From craftsmanship to entrepreneurship, Soukeïna Gutierrez, a 2015 graduate, won the Entrepreneurship Award from "Le Phare de l’Entrepreneuriat". Discover her incredible adventure towards the quest for meaning in podcast!
An unconventional path for a Grande Ecole graduate
After graduating from the Montpellier Business School Grande Ecole Program in 2015, Soukeïna moved to a job as Coordinator within an investment fund in order to have the opportunity to accompany start-ups in their projects. “It was the most logical thing to do. I had just finished a year of specialization in Entrepreneurship and a work-study program in Oracle’s Business Accelerator,” explains Soukeïna.
“Only 8 months later, I wanted to create my brand, my company, but I had no idea what I really wanted to create,” confides Soukeïna. It was by chance during a trip that this graduate decided to discover the world of leather goods.
Soukeïna then embarked on a CAP to learn this craft. “At the very beginning, I just wanted to be able to discuss “technique” so I can exchange with potential suppliers. But as my training progressed, I discovered my passion. At first I thought I would try entrepreneurship for one or two years, and I even considered returning to the workforce if it didn’t work out. But after this training, I understood that I wanted to make this brand a life project. »
A chain of inspiring podcasts to better understand the luxury sector
With her CAP, Soukeïna had the opportunity to make her mark in two prestigious French luxury houses (Moynat & Goyard) as a leather craftswoman. “I learned for the first time in my career to appreciate time. In luxury, we are taught to take all the time needed to ensure that every detail of a piece is perfect,” explains Soukeïna.
“It’s one of the advantages of craftsmanship, certain gestures become automatic and you have more brain time available. I started listening to a lot of podcasts and I wanted to create my own to demystify the world of luxury, which is still marketed to us as inaccessible.”
Since March 2019, Soukeïna has launched a series of “Luxury & Crafts” Podcasts in which she exchanges with professionals in the sector to understand their careers, their successes and their failures and thus pave the way for potential budding craftsmen who are still hesitating to take the plunge.
A project incubated at the Entrepreneurship Centre and finalist of the Entrepreneurship Lighthouse
Soukeïna discovered the Entrepreneurship Centre upon her return to Montpellier Business School as the Eligible Jury. Open to graduates, the Montpellier Business School incubator is now part of Maison Aïma, Soukeïna’s brand and the culmination of 3 and a half years of work “that have only just begun” smiles Soukeïna.
Today, this young entrepreneur won the Entrepreneurship award of “Le Phare de l’Entrepreneuriat”.
