Freshness Through Closeness: Why Getting Closer Changes Everything

Effective leaders don’t lead from afar - they stay close.

Close to their teams.

Close to their customers.

Close to the everyday realities that shape meaningful decisions.

Michele Ferrero, founder of the Ferrero Group (Nutella, Kinder etc.), understood this instinctively. He famously imagined his ideal customer as “Signora Valeria” - a symbolic figure representing the mothers, grandmothers, and aunts who made daily purchasing choices. To Ferrero, she wasn’t just a consumer - she was the CEO of his business.

It was a deeply human approach. Ferrero once said, “Valeria is sacred, you have to study her thoroughly, carefully and never improvise.”  His closeness to “Signora Valeria” shaped everything - from product development to packaging to seasonal availability. For example, Ferrero chose to withdraw chocolate products from shelves during the summer months to avoid disappointing customers with melted products. A bold move - prioritising long-term trust over short-term profit. An act of empathy rooted in proximity.

This closeness also enabled him to keep his thinking fresh. Freshness isn’t just about introducing new ideas. It’s about adopting new ways of seeing and engaging with others. His willingness to experiment - with flavours, formats, and packaging - reflected an openness to being surprised, challenged, and inspired by what customers truly wanted. 

Closeness is a both a tactical and strategic tool. It helps leaders and teams stay relevant, energised, and focused on the customer.

What’s one thing you can do this week to get closer to your team or customers to change your business for the better?

Sources: Michele Ferrero, Ms Valeria and everything you need to know about modern marketing | Warp 7