Building from Vision to Execution: Alessio Borrelli's Entrepreneurial Journey

With over 25 years of leadership experience across top global tech companies like Dell, Oracle, and LinkedIn, Alessio Borrelli made the leap into entrepreneurship to build Level Up, a company focused on scaling go-to-market strategies, accelerating sales execution, and developing impactful leadership. Learn about the challenges, lessons, and insights that shaped his journey from corporate executive to founder.

Can you share a brief note about yourself?

With 25+ years of leadership experience across top global tech companies — including Dell, Symantec/Veritas, Oracle, LinkedIn/Microsoft, SAP, and Criteo — I’ve led growth and transformation across EMEA and LATAM.

I’ve built new businesses from the ground up, restructured complex organisations, and led high-performing teams through strategic change and high-growth phases. My experience spans the full IT and digital ecosystem: enterprise software, cloud, SaaS, adtech, hardware, and cybersecurity.

Recognized for turning vision into action, I lead with accountability, transparency, and a strong performance culture. I’m particularly passionate about talent development — coaching individuals and leadership teams to reach their full potential while aligning people strategy with business outcomes.

After many years in executive roles within corporates, I founded Level Up, to support organisations in scaling their go-to-market strategy, accelerating sales execution, and developing impactful leadership.

At the same time, through our Sales Academy, we equip postgraduates and early-career professionals with the mindset, skills, and readiness needed to succeed from day one in high-performance IT sales roles.

Curious by nature and driven by purpose, I’m always looking to grow, inspire, and deliver meaningful impact at speed.

Why did you choose to start a business?

First of all, it was the right time for me to start this journey. I had just completed a long and fulfilling chapter with my previous employer, Criteo, where I consistently exceeded challenging targets across multiple areas and left on a high note.

Secondly, this venture aligns perfectly with what I truly love doing. It’s a space where my talent, passion, and ambition come together in the most powerful way.

Third, the market opportunity is compelling — the business consulting and sales enablement sector in EMEA is worth over $15B, and it continues to grow at a double-digit rate year over year.

After analyzing the competitive landscape, I realized that the quality of our coaching programs, combined with my depth of knowledge, operational experience, and attitude, stands well above the vast majority of existing offerings in the market.

How did you start your business?

Master Planning for startups is one of the core services we offer — so I simply applied my own methodology. Everything starts with a clear vision, which then translates into strategies, tactics, and actions.

I prepared all the necessary content, conducted extensive research, and defined the right target and setup — essential for launching quickly and efficiently while optimizing resources. I strongly believe that perfection is the enemy of progress, so I accepted from the beginning that mistakes would happen. I approached them with the right mindset, viewing them as a necessary part of growth.

Once the strategy was complete, I moved into execution. Step by step, I built my team, created processes, tested and implemented tools, and delivered my best — always guided by a long-term vision and a commitment to daily, incremental progress.

What do you wish you’d known before you started your business?

When I started, my ideas were clear, so there isn’t anything major I feel I should have known back then. Naturally, along the way, some research, tool testing, or conversations with potential clients didn’t deliver the expected value — but I see all of these as part of the journey.

Even activities that might seem like “wasted time” contribute to the learning process. What matters to me is keeping these inefficiencies to a minimum — and that’s exactly why we support many startups and investors: to help them avoid similar risks and accelerate smarter decision-making.

Did you have any support in your journey?

The most important support always comes from your family, loved ones, and good friends. Their presence gives you the confidence and emotional strength you need to push boundaries, take risks, and stay resilient — even when things feel uncertain or difficult.

In addition, starting a business with the purpose of helping startups take their first steps has been incredibly empowering for me. That mission itself has reinforced my own self-confidence and sense of direction.

What is your greatest challenge as a business owner?

What challenges me the most is the intensity of my “normal” days. Even with strong organization — which is absolutely essential — there are times when the number of things to manage, both directly and indirectly, becomes overwhelming, especially when the business is growing rapidly.

What advice would you give to your past self before opening your own business?

Focus on your vision and execute your strategy with confidence. There’s a bright future ahead!

Reflecting on your path to entrepreneurship, what key piece of advice would you offer to aspiring founders ?

If you have a great idea, make sure it’s something you can successfully pitch to investors (if funding is part of your plan), and that it includes a clear, sustainable, and scalable monetization model. Surround yourself with experienced professionals who can support you — otherwise, the risk of seeing your ambition turn into frustration is high.