Let me introduce myself
"I graduated from Sup de Co Reims (NEOMA) with a master's degree, at the end of which I volunteered to train as a reserve officer at Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan. I then took a CAP Bakery apprenticeship at the C.F.A de Versailles and obtained a CAP Pastry as an independent candidate. I don't think I did any reconversion, I just pushed on with my studies before doing what I really wanted to do."
WITH ALL THE KNOWLEDGE YOU'VE ACQUIRED, WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU END UP CHOOSING?
I worked in Paris as a baker and tourier for two years before being recruited in the United States to develop a French bakery in Washington DC. I was replacing a business school friend whose father worked at Grands Moulins de Paris. Grands Moulins de Paris contacted me several times with increasingly specific questions about the flour market in the USA, before offering me the chance to join the group to launch the business in the US four years ago.
WHAT ARE YOUR MISSIONS IN THE USA?
My initial mission was to launch Grands Moulins de Paris in the United States, from scratch! So first I had to find an importer, select an initial range adapted to the American market, bring in the first container, identify distributors and get listed with them, canvass end-users, give demonstrations and put them in touch with distributors. Grands Moulins de Paris is very well known in France, much less so here. So we have to do a lot of visibility work: meet as many people and structures as possible, and always keep an eye on online forums and social networks.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKING DAY/WEEK LOOK LIKE?
In the morning, I deal with emergencies and maximize my exchanges with France. In the afternoons, I'm dedicated to American contacts until quite late, since I have a 3-hour time difference with the West Coast. I travel about three days every two to three weeks, mostly by plane. To sum up, I do a bit of everything: I'm the link between prospects, customers, distributors and importers, but I'm also in contact with Grands Moulins de Paris head office via marketing and communications, the quality department and the back office, all of whom do an enormous amount of work. And I also do demonstrations in bakeries at night or during the day!
WHAT ABOUT YOUR WORKING CONDITIONS? IS IT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM FRANCE?
I'm on a local contract, I have the American "package". So obviously, I'm not quite up to French standards when it comes to working conditions. But that's the game. My job requires a lot of autonomy and personal rigor. I'm 6 hours out of sync with France, so my interactions with support services are limited. You also have to stay on course psychologically. For example, I didn't have any visitors during the pandemic and I only see my family once a year. The territory is very vast, with three time zones. To give you an idea: France is the same size as the single state of Texas, and it's a 6-hour flight from Washington DC (where I live) to Los Angeles. So you have to optimize your travels. The cultural aspect is also extremely difficult to grasp. I've been living in the US for seven years, and our cultures are very different. For the bakery, and for everything else. A good grasp of culture and language means a good grasp of your relationships with your contacts and a good orientation of your business. Copying and pasting from France to the US is out of the question.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR JOB? WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS BASED ON?
What I really like at the moment is this versatility. I'm learning a lot in all areas. Over the last few months, I've felt that we've really shifted up a gear, and the hard work and latitude I've been given are paying off. It's as if I've been putting together a lot of jigsaw pieces over the last four years, and they're all falling into place one after the other. Unlike our French competitors, we are the only ones to have a physical presence in the USA. My customer relations are based on meeting people, for a start. I'm in the same time zone, so I can be responsive and we can talk naturally. I can understand projects, expectations and the support we can provide. Many French people also settle in the United States. In these cases, the relationship begins well in advance, even before their arrival on American soil. I get a lot of questions about where to settle, language barriers, recruitment, work visas, facilities, and I even help customers with their personal problems (banking, children's schooling...). So, obviously, the relationship is pretty good over the long term. We don't just sell flour, we sell service and proximity. With the Americans, we're more concerned with demonstrations, helping them to set up production, with a more educational aspect about flour and milling. The relationship is quite cordial.
WOULD YOU RATHER BE IN THE FIELD OR IN THE OFFICE?
I love being out in the field, because that's what makes me understand the market, understand the culture, meet people and make the difference with our competitors. But I need to sit back and take stock of it all, step back, analyze and respond to the demands of my contacts.
