#Interview: Audrey, founder of the Rive Claire brand

The founder of Rive Claire® answered some of our questions!

Can you introduce yourself and tell us who's behind Rive Claire?

Yes, thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell you a little bit more about myself. I am from the South of Alsace, a beautiful region that is very friendly and full of values based on sharing. After a business school in Strasbourg, I was for 8 years Marketing Manager for a company specializing in top-of-the-range products for the home, still in Alsace. With my husband, we decided more than 6 years ago now, to realize a life project and to settle in Switzerland, a beautiful country with an incredible sweetness of life.

Why did you decide to start your own business, your own brand?

The taste for entrepreneurship has been with me for a very long time with parents who are themselves entrepreneurs and craftsmen. I therefore grew up with a culture of work well done, professional conscientiousness and customer service.

I had the idea of going into entrepreneurship a few years ago, but it's all a question of timing and opportunities. I would say that the thought process lasted about 2 years but the stages followed one after the other very quickly.

In the summer of 2018, I decided to launch the Rive Claire adventure and I wanted to use my experience to offer quality products in line with environmental values.

What makes you the happiest in your entrepreneurial work?

To do all this out of passion. Entrepreneurship is very hard work. Evenings, days off and holidays are dedicated to it and therefore it is imperative that it is driven by pleasure. I have also expanded my professional network in a fantastic way with some very nice encounters. Women entrepreneurs, suppliers, communication professionals, journalists, models and all these people allow me to progress and blossom.

What advice can you give to someone who wants to go into entrepreneurship?

I would say that you have to think carefully about your business model before taking the plunge, but you also have to know how to take the plunge. It is important to surround yourself well, to share, to have a good organization and to show perseverance. With courage, you can lift mountains. Rather than talking about age, I'll talk about timing. Maturity is not a question of age but of will; experience is often gained on the job.

And finally, how can you define yourself in a few words?

I define myself as the values given to my brand, i.e. passionate, committed, respectful of others and persevering.