PBN BUSINESS WOMEN AWARDS 2020 INDUSTRY LEADER, HOSPITALITY: Lisa Marie Mattiello | Pranzi Catering and Events
LISA MARIE MATTIELLO has always been drawn to hospitality.
She first cooked for her family at a young age and then started out as a dishwasher at a restaurant, working her way up in the industry.
Not one to sit still, the co-owner and CEO of Providence-based Pranzi Inc. – which operates Pranzi Catering and Events – said the thing she enjoys most about her job is that it’s really fast-paced.
“I wear a lot of different hats,” she said. “It’s never the same day twice in this industry.”
Mattiello said she also loves being a part of special events, calling them “always such a happy thing.”
“It’s always about family and friends, communities together, celebrations of life,” Mattiello said. “We sell fun and happiness.”
Mattiello founded Pranzi Catering in 1997 and due to overwhelming success, expanded in 2018, opening Pranzi Tents & Events. Pranzi handles over 6,000 events annually, and employs 75 full-time and 100 part-time employees.
Mattiello thinks what makes her a great leader is her ability to surround herself with great staff.
‘It’s always about family and friends, communities together, celebrations of life. We sell fun and happiness.’
Lisa Marie Mattiello, Pranzi Catering and Events co-owner and CEO
“When we pick our team, the people are really vested,” she said. “This is a family-owned company and we have a lot of family members that work together. My team does [its] best when it’s super crazy and they really jump on board and everyone is drinking the ‘Pranzi juice.’ ”
In fact, she said, the whole team is right there for her when operations are at their busiest.
“If we work 90 hours, we work 90 hours; if we work 40, we work 40,” she said. “Everyone is on board for success. We work smarter, not harder, so whatever resources they need to do their work, we bring in what we need to get it done.”
Pranzi sales consultant Steve Macchioni sees Mattiello in action firsthand.
“She oversees everything,” Macchioni said. “Nothing gets done without her approval but at the same time, it’s a great balance in which she gives the staff the leeway to do what they need to do. It’s a great workplace environment where everyone’s ego is checked at the door. People stay for a long time under her leadership, and I think the company is just going to blossom in spite of hard times.”
Mattiello credits the support of her family for her success. Her husband, Nick, joined her in the family business, taking on the finances and administrative tasks, and her children are always willing to help. Macchioni said once Mattiello’s husband came on board, it really allowed her to build the front-house business.
“Once she was able to do that, there was no stopping her,” Macchioni said. “She’s always trying to reinvent the business. She’s always innovating.”
Mattiello said innovation is something she thrives on, noting that there is always a “new vision” to put out to the public.
“You have to create a masterpiece, designing the look of the flowers, food, everything to make sure the event has a cohesiveness,” Mattiello said. “Half of the time when my clients come in, they don’t know what they want or what to expect, but we build a beautiful experience.”
Macchioni agreed. He said Mattiello is a “calming influence” for clients, who are often nervous and apprehensive when they first arrive.
“She assesses their needs, brings them from A to Z and makes them feel very comfortable, and she has trained all her sales reps to do the same things,” Macchioni said. “She always tries to put the needs of the clients first and she goes above and beyond because she wants to make the event memorable. She takes every event we do and puts her own personal stamp on it.”
But it’s not only the business that is important to Mattiello; it’s the community as well. Pranzi has partnered with local high schools to provide internships to challenged students and works with several nonprofit organizations on their events.
“We love to give back to the community,” she said. “If you do good, good comes back. You have to pay it forward.”
