A KEDGE Alumna and stand-up comedian, Clotilde offers classes in public speaking

I have a rather traditional educational background. I obtained my Bac ES, and like many high school students, I didn't have a clearly defined professional project, so I decided to join a economic and sales prep programme. I liked literary subjects, and languages, but I hated maths. However, I knew they could be useful, if not essential... I didn't want to close any doors. Those two years were very difficult and intense. I was intellectually very stimulated, but I wasn't very practical, and most of all, I still didn't know what I wanted to do after. When I joined KEDGE, I had a lot of expectations. I was hoping to find my way. Although the first classes left me feeling a little perplexed, I got involved in a lot of associative projects, and during my second year, the internships and three-week modules, which more concrete, helped me see things more clearly. If you don't try something, you will never know. One piece of advice: school is the perfect time to create, try, make mistakes, start over, succeed... I divided my gap year in two six month internships. The first in product marketing, the other in human resources. I joined the BDA because I have an artistic side, and finally I focused on the "entrepreneurship" and "marketing" modules. My gap year helped me understand what was expected of me on the job market, the associations helped me develop my self-confidence, my sense of responsibility, and my taste for entrepreneurship (and many other things!), the group work helped me understand my personality and figure out what my qualities are and what I need to improve on as part of a team. Looking back today, my classes in accounting and law are also very useful to me today! 

 

When I left school, I joined a start-up in e-commerce and at-home sales right as it was launching. I found it very stimulating to start my career with sort of a blank page, to have a lot of freedom, and to be able to create my job in a way. And that was the case. My job evolved as the company developed. I held different positions: business development, marketing, recruitment and training of the sales team, logistics. Every time, I had to be creative, be willing to question things (we test, we make mistakes, we start over), and persevere because we give a lot of our energy but don't always get the results we expect. This experience made me realise how capable I am. When you are motivated, you give yourself the means to understand and to get things done. There as a lot I didn't understand at first, I felt like I didn't know anything and that I was unemployable, when in fact, it was quite the opposite, because I was willing to roll up my sleeves and get to work. In a start-up with only four people, it is very important to be able to count on the work of others. I had to prove I was reliable and that I brought and added-value. Unfortunately, like in a lot of start-ups, we had a good idea, but it wasn't profitable. The company's activities slowed down and we all went on our separate ways. On my end, I joined the Human Resources for a consulting company to do recruitment (Campus Manager). I had enjoyed working in recruitment in my previous job, and it was a job that I had found inspiring for some time. Representing your company in job fairs, forums, being ambassador for a brand, conducting interviews, these were all tasks that I enjoyed and fit my personality. I had enjoyed my gap year internship and I regularly return to my prep school to help students prepare the oral exams. Additionally, I thought consulting would be a good place to learn: excellence, methodology, performance are the keys words in this field. And I wasn't disappointed! The high demand level forced me to progress quickly: discipline, hindsight, precision (non-exhaustive list). We are challenged on a daily basis. Recruitment is a key issue for consulting companies, it goes without saying that we have a major responsibility on our shoulders! What I really enjoyed in the position was the quality of the discussions I had with the different stakeholders: candidates, managers, consultants...etc., supporting candidates through the recruitment process, and everything related to professional integration (coaching and training students looking for an internship or job, coaching collaborators leaving the company, conferences on jobs, etc.).

 

I also trained several collaborators on conducting an interview. That is when I realised that that is where I really felt useful. When I no longer had time to meet candidates for their interviews, or conduct workshops for students and recent graduates, I felt like I needed a change, because the heart of what I liked about my job was no longer there. Additionally, I had a personal project that was taking up more and more of my time: stand-up comedy.

 

 

 

Indeed, I had decided to get up on stage and write jokes! I am doing what we call a "One-Woman-Show" or "stand-up" using the alias Klotilde. There was a reason I was part of the BDA and COMU! So I decided to leave my company to start my own company in professional training, while continuing to work in stand-up comedy. I saw my knowledge of the business world and theatre techniques as keys to my future success in the field.

 

 

After working for several years in the business world, I realised that more and more people were being recruited for positions, which required them to speak in public frequently, but that they had never received any training previously. In consulting for example, a consultant can be hindered in his/her progression if he/she doesn't develop good communication skills. We expect that he/she is able to manage teams and develop the company's activities. By making a link between what I saw and what I knew how to do, it made sense for me to start this new adventure: training in public speaking and to create L'OUVRE-VOIX. Helping people make their voices heard, and be understand to be more convincing. 

 

 

To do so, I partnered with an actor/director. We are complimentary, which makes us a good team. Through individual and collective exercices, we work together, or in rotation, to improve verbal and non-verbal communication. The exercises we offer help our clients realise what they need to work on and what their strengths are, so that we can build on them. We combine theatre exercices (breathing, pronunciation, voice placement) and surrendering (relaxation, body expression, improvisation), with exercises to simulate professional situations (interview, client meeting, presentation, pitch...). Our trainings are for anyone that needs to speak in public. It is the first time that I really feel useful and legitimate in my job, since it brings together my skills in human resources with my main interest: theatre.

 

 

We work mainly with companies. Our objective this year is to introduce ourselves to more companies and get them to adhere to our pedagogy and our vision of training: custom made and follow-up. In addition to companies, we also work with educational institutions, associations, and schools (KEDGE is a potential client!).

At a school like KEDGE, we learn to take risks without getting hurt! Taking risks because we dare to do things, KEDGE teaches us responsibilities, but the risks are "measured". KEDGE gives us the tools we need later on, and teaches us how to use them! I chose to join KEDGE because the student associations were highlighted. KEDGE also puts the "entrepreneur" at the center of its pedagogy.

 

Give yourself the means! It's good to let yourself be carried by the moment, but you also have to make things happen. Make your ideas happen, take risks ("controlled" the idea is not to force a project that isn't viable), trust yourself. KEDGE is a good playing field for that. Don't wait if you have an idea, because we all have lots of ideas, and sometimes we have the same ones! Make sure your qualities help you stand out. I have already given more than one piece of advice, so I'll stop there.