The Foundation: From Economics to Action
I chose to follow studies in international affairs and management of SMEs for multiple reasons.
First, I have always been interested in creating my own business in any field I like. Second, my bachelor’s degree « Licence of Management and Economics » convinced me to go into management ahead of economics. I loved learning how to understand economics, especially the actions of individuals and government on society, how to create dummies to speculate on the future, environmental economics, monetary policies, and more, as it impacts us all since society is a whole. But I wouldn’t see myself as a scientist of data analytics and conclusions, but more as someone using these predictions to take action forward in a company.
The Big Picture Approach
Furthermore, I like all fields of business management, so I would not want to specialize in a specific domain like accounting, HR, marketing, or even sales. What I like the most is overseeing all the fields and, while working with people specialized in those domains, finding ways to make it more efficient, cheaper, and taking decisions for the future. Sometimes being too focused on something doesn’t allow us to see the whole picture. That’s why having someone giving feedback and trying to get the whole process better while handling all the paperwork and finding new people or training is a good thing when growing a business.
The International Connection
Moreover, I have always been interested in working internationally. I love to hear from other cultures, learn new ways of doing things, and also share my vision and ways of doing. Creating bonds with businesses and people worldwide is what makes me whole, I would say. It is very pleasing to make things work and transit goods or services through the world.
Why SMEs Matter
That’s why I decided to become someone versatile in all domains of managing an SME, as SMEs represent 99% of businesses worldwide and really allow people to bond, in opposition to big corporations that are stricter and less self-growing for an individual, I believe.
Putting Theory into Practice
In my previous jobs, I always focused on what I would change if I was in charge to make it more efficient, less hard on the workers, and please every person in the chain. When I was finally able to make decisions and change things during my internship at Bourbon d’Arsel, I made several improvements:
Operational Efficiency
- Simplified accounting by changing the software we were using (from Quadraweb to ACD)
- Streamlined journal writing using new technologies with « MEG Premium, » a pre-accounting tool to read bills, write sales, and manage VAT debt, saving enormous amounts of time every day
Financial Management
- Improved banking processes by communicating with the bank to simplify procedures and implementing SEPA mandate processes to get more stable treasury and guarantee money flux
- Cut accounting costs by doing more work ourselves
Business Development
- Expanded our customer wallet through Lemlist on LinkedIn and cold emailing specific sectors in the city of Rennes, promoting local products and quality of service
These experiences confirmed my passion for versatile management and my ability to see connections between different business functions to drive real improvements.