons about customer experience, long hours, and the discipline required to build something that lasts. At 20, he became the artistic director of Number One disco and made it the country's largest club. He followed up by opening Qi Clubbing and Kacao, renowned for bringing the world's hottest DJs to Italy. Basalari then launched a New Media company which has since become the country's top performer.
Not content with dominating a single industry, Basalari has expanded into digital education and coaching, sharing the mindset that carried him from nightclub floors to boardrooms. His trajectory offers a case study in how exposure to international markets at a young age can push an entrepreneur toward diversification and scale.
Hi, Steven. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm 27 and my world consists of nightlife and digital marketing. I grew up in Italy helping out at my dad's club where my parents instilled a hard-working work ethic in me. That environment taught me early on that success is not handed to anyone, it is built through consistent effort and a willingness to show up every single day, regardless of circumstances.
What motivated you to start your own company?
The international exposure from nightlife business made it clear that I needed to diversify so I leveraged my contacts to launch a new digital company dealing in e-commerce and social media management. Running large-scale events meant I had already built relationships with brands, promoters, and audiences across borders. Transitioning those connections into a digital business felt like a natural evolution rather than a leap into the unknown.
Why did you choose this industry?
I was attracted to the online business for its potential and worldwide scalability. Physical venues have capacity limits, geographic constraints, and operating hours. Digital businesses operate without those boundaries. The idea that a product or service built in Italy could reach customers anywhere in the world, at any time of day, was compelling enough to make the shift full time.
What's the biggest challenge when starting a business from scratch?
Finding good people whose business goals aligned with mine, companies are only as good as the people who run them. Talent is abundant, but finding individuals who share your vision and are willing to commit to the same long-term objectives is rare. Building the right team took longer than building the product itself, and I learned that lesson the hard way more than once.
How much does an entrepreneur's mindset contribute to success?
Absolutely crucial. Results are determined not just by our abilities but our approach towards our goals. Skills can be taught and strategies can be learned, but the mental framework you bring to problems decides whether you persist or fold when pressure mounts. That philosophy is something I emphasize heavily in everything I teach through Drop Evolution.
What do you want your legacy to be?
To help people achieve their dreams which is why I started Drop Evolution. The platform exists to give others access to the same insights and frameworks that helped me build multiple businesses from scratch. Wealth creation is meaningful only when it creates pathways for others to follow.
What keeps you going when times get tough?
When you don't give up, you can't fail. That sounds simple, but it is a principle I return to constantly. Every setback in the nightclub industry, from regulatory hurdles to economic downturns, reinforced the idea that persistence alone often separates those who succeed from those who wonder what went wrong.
The best advice to someone starting out?
The right entrepreneurial mindset is the most crucial factor which is what I coach about in Drop Evolution courses. Tactics change, platforms evolve, and markets shift. A mindset grounded in resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning remains the one asset that never depreciates.
How do you differentiate yourself from your competition?
I believe that there is no competition. A customer chooses you based on the value you bring him, not the price. Competing on price is a race to the bottom that erodes margins and destroys brand equity. Focusing on delivering unmatched value creates loyalty that no discount can replicate.
What are you working on right now?
I am working to further expand my digital marketing and e-commerce company with the aim of traveling around the world. The goal is to build a business infrastructure that operates seamlessly regardless of where I am physically located, proving that geography is no longer a constraint for serious entrepreneurs.
Any plans to retire?
Like any true entrepreneur, I don't think about that day because I'm fully focussed on the present. Retirement implies an end point, a moment when the work is finally done. For people driven by building, that moment never really arrives. There is always another challenge, another opportunity, another problem worth solving.
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