18 Sep Short Training Session in Paris and recent months (by MakeSense)

Our short training session in Paris happened on June 15th. At 9.30 am, we are waiting for last arrivals. A welcome word, a few mutual and shy introductions and our 1st workshop begins : getting to know each other… Tough mission, in a group composed of people coming from different places, with names that each of us has to learn how to pronounce. Embarassment but also laugh and fun fill up the room. « If you need to repeat my name 5 times so you pronounce it right, no big deal ! » Interesting how no matter what is people’s culture, they can share a common way of being introduced and laugh about the same thing : the ice is broken.

Later, we reflect on the ideal entrepreneur : what is an ideal entrepreneur and what does he or she have as external resources ?

Little groups, drawings, oral reports : each of us has different ideas but there is a common vision. The entrepreneur is flexible and able to grab opportunities. To complete this vision, we are then introduced to the Lean Start-up methodology : how to prototype, test and iterate your idea ? How can we avoid to become « bedroom entrepreneurs » ? We close the day by a training to pitching. People can be fascinated by your idea if you present it right.

From one country to the other, one city to the other, one social background to the other, people are not sensitive to the same things and arguments : how to be an entrepreneur in France ? What are the rules and codes ? How do you speak to partners, clients or users ? How do you finance your projects ? How to understand the maze of existing institutions ? These are few of the many topics the entrepreneurs will have to learn about in the next months and years. So how can we make it easier and facilitate this process ?

For 6 months, the entrepreneurs will meet for several smaller trainings, meetings and workshops, to make sure our action along with them is sustainable and reassuring. They are the ones doing, we are just a support they can lean on

We believe in each other and together, we can create tomorrow’s society !