Interview with Geoffrey, ISMQ programme graduate and young entrepreneur

Start off by telling us about your educational background.  What did you study before and during your time at KEDGE?

After receiving my Masters in computer science from the University of Bordeaux, I focused on getting a job as a web developer. Once I realised that the computer science industry was recruiting en mass in order to satisfy the demands of its clients, I told myself, “Stop being a pawn; be an actor!” After thinking it over, I told myself that getting training at KEDGE couldn’t do anything other than bring me the things I lacked: communications, a network, the ability to manage large-scale projects, open-mindedness, and especially the ability to do quality management. And so I went back for a second masters in quality management (ISMQ).

Tell us what you did after you finished your studies. What positions have you held? What did you learn at those jobs

In chronological order:

• Web development engineer: managing multiple projects, working in a team, managing client relations.
• Manager of quality projects during my work-study. This was a cross-functional post that gave me a better understanding of how a large structure operated. I also learned business strategy, the prioritisation of objectives, activity reports, and team management (internal communication).
• Webmaster marketing: improved web development skills, marketing (SEO, creation of adverts, canvassing, clients’ needs analysis and creation, open-mindedness towards a different domain (cultural domain), an understanding that the world will not give me what I want if I force myself to reach my goals.

Tell us about your current situation and about Jomee.

I now describe myself as the director of my own dreams. In parallel with a VIE in web marketing that ends in September, I have several projects in the works: e-commerce, development of a mobile app, and obviously, launching a website (www.jomee.fr) on employment that helps put anyone searching for a job or a career change in contact with the current post-holder.

As I said earlier, I want to be the actor of my life and not suffer for it. Entrepreneurship seems to meet my needs. The idea of Jomee came to me when, at KEDGE, some of my friends didn’t really know what to do with their training and experience. And not just one or two friends. My brain pinged and said “But that’s it! You will help new graduates tremendously by developing this project”.  So I thanked my brain for whispering this idea to me.

What are your development goals for the future?

First of all, I want to establish partnerships with other employment platforms on the web, because I’m not trying to be a competitor, but more like a complement. The website now has some 200 profiles of current professionals, (hotel manager, quality projects manager, business developer, CEO, and others). My short-term goal (end 2018) is to pick up 1,000 profiles in order to establish legitimacy and thereby, gain visibility.

How did the education you received at KEDGE Business School help you become who you are today, and which of its lessons helped you develop your project?

As I said earlier, KEDGE opened my mind, and I gained confidence belief in myself.  The ISMQ is strong in dozens of profiles of different backgrounds, and different experiences, and we come out humbler and more motivated that ever.

What advice would you give KEDGE students and graduates who would like to become entrepreneurs?

Other than that which we hear all the time (and which is true none-the-less): “Believe in your dreams, don’t let anyone judge you and tell you that you can’t do it. Hurry!”, I’d say: “You must understand why we are here. Get to truly know yourself.  Live in the present moment. Take advantage of the present moment. Break the shell that is keeping you from revealing yourself. Who are you and what do you want? Don’t forget that our time on earth is too short – way too short – for us to suffer.

Anything to add? A message to pass on?

To develop Jomee.fr, I invite everyone to contribute by adding his or her professional profile: https://jomee.fr/contribuer/

You can proudly say, “Oh yeah, I was one of the first to take part; this site exists thanks to me”, because yes, this site exists BECAUSE OF YOU!

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