AT WORK

Wake up time

I wake up around 7 a.m. but I stay at least 20 minutes in bed, listening to radio and reading my mails.

My pedigree pro

I have worked for 8 years in a fashion retail before starting Smallable: at Dim and at Lancel, where I was responsible marketing. Fashion and design have always been my passion and my ambition was to work in those areas because I knew I would love it.

After a few years, I wanted to become more independent, create my own business and the idea of a concept store was in my head for a long time…

How did you get the idea of creating your business?

My friends all around me who started to have their first child and less time to see 6 or 7 shops with a baby stroller to find something beautiful.

Many pretty things already existed, but few were really distributed. That’s why I had the idea to gather all those creators from all around the world in one place and to create a world for children – for their clothes, their rooms and to entertain them too!

This second professional life – everybody wants it, but not everyone decides to have it: how did you do it?

I always knew I wanted to have my own business, I don’t really know why but I thought of it since I was 15. It’s probably because of this strong desire for independence, for creating things by my own and my adventure spirit…

A typical day

I start my day between 7 and 7:30 a.m., my son takes his breakfast, my husband and I take a lemon juice and a coffee! Then, my husband or I take my son to school and we go directly to the office, where we arrive about 9 a.m.

My days are very different: if we are in a purchase period, I can spend the whole day outside at showrooms or trade shows. If not, then I’m more in a creation area, working on our own brand, on a marketing web, analyzing the traffic, with developers to validate a new version of the website, or with our CEO with numbers… It varies all the time and that’s why it’s so exciting.

But every Monday we have a ritual – a group meeting, where everyone shares his project, results or goals. Then I have a lunch with my husband and our CEO, it’s an important moment to share the ideas and talk about business development.

I get home around 7:30 p.m.

Do you work from home?

It all depends. I used to work almost all evenings and very often on weekends too. Now I have a really good team that I can count on. So our weekends are for us!

Your worst memories? The most beautiful moments?

Being an entrepreneur is a way full of steps and obstacles. It’s really like on a roller coaster, with ups, very high, a lot of satisfaction, that boost and enables us to reach the stars, but also with some difficult moments where you have to cope with problems and solve them.

You really need to be very strong and know how to manage problems every day.

Your advices for those who want to have their own business?

A good idea that is not too exploited and then a good market research. A realistic business plan. Talking to as many people as possible who could help and save you a lot of time. Not to be afraid of being open about your own projects. Sometimes taking a 30 minutes coffee break with a right person can save you a lot of time and help you to avoid future mistakes.

What did you learn from your own mistakes?

To always follow my intuition, a real radar!

Sometimes it’s better to wait and not to rush, being very patient.

Next challenge?

Create Smallable abroad.

Are you online 24/24h?

I try not to in the evening, it’s better for me to read a good book rather than visiting websites and Instagram profiles. I really feel the need to limit being online in the evening.

The most personal thing at your office?

The portrait of myself that my son has created during his pottery classes.

A “Slow life” thing?

Spending a whole day without any phone/ipad/computer.  A real detox day that makes you feel good!

Who did you want to be as a child?

A detective like the one in “Alice” books from la Bibliothèque Verte.

Your mantra?

“It’s not because things are difficult that we don’t dare them, it’s because we don’t dare them that they become difficult” Seneca

Discover the rest of my universe HERE