This is a story about how Malvina De Salvo transitioned from more than 20 years in corporate America to becoming a first-generation American entrepreneur.
Malvina De Salvo pictured at an Illinois factory while working. | Picture submitted by: Malvina De Salvo
By: Shaniqua S. Robison| Reporter
Malvina De Salvo, the daughter of two immigrant parents, was taught at an early age the benefits of working hard to climb the corporate ladder. For several years, she pursued a career in healthcare but believed she was not truly aligned with her purpose. On Feb. 1, 2017, she left a 20-year corporate career to pursue entrepreneurship with the launching of her patented invention, Plateful.
“Healthcare was never my intended journey,” said De Salvo. “When you’re a child of immigrants their thought process is get a job at a large company and climb the corporate ladder and that was the measure of success.” De Salvo worked in corporate America for a span of 20 years. She began her corporate career as a patient registrar. She ended as a Director of Government Programs Clinical Operations. She had a goal set to receive her career advancing promotion by the age of 20. It happened for her, at the age of 22. Though she anticipated the excitement that would accompany achieving this milestone, De Salvo describes the moment as unfulfilling.
” I worked for her for a year and a half without pay, in exchange for resources.”- Malvina De Salvo, Food as Medicine consultant, Feeding Illinois/Feeding America, Founder of Plateful
Plateful app is a corresponding tool apprehensible by families for the purpose of helping with balancing of meals, while encouraging healthier eating in the youth. Plateful for De Salvo, is more than her own personal invention, it is a solution. De Salvo describes her personal investment into the applications’ success as something that stemmed from issues that began within her own children. “I was inspired by my own journey,” said De Salvo, “as a mother of two premature children.” When she noticed that her oldest daughter wasn’t eating more than a bite or two of most foods, she sought the help of medical professionals. The pediatrician’s’ recommendations included heavily processed foods and unhealthy eating options that did not align with her food preferences for her family. She then took matters into her own hands. “I began educating her (my daughter),” said De Salvo. “I started by explaining food groups and showing maps of the origins of food…” According to De Salvo, this is when she began eating. She replicated this same model with her son and then later with her nieces. When she noticed success in each individual attempt, she realized that she had found a solution. “Plateful was designed to help not just avoid selective eating,” said De Salvo, “but to develop a healthy sustainable relationship with food to prevent lifestyle diseases.
De Salvo learned how to materialize her idea by interning and gleaning from specialists, sometimes free of charge. Plateful is not her first startup business, it is her third however, she realized that she could not do this business alone. She had to be willing to ask for help and be willing to receive help. According to De Salvo, she had to be willing to work for and with others in order to see success. She recalls working for another female founder whom she admired, free of charge, in exchange for knowledge. “I worked for her for a year and a half without pay,” said De Salvo. “in exchange for resources and exchange for learning.” She states that she worked with other founders and exchanged her skill sets with their skill sets in order to move the needle. She describes these experiences as worth the investment.
Even though De Salvo is presently on an entrepreneurial journey, she describes her earlier aspirations as those involving lights, cameras and action. “In my high school years and college,” said De Salvo “I had aspirations to work in the film industry.” She minored in film production in college and ultimately wanted to work behind the scenes producing and writing. She was able to complete some internships in the field as well as work for the largest casting agency in the midwest. Due to fear and her inability to ask for help with networking, she chose a safe path with a position in the healthcare industry. While working downtown Chicago, she walked past film sets and decided one day to take a leap of faith and apply. Upon applying, she secured a casting opportunity as an extra for Chicago Fire, Season 2. She noticed while there, that every other extra present was an inspiring actor or actress willing to fully dedicate themselves to advancement in the industry. She reflected on how her career and overall life would be different if she did not allow fear or negative self-talk to deter her from pursuing her dreams. Hence the reason, she is presently putting her all into the building and refining of Plateful. “When you are a spiritual person and you believe GOD has a plan for you,” said De Salvo. “you realize that no matter what decision I make I’m going to end up where GOD desires for me to be.”
According to the HR Digest, workers are getting laid off faster than ever and it’s taking a toll on them in more ways than one. The problem has gotten to the point where employees are now planning to quit their jobs of their own volition and start their own businesses instead. A new survey explored Millennial and Gen Z workplace trends, and it found that over 79% of respondents want to leave their jobs and launch their own businesses.
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