There are companies that are constantly in the news. And then there are others that, they are less important, but because they are harder to portray. Less immediate, less "spectacular." And yet, often, these are the very companies that build the real infrastructure of the world we live in.

Marcello Ascani decided to go behind the scenes. Through his show, he takes viewers inside some of the most successful companies in Italy and around the world. Inside Companies, available on YouTube, has in recent years turned personal curiosity into a format that takes thousands of people behind the scenes of workplaces and businesses. Startups and digital ventures, but also factories, construction sites, and multinational corporations, places where things happen that rarely make it into the news.

A journey that began when he was very young, as a way to explore uncharted territory – the world of work – and which has evolved over time into an entrepreneurial path. Today, Ascani is the co-founder of a media company in the creator economy and continues to navigate the worlds of content and business, with a direct, accessible, and deeply contemporary approach.

In this context, he also met with MAIRE: first interviewing Chairman Fabrizio Di Amato, then visiting construction sites and experiencing key moments in the company's history, right up to Capital Markets Day. It was an experience that allowed him to observe up close an industry that, from the outside, may seem technical, distant, even somewhat unappealing, but which conceals a complexity – and an energy – that are hard to imagine. Passion and pride in what is being built.

In an issue of EVOLVE dedicated to ENJOY OUR WAY – the way in which everyone contributes to making work something that is worth living, not just doing – Ascani's perspective becomes a valuable lens. Together with him, we set out in search of the so-called "joy of work": what happens when a creator enters companies to tell their stories without filters? And what changes when these stories are viewed by a generation that seeks the image of a company less and less, and more and more its meaning?

Marcello, in your journey from creator to entrepreneur, you chose to go into companies firsthand and tell their stories from the inside. How did this decision come about?

It is something that started very early on. I began making YouTube videos when I was 15 years old, simply sharing my life. Then, after finishing high school, I decided not to go to university and to become a full-time content creator. At that point, I also started covering more practical topics, like managing personal finances: how much it costs to live on your own, how much money you need, and what to do with it. At a certain point, I realized something: the world of work is completely unknown to students. This is true for high school students, but often for university students as well. So, I said to myself: why not create a format that allows me to go inside companies and really understand how they work?

At first, it was pure curiosity. I wanted to see what goes on in very different environments: a bank, a startup, a manufacturing company. Because the truth is that people working in one sector often have no idea how others operate. Then, when I started my own business, this format took a new direction. It was no longer just about understanding what it means to work, but also what it means to build a company: how it grows, what dynamics drive it, and what distinguishes a successful company from one that isn't.

Today, my content always has this dual focus: on one hand, the "behind-the-scenes" aspect; and on the other, a more inspirational angle. I highlight companies that can serve as case studies, concrete examples. Because in my view, the point isn't just to see what happens, but to understand what can be learned from what happens.

When you started sharing stories about companies and managers in a direct, relatable way that resonates with younger generations, did you expect a "stuffier" environment? Or did you find something different?

I definitely expected more rigidity, especially in the language used. To some extent, that is still there, because every company has two sides: the one where you have people who are very much in tune with the times, and the other where there is a more traditional approach. It's quite universal, it happens everywhere. What has surprised me, however, is the shift that happens the moment you actually step inside the company. At first, there may be a bit of wariness – that's normal. But as soon as you start walking around, asking questions, and talking to people… it immediately turns into enthusiasm.

What I always notice is that people want to talk about what they do. Even in jobs that, from the outside, seem hard to "tell a story about". Whether it's someone working in a large industrial group or a small manufacturing company, you almost always find someone who is deeply passionate about what they do. And that changes everything. Because when you give that passion space, the language stops being formal or distant and becomes much more authentic.

Then another interesting thing happens: when the content goes up, it is not just communication. Messages come in, applications arrive, and people discover that company for the first time. It is a gradual process, but a real one. At that point, companies realize that telling their story in a different way is not only possible, but also useful.

When you visited the MAIRE construction sites and spoke with the Chairman, you found yourself in an industry that, from the outside, can seem very technical. What struck you the most?

The thing that struck me most was the passion. And I didn't expect it to be so evident, especially in such technical settings. When you walk into a company like MAIRE, from the outside you might think of numbers, processes, and massive projects. All true. But when you start talking to people, your perspective changes completely. You're faced with professionals who have been doing this work for years, who could easily be in more comfortable roles, perhaps ones that are more "office-based" … yet they still choose to stay out in the field.

I remember, for example, technicians who've been working on construction sites for decades and who continue to do so not out of necessity, but because they genuinely enjoy it. For the adrenaline, for the challenge, for the satisfaction of seeing something take concrete shape. For them, it's not just work, but a deep sense of involvement. You see this at every level, among both senior and junior staff: it's an energy you don't expect, because you associate these sectors with something distant, perhaps even a bit cold. Instead, there is great pride, a strong sense of identity.

The other thing that surprised me is the speed. You think of an "elephant", a very heavy structure. Instead, I saw a fairly lean organization, capable of making decisions and moving quickly. I find it an interesting mix: on the one hand, the complexity of the projects, on the other, a certain agility in the way they work. It's a world that seems technical, but in reality, it is deeply human.

You also attended Capital Markets Day, an event where a company presents itself to analysts and investors. As a storyteller, what struck you most about the "behind-the-scenes" world of a global Group?

Here too, as I was saying earlier, it's the gap between what you see from the outside and what's really going on behind the scenes. From the outside, you get the numbers: revenue, EBITDA, growth. Important figures that tell a story. But when you go "behind the scenes," you realize how much work goes into making them possible. We're talking about massive projects that last for years and involve thousands of people. And every project carries with it incredible complexity, even just at the operational level. The amount of documentation and processes to manage is staggering: millions of data points, variables that are constantly changing, decisions to be made in vastly different contexts.

This is where technology comes into play in a very different way than is usually portrayed. This is not the "social media" AI used to create content or posts. It is a concrete tool used to automate processes, reduce errors, and make predictions. This is especially true in projects where even a slight fluctuation in raw material costs can completely shift the economic balance.

Another thing that struck me is the fact that these businesses, which some might call "boring," are actually fundamental. While there's so much talk about digital innovation, there is a whole world out there building infrastructure, energy systems, and facilities. Without that world, everything else doesn't exist. It's enlightening to learn about companies that work quietly but have a massive impact: once you start to understand that, the way you view them changes too.

If you were to talk to a young person in their twenties today about work and the choices they face, what kind of shift are you observing?

In my opinion, there's a fairly obvious paradigm shift. More and more young people are starting to question what are perceived as "successful" jobs, but which, in practice, turn out to be empty. In slang, they are also known as bullshit jobs: highly structured roles, often in large corporations or consulting firms, where you work long hours but struggle to see the real impact of what you do. Like project managers who sit in front of a screen from morning to night...

Now I see a sort of counter-movement. A search for something more concrete and tangible. The idea of being able to say: « I did this; it really exists. » Not just working on presentations or processes but seeing a result you can touch. This also ties into another aspect: hard skills are becoming central again. In addition to knowing how to navigate social contexts – communicating, managing relationships – more and more people want to have a strong, recognizable skill set that creates value.

Then there's a very practical issue that's often underestimated: real opportunities. There are young people who end up in big cities, perhaps in consulting, with salaries that look good on paper but then get swallowed up by the cost of living. Yet there may be less "visible" opportunities, even in smaller towns or in more technical fields, where you can grow more, earn better, and have a greater impact. It's also a matter of perspective: today's young people are looking for environments where they can make a difference, where good work is recognized and where there's room to truly grow.

In this context, why should young people today take an interest in companies like MAIRE, which operate in sectors such as energy, chemicals, and infrastructure?

Because these are fields where what you do has a real impact: you work on projects that exist, that endure, and that are part of people's daily lives. These are companies where, if you're willing to step up, you can advance rapidly. Traveling, working on complex projects, and engaging with diverse contexts – these are experiences that help you grow quickly. In these sectors, if you are prepared and bring value, it shows. You are not just one of many in a closed system; you can make a difference. By learning more about MAIRE – energy infrastructure and sustainable chemistry – you realize there's demand here, today and even more so in the future. These are all key areas for development in the coming years. This means opportunity, stability, but also the chance to build something solid over time.