Daniele was born on September 22, 1984 in Avellino, where he spent the first years of his life. From the beginning, Daniele proved to be an ambitious young man, eager to discover the world and broaden his horizons. This curiosity pushed him to undertake studies in computer engineering at the’University of Sannio in Benevento.
A Pioneer of the Erasmus Programme
Specialization in Rome and the Beginning of a Career
A Courageous Choice: Moving to Australia
The Beginning of a New Life in Hospitality
The Adventure on Australian Farms
Success in the Photovoltaic Sector
Daniele's vision for accessible energy
A Life Dedicated to Passion and Discipline
A Pioneer of the Erasmus Programme
Daniele's academic career took a decisive turn in 2005, when he decided to participate in the program Erasmus, becoming one of the project's forerunners. This leads him to move to Granada, in Spain, where he completed half of his degree at the Polytechnic University. During the 18 months spent in Spain, Daniele not only deepened his technical knowledge, but also opened his mind to new cultures, especially the Muslim one, influenced by strong Moroccan presence in Granada. It's an experience that allows him to learn a new language and that enriches him profoundly.
Specialization in Rome and the Beginning of a Career
After graduating, Daniele moved to Rome to continue his studies. Here, at the’Roma Tre University, obtains a specialist degree in Management Engineering and Automation. During this period, Daniele takes part in a six-month project in France, Rocquencourt, a neighborhood of Versailles. In France, he developed a passion for driving self-driving electric cars, an innovative field that uses sensors for navigation. This internship marked the beginning of his passion for batteries and technology applied to electric vehicles.
A Courageous Choice: Moving to Australia
In 2009, Daniele, despite a permanent contract at a Business Integration Partners In Rome, he senses Italy's economic and political decline, prompting him to seek new opportunities abroad. He decides to leave for Australia, a country he had always dreamed of for its high quality of life and job opportunities. He arrives in Sydney with a Working Holiday Visa, but soon realizes that his visa does not allow him to work in the sector high tech, as he would have hoped.
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The Beginning of a New Life in Hospitality
Forced to reinvent himself, Daniele begins working in the sector’hospitality, a completely new field for him. After numerous rejections, he manages to get a job as a waiter. This period pushes him to learn the basics of catering and to improve his language skills, using his fluent Italian and Spanish to get a job in a government call center dedicated to’energy efficiency.
The Adventure on Australian Farms
After a year spent in Australia, Daniele faces a difficult choice. To continue living in the country that had fascinated him so much, he must obtain a job sponsorship or engage in one of the toughest jobs available: working in the Australian farms. Without hesitation, he decides to face this challenge with the same spirit of adventure that had brought him from Italy to Australia.
In the company of a friend, he sets out on a journey along the East Coast, traveling 16 hours by car, aboard a station wagon adapted for the journey. This vehicle becomes their home on wheels, with an inflatable bed in the back and a few supplies to face the unknown. Their journey, which takes them through Breathtaking landscapes and remote locations, it is the beginning of an experience that will mark them deeply.
After days of travel and stops in small towns, the two reach a working hostel in North Queensland, a region famous for its agriculture and its extensive farms. Here, Daniele joins a community of backpackers From all over the world, all with the same goal: to work hard to extend their stay in Australia. Life in the working hostel is simple but intense, with a rhythm that dictates from dawn to dusk.
He thus began to work on the plantations, dedicating himself to harvest of bananas, avocados, melons and limes. The days are long and tiring, with 11-hour shifts under the scorching Australian sun. The physical work is grueling, unlike anything the boy had ever experienced before. Every day, his hands get rougher and his back gets more painful, but Daniele doesn't give up.
This experience, however, is not just a test of physical endurance. It is also an opportunity for him to test himself, to discover his limits and overcome them. Direct contact with nature and with the rural reality of Australia enriches him with new perspectives and brings him closer to people of different cultures, creating deep bonds based on sharing the difficulties and joys of a simple and hard life.
Despite the hard work, he managed to put aside a considerable sum of money, the fruit of his hard work. But the real treasure he takes with him from this experience is not material.: it's the knowledge that you can face any challenge, that you can adapt and grow even in the most adverse situations. Having returned to Sydney, Daniele is no longer the same. He's a stronger man, more aware of his own abilities, and with a wealth of experiences that will stay with him for the rest of his life.
Success in the Photovoltaic Sector
Returned to Sydney in December 2011, Daniele finally finds the job that will change his life. Thanks to his experience in the call center, he was hired by a company that installed photovoltaic panels, a rapidly growing sector at the time. Daniele started as appointment setter, but his passion and technical knowledge allow him to advance rapidly. Within six months, he becomes the best salesman in the company, turning the sale of solar panels into a real mission.
Daniele Lanzetta at the Top Installer Awards-Australia 2024
Daniele's vision for accessible energy
After years of work experience that saw him excel as an engineer and salesman, he felt the time had come to take a decisive step: becoming an entrepreneur. The idea was born during a global event, the October 28, 2016, when it participates in the launch of the second generation of batteries Tesla Powerwall in Los Angeles, at the Hollywood Studios. The event is hosted by Elon Musk, a figure that Daniele deeply admires, not only for his futuristic vision, but for his ability to transform innovative ideas into concrete reality. This meeting marks a turning point for him, inspiring him to dream big.
Back in Australia, he can't stop thinking about how he could revolutionize the energy industry with his own company. Up until that point, he had always worked for others., gaining experience and honing his skills, but now it was time to put his vision into practice. After much reflection and discussion with a trusted colleague, he decided it was the right time to launch himself into the world of entrepreneurship. Their idea was simple yet powerful: to unite the sale and installation of photovoltaic systems in a single integrated offer, ensuring customers a seamless and hassle-free experience, a true “one-stop shop” for solar energy.
Daniele Lanzetta and his team at Smart Energy Answers at the Christmas party
In a few years, the company expanded rapidly, reaching impressive numbers: over 7,000 residential and commercial installations in less than seven years, with an extensive presence from New South Wales to Victoria and South Australia. The Avellino-born entrepreneur leads a team that has grown from a small five-person team to the current forty-six employees, with a dynamic management style that reflects his entrepreneurial vision. Offshoring of administrative functions This is a strategy adopted by Daniele to optimize the operational management of his company. He transferred some of his administrative tasks, typically the most repetitive and less strategic ones, to a team of Manila, in the Philippines. This has allowed Smart Energy Answers to be more competitive in the market, improving profit margins and ensuring resources are invested in key areas for the company's growth and development.
But for Daniele, Smart Energy Answers is not just a company. It is the result of years of work, dreams and sacrifices. It's a project that reflects his passion for sustainable energy and his determination to make a difference in the world. He sees his business as a way to give back to society, offering solutions that not only reduce energy costs but also contribute to a greener and more sustainable future.
As time goes by, Daniele becomes the sole manager of his company, after his partner decides to move to Bali. However, despite its growth and success, it remains deeply attached to its original vision: create a company that is not just a workplace, but a family, where every team member feels valued and part of something bigger. For him, his company is more than a business; it's a life mission, a way to harness his inner energy and passion for innovation.
Smart Energy Answers Headquarters - Sydney, Australia
A Life Dedicated to Passion and Discipline
For the entrepreneur, the success achieved with Smart Energy Answers is just one part of a larger life, dedicated to passion and discipline. Every day starts early, with a routine that reflects her commitment to self-care and maintaining a balance between mind, body, and spirit. Dawn finds him already active, with an extract of celery, lemon, and cayenne pepper to kick off the day, followed by a rigorous workout that combines boxing, weights, a sauna, and a Turkish bath. This daily ritual isn't just about physical health, but a way to sharpen concentration and determination which he applies in every aspect of his life, from work to personal relationships.
Despite his entrepreneurial success and numerous work commitments, Daniele considers his greatest accomplishment to be a dedicated and dedicated father to his two children, Annaliese and Lucas, aged 11 and 9. Maintaining a balance between work and family life is a fundamental principle for him. Daniele is committed to being a role model for his children, instilling in them the essential values of family and Italian roots, including the language. Although Annaliese and Lucas were born in Australia, they both hold Italian citizenship, and Daniele ensures that, almost every year, they have the opportunity to return to Italy to visit their grandparents and aunts, thus strengthening their connection to their cultural heritage and origins.
Daniele with Annaliese and Lucas
Daniele knows that the secret of his success lies not only in his technical or entrepreneurial skills, but also in this constant attention to balance and personal growth. The discipline he applies to his private life is reflected in the way he manages his company, always with an eye on continuous improvement and innovation. Every goal achieved is never considered a point of arrival, but a new starting point towards even more ambitious goals.
For him, living means dedicating himself passionately to what he loves, without ever losing sight of the importance of being present for those around him. His work is not just a means of earning a living, but a mission, a “purpose in life”, as he likes to call it. It is a commitment to making the world a better place, one step at a time, through clean and sustainable energy. As he looks to the future, Daniele knows he will continue to invest in what truly matters: personal growth, innovation, and the well-being of the people who work alongside him. Because, ultimately, True success is what is built day after day, with dedication, passion and unwavering discipline..
