Slaying The Dragon

 

 

A South African Billionaire's Battle to Conquer Opioid Addiction

Personal Memoir

Date Published: August 29, 2024

Publisher: Elite Online Publishing

 

Ever wondered what it takes to rise from near-death to extraordinary success? This book is for anyone looking for inspiration, resilience, and powerful business insights.

 

Uncover the dual journey of Antonio Iozzo, who battled addiction while rising as a visionary leader, providing you with the strength to overcome your own challenges. Get inside the mind of a CEO managing a multibillion-rand empire while facing a crippling addiction, so you can apply these lessons to your personal and professional life. Discover the dangers of opioid addiction and the path to recovery, giving you the knowledge to protect yourself and your loved ones. The bravest book you’ll read this year! Gain access to business insights and strategies from one of Africa's top entrepreneurs, enabling you to elevate your own business ventures. Witness an incredible story of overcoming adversity and achieving greatness, inspiring you to tackle your own life's obstacles with renewed vigor.

 

●     Authentic, Best-selling Story: Delve into a narrative backed by guaranteed, proven insights.

●     Secure Journey: Experience a path that is tested and verified.

●     Research-backed Strategies: Gain results-driven strategies supported by thorough research.

●     Ironclad Authenticity: Enjoy a promise of genuine and authentic content.

●     Official and Recession-proof: Trust in a story that withstands economic challenges.

●     Lifetime Account: Benefit from a no-risk, no-questions-asked, money-back assurance.

●     Privacy Protected: Rest assured that your privacy is safeguarded.

 

Don't wait—unlock the secrets to resilience, success, and unparalleled business acumen. Buy now and transform your life today!

 

Antonio Iozzo’s story is a compelling blend of memoir and business wisdom. As the first local business memoir highlighting addiction as a core theme, it sheds light on the emerging Oxy opioid crisis in South Africa and addresses Oxy and Suboxone addiction. Both inspiring and highly informative, the book offers a unique perspective on overcoming addiction while achieving business success.

 

Excerpt

 

I would like to share with you a principle that I apply every day in my personal and business life: the Japanese concept of kaizen. It’s a philosophy that emphasizes making consistent, incremental changes to improve processes, procedures,  products and, perhaps most importantly, oneself.

The importance of continual improvement in business is crucial to success, as it fosters innovation, enhances efficiency and builds resilience. This boosts staff morale,  increases customer satisfaction and retention, and leads to greater profitability.

Applying the principle of continual improvement in our personal lives – by making small incremental changes by prioritising our health – enhances our overall state of well-being and long-term vitality.

When we live a life of continual improvement, we are consistently developing new skills and working on important relationships. This ultimately amplifies our sense of fulfilment and happiness.

If continual improvement were a superhero, its arch nemesis would be complacency. Complacency is the state of being self-satisfied and unconcerned with improving the status quo. Complacency’s friends would be laziness,  denial, procrastination and mediocrity.

Complacency is disastrous for a business. When a company becomes complacent, it stops innovating, fails to recognise market shifts and loses its competitive edge. Failing to continually advance technology and refine customer services often results in a business being outpaced by more agile competitors, leading to declining sales and market share.

In our personal lives, complacency leads to stagnation and missed opportunities. Without the drive to better ourselves, our relationships become strained, our health deteriorates and challenges are left unmet.

Continual improvement requires curiosity, dedication,  resilience and actively working to avoid complacency. It's a principle that I have implemented in my own life and business endeavours.

During my gruelling battle with opioid addiction, there were many days when it felt like I was losing the fight.  Upon reflection, it was the principle of kaizen that inspired me to persevere until the day I would finally be free from this affliction.

I hope that my book inspires you to embrace the principle of continual improvement, to challenge the status quo, to set small incremental goals, and to take the first step towards achieving them.

 

 

About the Author

Antonio Iozzo is a distinguished entrepreneur and business leader known for his exceptional journey from humble beginnings to achieving remarkable commercial success. As the CEO and founder of IUM, Über Property Developments, Body Action Gym, and The 11th Floor Rooftop Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, Antonio leads a R3 billion conglomerate, spanning insurance, construction, hospitality, and the health and wellness sectors.

Antonio's expertise lies in his ability to transform challenges into opportunities, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to continuous growth and making a meaningful impact. His journey began when he had to leave school in Grade 11 to support his family after his father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Despite numerous setbacks, including a failed restaurant venture, Antonio’s resilience shone through as he ventured into the insurance industry, ultimately founding his own brokerage in 1999.

In 2018, Antonio had a near-death accident on his Ducati Panigale superbike at a notoriously dangerous South African racetrack. Despite sustaining significant injuries, including a shattered T7 vertebra, 14 broken ribs, and punctured lungs, medical professionals were incredulous that Antonio had not been left paralysed.

During a series of operations in South Africa and the United States, he was prescribed OxyNorm, the opioid painkiller commonly known as Oxy in the US, where it's been linked to millions of overdose-related deaths. No one in the medical fraternity ever warned Antonio of its highly addictive nature.

Over the next five years, this highly driven businessman grappled with a dual existence. His once magnificent life, built from rags to riches, began to unravel as he consumed copious amounts of Oxy to manage his debilitating back pain, alternating with even more addictive Suboxone to withdraw.

As he expanded his multibillion-rand business empire, Antonio found it increasingly challenging to conceal his inner turmoil. Finally, in a mammoth surge of determination and willpower, Antonio went to battle with the opioid dragon and triumphed.

His incredible story is a testament to his robust spirit and refusal to ever give up. Today he is free of his addiction. As an inspiring leader who believes in leading by example, Antonio continues to motivate his team and countless others with his mantra: “Strive for continual improvement in everything that you do.” His journey serves as an inspiration, proving that with resilience and determination, any challenge can be conquered.

 

Contact Links

Website

Twitter: @antonioiozzo_official

Instagram: @antonioiozzo_official

 

Purchase Link

Amazon