6 SUCCESSFUL ONLINE WOMENPRENEURS IN GENEVA TELL IT LIKE IT IS…
Tired of office gossip and your egomaniacal boss? Keen to follow your passion with your own online business? Want to work from the beach or your garden and have the freedom to come and go as you like?
We ask 6 of Geneva’s successful online entrepreneurs to share their successes, failures and top tips.
PRÊT À PARLER – ONLINE FRENCH SCHOOL
Isabelle Nicolas-Johnson
Find out more about Prêt à Parler
Link to Isabelle on Linked in
WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN GENEVA?
I am originally from Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada. I have been living and working in Geneva – Versoix for around 5 years. We received our Permis C in December 2019.
WHAT IS THE CRUX OF THE BUSINESS?
Prêt à Parler means “Ready to Talk”. Our mission is to help English-speaking expats better integrate French in their everyday life to obtain their Permis C and Swiss Naturalisation. Our clients are busy professionals and parents with limited free time who appreciate our quality, eco-friendly, flexible, fun, no-nonsense approach to learning French online!
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
After spending almost four years in Munich, Germany, performing opera and teaching French and English for various language schools, my life changed. We moved to Switzerland for my husband’s job. I wasn’t allowed to work in a language school until I had a Swiss work permit, so I started giving private French and English lessons. My clients loved my teaching, so in January 2015, I launched Prêt à Parler!
HOW HAS PRÊT À PARLER GROWN?
I’m delighted with how things have progressed since I started! It was not easy and I worked really hard to get to where I am now. Until January 2018, it was only me. When I got pregnant, I switched to online teaching and appointed a virtual assistant to take care of admin and IT. I was afraid my clients wouldn’t follow me, but they were willing to try and… they loved it! Before having Arthur, I appointed two teachers I had trained to take over my lessons.
I felt like giving up on a daily basis during this time.
All was going very well until… my husband Sam lost his job just before my son was born. I also found out I was pregnant again soon after having him! I struggled with the new pressures of motherhood, entrepreneurship, and providing for my family. My business was not making much profit yet, my husband hadn’t found a job and I was exhausted.
I felt like giving up on a daily basis during this time. However, that was also the catalyst to my business expansion. Whilst sharing the task of caring for our son, my husband developed Prêt à Parler’s e-learning platform, so I could spend more time on business development, recruitment and marketing. I had a small promotional budget, but was lucky enough to cross paths with inspiring, generous womenpreneurs who agreed to exchange their services for French lessons, enabling me to grow organically.
Following the great article about us on TTDIG, business boomed and has never stopped since! My team has since grown to 12 Prêt à Parler collaborators (customer service specialist, chief of operations, web designer, IT specialist, SEO and social media specialist and 7 super profs. There is still so much to do, but I couldn’t be happier with the way my business is growing!
HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES?
As an expat who experienced first-hand what it feels like to learn a language while living abroad, I created Prêt à Parler to help clients overcome language barriers.
My opera training has allowed me to develop a unique way to explain French pronunciation from an English-speaking perspective. All our teachers are native French speakers who speak English at a high level.
Online learning allows clients to enjoy French lessons whenever and wherever is most convenient for them, fostering efficient work to make real progress happen much faster. Learning online with Prêt à Parler is the ideal solution to get things done and prepare for success despite the Coronavirus situation!
WHAT EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING DID YOU HAVE BEFORE STARTING THE BUSINESS?
I am a professional opera singer and did a Bachelor and Master’s degrees in opera and languages at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. I have no background in finance, marketing or IT whatsoever, which means I had to learn these skills sur le tas (on the job)!
My francophone background (my mother is Belgian, my father is French, I was born and raised in Quebec, and I now live in Switzerland!) and multilingualism made me the teacher and entrepreneur that I am.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT PART?
Being pregnant for two years in a row?!
No, seriously, finding the right people to work with in order to create my super team!
Also, optimising the processes and improving the design of my website is a huge work in progress. It can be discouraging at times because there is no end to it, but that is also the beauty of having your own business!
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING AN ONLINE ENTREPRENEUR?
The flexibility of working any time and from anywhere I want, with whomever I want on this planet, and doing things my way!
WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE?
I’m a bit of a workaholic! I can’t stop thinking about how to improve my business and therefore feel like I work all the time as I can’t stop my brain running. It is exhausting and I really have to schedule moments in my day to rest, something which is still a challenge.
WHAT ISSUES DO WOMENPRENEURS FACE?
There is no infallible recipe for success. You can work like crazy and not make any money. I think being a male or female entrepreneur in my field doesn’t make any difference. In the end, what matters is the quality services you provide and the way you present your business to attract the right target market.
HOW DO YOU JUGGLE YOUR FAMILY LIFE AND YOUR WORK?
I am a mum of two adorably tiring babies under two, Arthur Leonidas and Victoria Rose. They are my joy and the loves of my life.
I gave birth to my daughter Victoria on my birthday, 18 September, when business was booming. I trained a new customer service specialist a week before she was born because… I had to! Her name is Lovely Isabelle and I knew she was the right fit for my company when I read her name on her application! The night before Victoria’s birth, I worked until 2 AM to “get things done” and my husband thought I was crazy! Grit, resilience, hard work: this is how I would describe my parcours as a mumpreneur so far!
YOUR TIPS FOR OTHER WOMENPRENEURS?
Invest in what you do best and never stop believing in yourself.
Don’t look back or worry about competitors. (They’ll never be able to recreate what you do, because you have your own, unique way to make the magic happen!)
Surround yourself with positive, like-minded people who want you to thrive and will inspire you.
Support other expat women! By allocating high quality virtual resources to a limited budget, I was able to grow my business at lower cost whilst supporting other women.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO IN GENEVA?
Swimming and sunbathing around Lac Léman, with or without the babies! It feels like la Côte d’Azur in the summer!
WHAT DON’T PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I love hosting and attending tea parties! I have also had a brief career as a curvy model for Brigitte Models in Germany and did a runway show in Madrid! In 2017, I had the chance to sing with the UN Singers of Geneva and NYC during their Peace and Unification Music Tour of Japan and South Korea.
PETIT MARCHÉ – ONLINE APP SELLING QUALITY SECONDHAND ITEMS
ANNA DE CHABONEIX
Get the app here
Link to Anna on Linked In
WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN GENEVA?
I am originally from Denmark, where I grew up. I arrived in Geneva a little more than 3 years ago and before that I also lived in Verbier, NYC and Hong Kong.
WHAT IS THE CRUX OF THE BUSINESS?
As a parent you realise how many things you accumulate at home that are still in a great condition and you don’t know what to do with it and at the same time you have to buy new things all the time as your children grow and seasons change. The purpose of Petit Marché is to make it easy, efficient and appealing for parents to buy and sell secondhand for their kids within their city.
HOW HAS PETIT MARCHÉ GROWN?
I launched Petit Marche 1 year ago, but before that I spent more than 1 year on the planning and development. The app has grown a lot since the launch and it continues to grow every day, but the challenge of a marketplace is that you need to attract the buyers as well as the sellers, which is the challenge of the chicken and the egg. You need to reach that critical mass of buyers and sellers for it to really start working.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
I felt that there was no easy way for parents in Switzerland to buy and sell secondhand for kids. Of course you have platforms such as Facebook marketplace, but the things you see for sale are so random. I wanted to create a solution which makes it possible to find exactly what you are looking for. You also have platforms like Anibis, but I don’t think it is very appealing to buy and sell clothes and things for children on a site where you can also buy and sell tires, refrigerators and so on.
HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES?
I wanted to create a solution that was more appealing and efficient than existing platforms. I believe I can do that with a marketplace specialised only in children’s items.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT THING ABOUT RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?
The most difficult part has been to launch an app without having any tech background or experience, which means that I am incredibly dependent on my developer. My first challenge was to find the right developer, but how do you evaluate who is the right developer when you don’t have the skills yourself? If ever there is a bug or issue with the app I cannot fix it myself, but I am dependent on someone else, which can be very difficult. With time, as the app is growing, I will have to partner up with someone who can manage that part of the app.
WHAT EDUCATION AND TRAINING DID YOU HAVE BEFORE STARTING YOUR BUSINESS?
I have a bachelor in communication and organisational theory and a master in international business. After completing my master I worked as a consultant in business development in NYC. I worked with a wide range of Danish companies planning their entry into the US market, which provided me with a lot of experience of how to build up a business. However I did not have any tech background, which means that it has been a steep learning curve for me to create Petit Marche.
WHAT IS THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING AN ONLINE ENTREPRENEUR?
It has been a very steep learning curve, but I see this as positive and I find it amazing to explore and learn new things every day. For the moment I am on my own, which means I am in charge of every single aspect of managing and growing the app and I really enjoy the variety of my work.
WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE?
That again must be my lack of technical skills, which makes me so dependent on my developer. I hope that with time I can obtain a better understanding of development and coding, which means that I can be more involved in this side of the business as well. I don’t have any ambition of doing the coding myself, but just to have an understanding of it.
WHAT ISSUES DO WOMENPRENEURS FACE?
It completely depends on the type of business and also your setup. Starting a business always comes with a lot of risk, whether you are a woman or a man, but you always have to believe in your idea, also on the days where you are facing a lot of challenges. For female entrepreneurs I know that it has previously been more difficult to raise investment, but the good thing is that there is more and more focus on this and I think today it is becoming easier, not saying that it is easy…
YOUR TIPS FOR OTHER WOMENPRENEURS?
One of my challenges has been that I wanted everything to be perfect before moving forward. But sometimes it is better to move forward, even though you feel some ends might be missing, but you can complete them along the way. And most of the time you have to make adjustments as you realise that things are not as you expected.
HOW DO YOU JUGGLE FAMILY LIFE WITH YOUR BUSINESS?
Yes I have 2 children and a 3rd one on the way. Managing my time between my business and my children is definitely one of my biggest challenges and I still have not found the perfect balance, as I always feel like I am either abandoning my kids or my business. My time is very organised and then I try to get the most out of the time I have and tell myself that I cannot do more than that.
ARE YOU MAKING A PROFIT – HOW LONG BEFORE YOU BROKE EVEN?
No I am not making a profit yet, but I knew from the beginning that with a marketplace you do not make a profit right away.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT GENEVA?
I think Geneva is a perfect city for families. It is a proper city which means that you have access to everything (not every hour of the day though…), it is quite small so it is easy to get around and then on top of it you have the lake and the mountains so close.
WHAT DO YOU HATE ABOUT GENEVA?
I don’t know whether there is something I hate, but I do miss the level of service from NYC, where everything is possible 24/7! And then I sometimes miss some of the cool vibe from Copenhagen…
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO IN GENEVA?
I love to go for a run around the lake early in the morning during summer…
WHAT DON’T PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I hated skiing my whole life until the day I moved to Verbier where I forced myself to learn. I would not say that I have become a good skier, but I have come to really enjoy it!
THE GREEN CONDOM CLUB – natural latex vegan condoms
GABRIELLE LODS
Find out more about The green condom club
Link to Gabrielle on Linked in.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN GENEVA?
I am from Rolle (canton de Vaud) and I’ve been living in Geneva since the beginning of 2011.
WHAT IS THE CRUX OF THE BUSINESS?
Healthy fun without toxic chemicals. We create, manufacture and sell vegan condoms without harmful ingredients. Our condoms are safe and reliable, don’t smell and are hypoallergenic.
HOW HAS THE GREEN CONDOM CLUB GROWN?
I started the project as a side joke next to my cloth diapers business (www.sustainabum.com) to attract more guys on the website. I launched on December 1st 2015. I first began by selling monthly subscriptions of Glyde condoms in one size. It grew so we added more sizes, packs of 3 and 10 and in May 2017, we launched our own condom brand “Green Condom Club” with our own formulation. We have now over 50 shops distributing the condoms in several countries and are signing deals for distribution with larger chains (more updates to come in Q2). It’s doing great! We have 3 full time equivalent people in the team. The aim is to keep operations tight and efficient as we grow and so far we are managing 🙂
HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESS?
Condoms are a class II medical device. By law, manufacturers do not have the obligation to list the ingredients used. Given how and where the condoms are used, I absolutely think we should know what they are made of (hint: it’s not only latex!). If you pay attention to what’s in your face cream, you should definitely investigate what is in your condoms!
We list and explain every ingredient used in our condoms (only company in Europe to do so). Also, we do not use any animal ingredients as many regular brand use casein (the milk protein) to make the latex smoother and finer. It is what gives the condoms this sour smell and taste. We have managed to have the same effect just by raising the production temperature slightly.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION, TRAINING TO PREPARE FOR STARTING THE BUSINESS?
I have a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from EPFL, a Master in Management from ETHZ and am a certified Project Management Professional by PMI. Before starting my business, I worked for Toyota and DuPont and did a lot of volunteering. These experiences gave me a solid understanding of the business processes needed to set up a large international project. I am fortunate to have acquired a broad skillset, it’s been very helpful, especially in the early days of the business.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?
I’d say 2 things come to mind: Maintaining a healthy work-life balance and cashflow management. Since I can work whenever from wherever, I run the risk of never stopping: there are always so many things on the to-do list! Setting up a healthy routine with boundaries and enforcing it has been key to my well-being. In terms of cashflow management, it’s definitely been a challenge in the early days… especially as a single women living in one of the most expensive city in the world. The obvious difficulties of juggling money are nothing next to the mental stress of never be sure you can make rent. Addressing this challenge has sometime meant taking a part-time job to make ends meet or accepting help from family and friends when things were too tight.
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING AN ONLINE ENTREPRENEUR?
My business is set up so I can work from anywhere. I regularly travel for a couple of weeks and go kitesurfing while managing the business remotely.
WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE?
It takes a special kind of effort to maintain relationships and keep the networking alive. However, I’ve found a balance that really works for me and I am pretty sure I could never go back to the 9-to-5 grind!
WHAT ARE ISSUES FACING WOMENPRENEURS?
Finding your niche and making enough money with it to support yourself and your team. Business plans often tell a wonderful story but the reality can be quite different. In Switzerland, I don’t think entrepreneur are recognised and supported enough. There is no “failure culture” like in the US and starting on your own can be a lonely endeavour.
YOUR TIPS FOR OTHER WOMENPRENEURS?
Surround yourself with people who believe in your project. Make sure you have a way of paying your bills for twice as long as you think you’ll need it. Fight the stereotypes by showing up and delivering. Plan time to recharge: you’ll be useless for your business if you burn out.
ARE YOU MAKING A PROFIT– HOW LONG BEFORE YOU BROKE EVEN?
Yes I am making a profit. We were break even very quickly but I could only pay myself a decent salary since the beginning of 2019.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT GENEVA?
The amazing cultural offer: there is always an interesting show, a fun activity happening.
WHAT DO YOU HATE ABOUT GENEVA?
The love for conformity and the lack of innovation of both the major industries and the public powers in place.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO IN GENEVA?
Cold water swimming at Les Bains des Pâquis! Excellent break from work and fantastic to come back in the body if I am too much in my head 🙂
‘Y’ COACHING AND CONSULTING – focusing on Digital leadership (also founder of Women in Digital)
Taisa Thierry Chaves
Find out more about Taissa
Link with Taissa on LinkedIn
Find out about Women in Digital Switzerland
WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN GENEVA?
I’m half French half Brazilian and I’ve been in Geneva for 10 years.
WHAT IS THE CRUX OF YOUR BUSINESS?
I’m a certified executive and career coach specialised in digital leadership, change management and interpersonal communications. My mission is to help individuals and companies acquire the right culture, skills and behaviours to be successful in the digital age.
HOW HAS THE BUSINESS GROWN?
I started 3 years ago. I recently downsized my services to better reflect my ambitions and passions, as well as to better cater to my clients’ needs. It has gained in clarity and performance.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
I called my company ‘Y’ Coaching and Consulting because it always starts with a ‘why’, focusing on the vision for the future, and capitalising on current assets. We are all facing human and technical challenges brought by the intensive digital transformation. I felt the need to help companies and individuals achieve performance acceleration in the digital era with humanity.
HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES?
I have 20 years of experience in the field of marketing and digital transformation in various sectors. My coaching certification as well as my specialization in digital provide my clients with a very comprehensive skills set and the right attitude.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION, TRAINING TO PREPARE FOR THE BUSINESS?
I studied foreign languages as well as marketing and management at la Sorbonne and Oxford. I took several courses and trainings in digital marketing, and above all I learned by doing, the best school in digital
WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART ABOUT RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?
Promoting myself as a business and career coach. Many people would tell me that I should not say that I was a coach, because I was ‘much more than that’. Since the profession is not protected there are many people out there who are not trained and certified and call themselves ‘coach’, when they are in fact consultants or mentors or else.
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING AN ONLINE ENTREPRENEUR?
Less barriers, and lots of room for creativity and impact even with not many resources.
WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE?
Nothing beats a meeting in person, getting to know your community, peers and potential clients in real life.
WHAT ARE ISSUES FACING ENTREPRENEURS AND WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS?
For women entrepreneurs: access to funding and equal opportunities. Being able to say out loud they are experts and own it. For all entrepreneurs: thrive in and enjoy doing business development, making the right choices in terms of investments, beat the feeling of solitude, keep determination and develop a solid network.
YOUR TIPS FOR OTHER WOMENPRENEURS?
You don’t have to know everything to be an expert. You don’t need to fear competition, instead work on your USP and customer satisfaction and experience. Last, entrepreneurs do not need to give up everything including their personal life and mental well-being in order to succeed.
HOW DO YOU JUGGLE FAMILY LIFE WITH YOUR BUSINESS?
I know where are my priorities and my family is very important. As an entrepreneur I learned to make choices and be fulfilled with them in the long term. I think the answer is mindfulness and presence for whatever I’m doing, to be fully present.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT GENEVA?
It’s very clean, lots of green spaces, and the restaurants are great.
WHAT DO YOU HATE ABOUT GENEVA?
The traffic!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO IN GENEVA?
Walk by the lake, swim in the Rhone.
WHAT DON’T PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I’m an amateur singer, I am fond of alternative therapies and meditation.
I’m also the founder and president of Women in Digital Switzerland a community of 4’500 members that’s active throughout Switzerland. Active throughout Switzerland with a community of more than 4’000 members, WDS aims to connect all women working in digital, through thought leadership, networking, and best practices sharing.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN GENEVA?
I’m from Stratford upon Avon in the UK and have been living in Geneva since 30 years.
WHAT IS THE CRUX OF THE BUSINESS?
I’ve created a niche organic skincare company different from other organic brands. I hack the world’s top skincare products and use the same power ingredients they use (the natural ones only) and replace the chemical ingredients with ancient botanicals proven in clinical tests to produce long term results in anti-ageing and healing of skin problems such as dry skin, itching, patches and allergies.
I’ve taken it upon myself to educate women about the dangers of what they are putting on their skin and to expose the toxic beauty industry in an effort to initiate change.
HOW HAS SKIN TONIQ GROWN?
I started from scratch in 2017, spent the best part of 2 years learning how to set up a business and systems and formulating and testing products with the help of a well-known biochemistry lab. I started selling moisturising soap to start with in 2017.
Since completing my range (serums, body oils, shampoos, scrubs and masks) a year ago my business has not stopped growing and is gaining a lot of momentum through word of mouth. Swiss Toniq is not only available in Switzerland but also in the US, Canada, Europe and Korea now.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
I had been a showjumping rider, horse trainer and breeder my entire life and represented the UK at International level a few times. For the past couple of years I had started to dream of doing something else as in my forties I was getting physically tired of riding so many horses, competing and delivering foals at night but I didn’t know how to do anything else and felt stuck.
Then like a blessing in disguise, I broke my spine in a horse fall early 2017 and was bedridden for months.
Up til then I had only played at making homemade products for myself and family and then certain friends who came to me with skin issues they couldn’t get rid of. Organic skincare was becoming a big passion for me along side my horses.
I chose to use my accident recovery time to intensify my botanical and skincare studies and once I accidentally uncovered the forgotten benefits of raw ancient plants and started testing them on friends and saw such remarkable results, I became passionate that I needed to share this with as many women as possible, as women have no idea how to reverse ageing naturally and tend to use useless and harmful products on their skin, so I gave up my horse business, stopped horse riding and launched Swiss Toniq Geneva.
HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES?
My USP is that, unlike all other existing organic skincare brands,
- I use zero bulking/filler oils or water so my products are highly concentrated and you only need to use a little.
- All ingredients are raw, meaning uncooked, unbleached and untreated to they contain 80% more nutrients than all other brands.
- I use zero chemicals, most other brands who claim to be organic/pure/natural actually use 5 to 10 percent chemicals and this is legal even in eco-cert certified brands!
WHAT EDUCATION, TRAINING DID YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR STARTING THE BUSINESS?
I left school at 16 to pursue my equestrian career and have no business background whatsoever. I’ve spent my life outdoors with the horses so when I finished my botanical studies and launched my company I realised I had no business sense or experience and had to take on literally hundreds of coaching courses to learn every aspect of business in a short time. It was fairly daunting and seemed never ending what I needed to learn still.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART ABOUT RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?
One of the most difficult things in the beginning was the nay-sayers, I had to learn fast not to listen to them. Close friends and family mean well and think they know what’s best for you but they often don’t, so learning to shut that noise out and not be influenced by peoples opinions was imperative.
Another difficult thing was finance. There were a lot more hidden costs than I had not anticipated so I ended up wearing too many hats trying to do everything myself to economise. My advice for anyone taking the entrepreneurial path is to get a professional to go through the financial planning part with you before you start.
The most difficult thing was the time I had invest. For the first 2 and a half years I worked and studied literally day and night with maximum 6 hours sleep a night, all weekends and holidays included and the only time I was not working I was trying to be the perfect mother to my daughter. There was very little ‘me’ time and my friends and relationships suffered accordingly.
WHAT IS THE MOST ENJOYABLE PART OF BEING AN ONLINE ENTREPRENEUR?
Having the freedom to decide to do what I want, when I want and the excitement of all the possibilities online is simply limitless. If you’re anything like me and love being alone and working alone, this is very pleasant.
I also like the fact that if ever I’m ill in bed I don’t lose time, I just bring my computer under the sheets and the day is not lost. It’s amazing how much we can get done staying in bed lol!
WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE?
The fact that digital giants like Facebook and Google can change algorithms and rules when and how they please, leaving us rather vulnerable.
Another dislike is online bugs. When your password, or a link or software decides to misbehave and you can’t get access or fix a digital problem, which leads you to lose a whole afternoon. In those moments I feel frustrated and powerless.
WHAT ISSUES DO WOMENPRENEURS FACE?
Funding is probably a big issue and Switzerland is not as forthcoming to finance foreign start-ups as opposed to the US for example. Staff is another problem in Switzerland. When you start a new business and have limited funds, it’s not easy to pay Swiss salaries.
As a women entrepreneur I would say balancing work and being a mother is the hardest obstacle if you aspire to doing both well. When you have to constantly break your work day up between school trips, after school activities, meals, bath and bed times, not to mention when your child is ill, it becomes hard to accomplish tasks that need time investment.
YOUR TIPS FOR WOMENPRENEURS?
For me, 30 minutes meditation a day has been a life saver and enabled me to control stress, worry and fear. I resisted getting into mediation for years and years with excuses like it’s not my thing, it’s not for me and I can’t do it but once I started I very quickly felt the benefits. I think everybody should meditate.
Another great tip I swear by is to take a pen and paper (not keyboard) and 30 minutes of time each week to write down personal and business goals and dreams in detail. I’m not sure how writing them down brings so much focus and clarity but it does.
HOW DO YOU JUGGLE YOUR FAMILY WITH YOUR BUSINESS?
I am a mother to my 11 year old daughter whom I’ve raised alone since she was a year old. That alone is not terribly easy when you live abroad and do not have family near to support you. My daughter is the most important thing in my life and I try to always put her first so I have to wake up extra early, work late at night once she’s in bed and be extremely organised with my schedule to work around her.
ARE YOU MAKING A PROFIT – HOW LONG BEFORE YOU BROKE EVEN?
It took me 2 years to make money, despite planning to get there in 1 year. I put this down to the fact that I did not have a business partner or any business knowledge and had to not only do everything myself but to learn everything as I went along so it took way longer than planned.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT GENEVA?
From the day I first moved here in 1990, I loved it immediately. I love the weather (most of the time), the hygiene, order and efficiency and I love that it is a fairly safe place. I love the lake and the lifestyle that’s based around the lake and I love the small close by airport that makes weekend travel so easy. I also love that it’s so International and that you can meet many different and interesting people.
WHAT DO YOU HATE ABOUT GENEVA?
Hate is not word I use but some things I wish were different here are the high drinking and dining out prices, the ‘stiffness’ of the Swiss in general and the traffic congestion.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO IN GENEVA?
I love doing anything connected with the lake, this can be water sports, sunbathing, dinning, boating or walking.
WHAT DON’T PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I’m fascinated by neuroscience and how we can heal our bodies and achieve almost anything we desire using our thoughts. A few years ago I got into plant medicine, meditation, self hypnosis, visualisation and breathing techniques which has opened the door to an entire new world of understanding.
THINGS TO DO IN GENEVA – MEDIA AND CONTENT MARKETING PLATFORM
CHENÉ KOSCIELNY
Read our homepage
Link to Chené on LinkedIn
WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN GENEVA?
I’m South African and have lived in Geneva for nearly 5 years. I’ve lived in Berlin, Paris and London before moving here.
WHAT IS THE CRUX OF THE BUSINESS?
Thingstodoingeneva is a media and content marketing platform – aimed at offering English speakers in Geneva and people visiting the city up-to-date, interesting information about fun things to do and see in the city – The content is engaging, personal, cheeky and subjective.
At the same time, we offer companies a rare opportunity to reach the Anglophone audience in Geneva through targeted sponsored posts and other forms of publicity on the website.
Alongside the site, we offer strategic content marketing and copywriting services to companies and organisations, including Geneva Tourism, Ville de Carouge and Ville de Geneve.
HOW HAS THINGS TO DO IN GENEVA GROWN?
It started as a blog with a friend, but I transformed it into a business two years ago after my partner left because it soon became clear that there was a real need for this type of information and a concrete business opportunity.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
It was not started as a business, but as a blog aimed at sharing our passion for the city. I believe we still do that – just on a more professional level. Through very targeted online copywriting with a good understanding of on page SEO – we have turned the blog into a content marketing platform offering a combination of sponsored posts and non-sponsored content we think the audience will love.
HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES?
We don’t compete with lifestyle blogs – we have grown up to become a media platform with a huge targeted audience of English speakers. Our focus is promoting local businesses to our audience through targeted, strategic copywriting and content marketing.
We also offer communications consulting, copywriting and content marketing services alongside the media platform.
WHAT EDUCATION, TRAINING PREPARED YOU FOR STARTING THE BUSINESS?
I was a journalist and editor on newspapers and magazines and also worked in public relations and as a digital communications consultant and online copywriter in the UK. I’m constantly learning as the digital world is constantly changing – I’ve just completed the Copyblogger online certification, which was excellent.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART ABOUT RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?
I’m passionate about my business, so I tend to not know when to stop working. I invest so much time and effort and although it does give me massive satisfaction, there is always a risk of burning out.
It is also a lonely path, as you have to be your own motivator all the time – which is tough on low days.
Finding partners, employees and collaborators who share your work ethic and values is not always easy.
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING AN ONLINE ENTREPRENEUR?
I love coming up with fresh, new ideas – and trying to capture the ‘spark’ or passion in the businesses I write about. It’s very creative and strategic.
The flexibility – I can have long leisurely lunches when I feel like it and work into the early hours. I can work from exotic destinations around the world and still bring my newsletter out on time!
WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE?
Always being switched on. The pressure to come up with new quality articles and events every week is relentless – even though it’s self-imposed, of course. It’s a love-hate relationship.
WHAT ISSUES DO WOMENPRENEURS FACE?
A lack of confidence in the first instance, I believe. So many talented women simply don’t believe they can do it and allow themselves to be talked out of it or give up halfway.
If they do try, they aim too low, don’t want to do things unless everything is perfect and are too scared to take risks. Women are also often not good in taking criticism on the chin and moving on. We tend to take things very personally. For example, I get very upset when someone unsubscribes from my newsletter!
YOUR TIPS FOR WOMENPREPRENEURS?
Develop a thick skin! People (often women, sadly) will jump at the chance to criticise you. Don’t listen to them, only see people who support you and want you to succeed.
Don’t worry too much about what competitors are doing – do your own thing in your own way rather than copying someone else.
Be flexible, generous, friendly and open – you never know what new opportunities may arise from your venture.
Think big – what have you got to lose? Take risks, dream big, don’t underestimate yourself.
HOW DO YOU JUGGLE FAMILY LIFE WITH YOUR BUSINESS?
I have 3 children aged 17, 15 and 11 – and 2 dogs. It is always a struggle, but I think it works in a very imperfect way – I don’t cook much and my house is usually a mess, but I’m around quite a lot for them. I always work a few hours on weekends, early mornings and some late nights.
ARE YOU MAKING A PROFIT – HOW LONG BEFORE YOU BROKE EVEN?
Actually, my costs are very low as I work from home. My biggest expenses are staff – freelance writers and my brilliant new Digital Content and Publishing Assistant, Alana Dunsmore. So, I made a profit pretty much straight away from when I turned the blog into a business 2 years ago, although it was tiny at first.
We have a good reputation and as the word spreads that sponsored posts on thingstodoingeneva.ch offer a much higher return on investment than traditional advertising, we are being approached by many companies who want to work with us. Our site is doing very well.
We only work with companies who we believe are a match for our audience. I am currently looking to appoint more experienced copywriters to free up my time for business development.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT GENEVA?
The lake, the light and the fact that there are opportunities everywhere.
WHAT DO YOU HATE ABOUT GENEVA?
Bureaucracy and a lack of openness and innovation in some parts, but I guess that’s also what creates the opportunities.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO IN GENEVA?
I love Bains de Paquis – both in the summer, enjoying a salad, swimming and sitting in the sun and in the winter – eating fondue, the hammam and cold dips in the icy water. It is deliciously un-pretentious.
WHAT DON’T PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I’m a 500 hours qualified yoga teacher and I love coming up with soulful and creative vinyasa or flow classes that challenge all abilities in yoga.
