Today, we invite you to get to know us a little better. Launching a business is the choice of Yannick, creator of La Savonnette, who today shares his experience and gives you the best advice for getting started and optimizing your offering. Creator of organic guest amenities, Yannick embarked on his entrepreneurial journey based on a simple observation.
So why entrepreneurship?
After working for five years in a digital agency in Geneva, I felt too restricted in my role and longed for new horizons. Being a jack-of-all-trades, the entrepreneurial spirit has been driving me for several years. One day, the idea for La Savonnette emerged. Upon closer examination, I realized there was something worthwhile to be done with this project.
In March 2019, I decided to leave my job to fully dedicate myself to the adventure of entrepreneurship. For me, entrepreneurship is the richest experience one can have. It allows you to work on many projects and topics simultaneously, which, for me, is the most stimulating. It's also an opportunity to integrate values that are important to me into a project.
What were your fears?
To be honest, there were few. I had a kind of innocence and carefree attitude that allowed me to move forward without seeing the difficulties that awaited me. Of course, there's always the fear of failure , but as soon as you embark on this adventure , you quickly realize everything that entrepreneurship can bring you, and therefore, in a way, that failure doesn't exist. In any case, if it does exist, it also brings us a great deal.
Where did you get the idea for the organic guest amenities?
The idea was born during a trip to Porto with my partner. When we travel, we like to stay in guesthouses, bed and breakfasts , and on this trip, that was the case. I kept thinking that there wasn't the same kind of product as in hotels, and why? Because this kind of product shouldn't cost much and provides a quality of service and amenities to the establishment.
After doing some research, I quickly realized that these products were only accessible to professionals, large organizations , and those with the capacity to order large volumes . It's also clear that, among the products available at the time, the majority were generic, unbranded, and lacked any identity ; their origin and quality were unknown.
The idea was therefore to be able to offer locally made organic welcome products with a quality identity and accessibility to all sizes of structure, which is why we now offer a minimum order of 50 products per reference, there is obviously no maximum.
Did your loved ones support you?
Yes, almost 100% of my family and friends supported me, starting with my partner who was 100% behind me. That's the most essential thing for starting a business. When you're an entrepreneur, there are highs, but there are also, and many, lows. You need support , whether it's emotional support to give you energy and motivation so you don't give up, or financial support.
It's something that's rarely talked about, but it's a reality of life: we need money to live on a daily basis, and starting a business isn't always easy, especially in the beginning. It's very common not to be able to pay oneself in the first few months or years. The support of family, loved ones , and spouse is essential for this, and it undeniably helps the success of a project.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business?
The first piece of advice I would give is to connect with networks of entrepreneurs to get feedback, advice , and see if entrepreneurship is truly right for you. Even the best idea might not have a market, and one of the first steps to validate is whether there's a market for your idea. Rushing in headfirst isn't the best option; there's a reality, the reality of the market , and that's what dictates the market. Therefore, you need to test your idea, your product, your service, and get market feedback to determine its viability. Beyond all that, I truly encourage everyone who wants to become an entrepreneur to go all in. Try it , you might fail , but in my opinion, it's the best life experience you can have.
And once again, don't hesitate to surround yourself with others , seek advice , and find peers . Never remain isolated, and never hesitate to talk about your idea or project. In France, there's far too much fear of having your idea stolen. You have to overcome that, and it's by discussing your project and presenting it to others that you can get feedback , develop your project, move forward, and find answers to your questions.
Portrait - Yannick Zamolo
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