Class of 1984: 40 years on, a reunion full of memories...
This Kedger has opened Smoös – the first "therapy co-working" space in Bordeaux
Smoös, the first co-working space for therapists has recently opened its doors in the heart of Bordeaux. Co-founded by Marion Duvelle (Class of 2012) and Lucas Malagié (osteopath), the space already has about twenty practitioners!
Located in the Nansouty district of Bordeaux, Smoös is the first co-working space entirely dedicated to paramedical professionals. It offers an immediate, flexible, and user-friendly space where practitioners can treat patients in a peaceful setting.
Open six days a week from 9 am to 8 pm, Smoös offers no-obligation, hourly rental packages of furnished session rooms. All fees are included, and cancellations are free if made 24 hours in advance.
INTERVIEW - MARION DUVELLE 💬
To begin, tell us about your educational background. What did you study, both before and at KEDGE?
After attending school while living in Reunion and Egypt. I got my post-secondary economics and social sciences degree in economics from the Lycée Descartes in Rabat, Morocco. As I am originally from Bordeaux so it was normal that I wanted to attend KEDGE to continue my studies. I graduated in 2012 after obtaining a bachelor in business from Madrid, doing an internship in New York, and earning a master in marketing in Hull.
Tell us what you did after your studies were finished. What positions have you held? What did you learn in those positions?
I quickly got an end-of-study internship in a startup in Paris - DermEden, a brand of cosmetics that was new to the market. I started off as Assistant Product Manager and Junior Product Manager, then was put in charge of International Marketing I progressed over the six years I worked there, which is now present in more than twenty countries around the world. Working during the different stages of a company, exploring areas other than marketing, and being an integral part of the brand's commercial strategy gave me the desire to set off on my own entrepreneurial adventure.
What are you doing today? What gave you the idea and the desire to do what you’re doing today?
My spouse and partner, Lucas, has been an osteopath for 10 years now. During our first years in Paris, we went through the difficulty of setting up a practice. In 2018, we spent a year working around the world for an osteopathy association called "Hands of Solidarity ". I served as an interpreter on several of his assignments and met other osteopaths who had faced the same difficulties we had when they set up in cities other than Paris. When we came back to Bordeaux, we were surprised by the sudden increase in property prices so we wanted to create a flexible and user-friendly space for all professional therapists (osteopaths, psychologists, dieticians, naturopaths, sophrologists, etc...). That's how we came up with the idea of Smoös - the first “therapy co-working "space. It opened its doors in the Nansouty district of Bordeaux in October 2020. Prices are fixed prices, and therapists can reserve equipped rooms for a few hours. A reception and common area are also available to practitioners.
What are your development plans?
When we came up with the idea for Smoös, we weren’t going through a pandemic. While we mostly specifically targeted practitioners who wanted to start a practice, the first practitioners who registered turned out to be already established therapists who had suffered a decline in business and no longer wanted to commit to a rental lease. About twenty therapists are currently signed up, and our plan is to open a second Smoös elsewhere in Bordeaux and perhaps later extending the concept to other cities in France once the occupancy rate exceeds 60%.
If you were to give advice to any KEDGE graduate who wants to do something similar, what would it be?
My advice would be to get solid experience in a company before starting your own business. You’ll learn a lot and will have the tools to develop your own business with less stress. Personally, I think that the ideal is to choose a company based on the responsibilities you will have. I believe that it’s more essential to have work that is fulfilling rather than the name of the companies you worked for on your CV. If you want to start your own company, that kind of work experience will give you the chance to learn faster, develop your creativity and ideas, and to pursue your professional projects afterwards.
The entrepreneurial experience is a very rewarding and exciting adventure on both a professional level and (more importantly) on a human level. It teaches you to completely leave your comfort zone and surpass yourself. You’ll also meet a lot of people. The sacrifice of time and energy shouldn’t be underestimated, but entrepreneurship is an adventure that gives you a feeling of extreme freedom!
How did the education you received at KEDGE Business School help you become who you are today, and what was it about its teachings helped you develop your project?
The education I received at KEDGE provided me with an understanding of how all areas of a company worked (accounting, marketing, law, strategy, etc.), which I use daily in the management of my company. Being able to draw up a business plan also helped me to convince the bank to finance my business project before I launched it. Finally, the school provides me with access to a network of professionals and graduates who have also supported me in the development of this project.
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