#Interview: Audrey, founder of the Rive Claire brand

The founder of Rive Claire® answered a few of our questions!

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

Yes, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share a bit more about myself. I am originally from the south of Alsace, a beautiful region known for its warmth and strong values centered around sharing. After attending a business school in Strasbourg, I worked for 8 years as Marketing Manager for a company specializing in high-end products for the home, still in Alsace. Over 6 years ago, my husband and I decided to embark on a life project and move to Switzerland, a beautiful country with an incredible quality of life.

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

The desire for entrepreneurship has been within me for a long time, with parents who were entrepreneurs and artisans themselves. I grew up with a culture of hard work, professionalism, and customer service.

I had been thinking about starting my own business for a few years, but it’s all about timing and opportunities. I would say the reflection process lasted about 2 years, but then the steps unfolded very quickly.

In the summer of 2018, I decided to launch the Rive Claire adventure. I wanted to leverage my experiences to offer high-quality products that aligned with environmental values.

What makes you happiest in your work as an entrepreneur?

Doing it all out of passion. Entrepreneurship requires very intense work. Evenings, days off, and vacations are dedicated to it, so it has to be driven by joy. I’ve also expanded my professional network in an amazing way, meeting wonderful people. Women entrepreneurs, suppliers, communication professionals, journalists, models—this entire network helps me grow and thrive.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own business?

I would say to carefully consider your business model before starting, but you also need to be willing to take the plunge. It’s important to surround yourself with the right people, to share, to be well-organized, and to show perseverance. With courage, you can move mountains. Rather than talking about age, I’d talk about timing. Maturity isn’t a matter of age but of determination; experience often comes on the job.

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

I define myself by the values I’ve given to my brand: passionate, committed, respectful of others, and persistent.