— How a Black Rooster from Florence Taught Us About Entrepreneurship

Last week, Golden Section Venture Fund hosted an founders event, two dozen founders and entrepreneurs came to our Houston office.

On the 25th floor of the ionic Esperson Buildings, an Italian Renaissance historic building at heart of the downtown Houston, I had the privilege of sharing a story, a story that is not just a slice of legend but a rich metaphor for the entrepreneurial journey. It's the tale of the Gallo Nero (Black Rooster), stemming from a rivalry between Florence and Siena. This story perfectly illustrates why, in the world of business, especially for those of us with limited resources, it's essential to "crow a bit earlier."

Chianti Region

Once upon a time in medieval Italy, nestled among the rolling hills of Tuscany, Florence and Siena were two warring city-states locked in a dispute over Chianti.

Chianti region lies between Florence and Siena, a land rolling with hills and dotted with ancient olive groves and cypress trees, is the canvas upon which the art of winemaking has been perfected over centuries.

To end the war, and settle the dispute, Florence and Siena devised a unique competition: each city chose a rooster, whose crow at dawn would signal the moment for two knights from each city-state to ride towards each other as fast as they could. The meeting point would then become the boundary between the two territories.

Florence’s hungry Rooster vs Siena’s well-fed one

Florentine chose a hungry, lean black rooster, it had not enough food, not enough sleep. Always eager to get up to look for worms each morning.

In stark contrast, the white rooster of Siena was pampered by citizens of Siena, the picture of contentment and leisure. Its lush, white feathers and well-fed frame spoke of comfort and ease. On the eve of the great race, this rooster was pampered to the extreme, receiving a Thai massage. It basked in luxury, fed with the finest grains, embodying a relaxed demeanor and a state of blissful ignorance toward the task at hand.

These two roosters, one hungry and focused, the other content and relaxed, the black rooster of Florence, with its unwavering focus and readiness to act, on the other hand, the white rooster of Siena, like a founder raised plenty of capital, comfortable and unhurried.

As the story unfolds, on the designated day, with the earliest light of dawn breaking, the black rooster from Florence stirred awake, eager and fully prepared to crow. Meanwhile, the hefty rooster of Siena remained silent, not uttering a sound until the leisurely hours of brunch. This delay allowed the Florentine knight to commence the race at the crack of dawn, swiftly securing a vast expanse of the prized Chianti territory for Florence.

The Chianti region, now firmly in the hands of Florence, over the centuries, is renowned for producing the world-famous Chianti Sangiovese wine. In commemoration of this historic event, to this very day, every bottle of Chianti wine bears a black rooster emblem at its neck, serving as a timeless reminder of the cunning and strategy that once defined the fate of this illustrious wine-producing area.

This story vividly illustrates that limited resources can be transformed into strengths. Adopt a lean, agile approach and embrace bootstrapping. As entrepreneurs operating on a shoestring budget, you lay the groundwork for a business that thrives on capital efficiency.

So, the next time you uncork a bottle of Chianti, perhaps to pair with liver and fava beans (sound familiar?), think of the hungry black rooster. Much like Florence's victory centuries ago, a fine Chianti today represents the victory of quality and the rewards of hard work — a perfect toast to the entrepreneurial spirit and success.

Stay hungry my friend, and crow a little bit early!

By Isaac Shi
Nov 13, 2023