Entrepreneurship without filters: MCI MBA Alumni share what goes on behind the scenes

The MBA MCI association hosted a high-energy conference on Thursday, October 2: Lance ta boîte (Start Your Own Business), led by Medina KONE (De Vinci Executive Education class of 2018). Three speakers came together to offer their perspectives on entrepreneurship and provide an authentic, unfiltered overview.

• Wafa NASRAOUI (Executive Ed. class of 2024), content creator,
• Nicolas BESCH (Executive Ed. class of 2012), serial entrepreneur,
• Karine ROUSSEAU (Executive Ed. class of 2022), trainer and consultant in marketing strategy and business development.

And in the audience several Alumni: Thierry (class of 2011), Jonathan (class of 2012), Aurélia (class of 2023), Laure (class of 2022), joined by students from the class of 2026, all attentive, curious, and ready to explore the ins and outs of the entrepreneurial adventure.

Nicolas: turning an idea into a concrete project

An entrepreneur for over ten years, Nicolas highlights the gap between idea and implementation. His idea: a one-stop shop for lost property, set up in 2016 and aimed at the tourism and events industries (Live Nation, Arena de Bercy). He emphasizes the diversity of financing options available for a project: specialized incubators, regional aid, BPI, acceleration programs from certain companies such as Orange, and even honor loans.

Putting together a proposal, pitching, developing a solution: entrepreneurs must be persistent, agile, and well supported.

His advice: don't underestimate the importance of the CTO for a technical project, build a complementary team (CEO, CTO, marketer) – because a company is still about people – and be agile enough to bounce back if necessary.

Wafa: from personal passion to a career as a content creator

Wafa first started out because she wanted to share, without imagining she could make a living from it. Encouraged by those around her, she began posting on social media alongside her job as a project manager.

She emphasizes the importance of protecting your privacy despite your visibility, defining your clients' real needs by talking to them, and building a strong community, because “before buying a product, people buy a person.”

Once you reach 10,000 followers, brands start contacting you about partnerships. Before that, you have to do your own prospecting. Today, Wafa recommends remaining selective in order to stay true to your values.

Patience, authenticity, and networking are her watchwords, and taking care of your personal branding is essential. “Entrepreneurship is a mindset!”

I go toa lot of events. Developing your online network is important, but meeting people in real life is just as important.

Karine: bouncing back after a corporate career

After 30 years working for large corporations, Karine was laid off following a takeover. Two years of reflection and a skills assessment helped her realize her strengths, despite suffering from imposter syndrome. She decided to retrain in digital technology to reposition herself:

It was a rollercoaster ride, but after training in digital technology to reposition myself, I understood the ecosystem, the terms, and the language I needed to move forward.

Karine emphasizes three essential aspects:

• Define your target clearly and know how to pivot if you see weak signals. 
• Expand your networks (Femme des Territoires, GIR, BNI, etc.).
• Break out of the entrepreneur's isolation to preserve your mental health.

Her advice: anticipate sufficient start-up capital to grow, clearly define your target audience, and know how to pivot based on weak signals.

Key takeaways

Perseverance and agility: test your business model, surround yourself with the right people, adjust your project.

Networking and personal branding: build a community, meet the right people, stay patient.

Resilience and adaptability: turn your background into an asset, get training, join support networks. As Medina points out, entrepreneurship is not just a professional adventure: “Let's not forget mental health.”

There is no single path to “starting your own business,” but a multitude of trajectories that combine perseverance, learning, networking, and above all, a good dose of humanity!

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