G’day everyone — welcome back to Rule of Reason.

In this episode, I’m in beautiful Samoa sitting down with Giovanni, the warm and unforgettable face behind one of the island’s most loved Italian restaurants, Paddles.

Giovanni’s story is one of identity, culture, and the surprising paths life takes when family makes a decision you don’t agree with — at least not at first. He grew up surrounded by hospitality, with an Italian father (from a village near Venice) and a Samoan mother (from Savai’i). After years living in Italy — studying, building a career, and living what felt like his “real” life — Giovanni was suddenly told the family was moving back to Samoa.

At first, he didn’t want to be there. He compared everything to Italy. He felt like his career had been taken from him. But over time, that resistance softened — and what began as frustration became a new home, a new mission, and a new understanding of what real wealth is.

In this conversation we talk about:

• Growing up Samoan–Italian and what that shaped in him
• Living almost three decades in Italy and thinking he’d stay forever
• The shock of being told: “We’re moving back to Samoa”
• How a family lease, a big risk, and a mother’s vision became a restaurant legacy
• Why Giovanni believes people are the real wealth — not money
• The power of gratitude, positivity, and choosing the next minute well
• A message to young people: don’t waste opportunities, and don’t miss real life by staring down at a phone

If you’ve ever felt torn between two places… stuck between who you were and who you’re becoming… or forced into a change you didn’t choose — I think you’ll get something out of this one.

If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs a reminder that meaning is found in people.

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