Pauline, can you introduce yourself, please?
My name is Pauline, I’m 34 years old, I live in Paris with my 3-year-old son and his father, and I will be opening a micro-crèche in Saint-Denis this April.
What’s your background?
It's quite a classic path! I did prep school followed by a business school (Neoma BS for young people, ESC Reims for others). Then, I specialized in communication and worked for several years in the tourism sector, and briefly in the private crèche industry.
How did becoming a mother inspire your career change?
The timing of my pregnancy played a big role. It was during the search for a job, at the end of my maternity leave, that I decided to start my own business. It’s funny because this decision happened in one minute, one evening, without ever having seriously discussed the idea before. And suddenly, boom, it was like I’d hit a switch, it was decided. The crèche sector, which I had discovered through my last job, already interested me, but after having my own child, my interest grew exponentially!
What were the steps to get there?
Once the decision to create my business was made, everything felt... so slow! I quickly realized that between finding a location, the administrative processes, etc., this project was going to take a lot of time. So, I decided to take this time to train as a childcare assistant, even though it's not a requirement to open a crèche. The end of my training (which lasts a year) coincided with the signing of the lease for the location. Finding the space was really a huge task. Then, since it’s a highly regulated sector (and rightly so!), there were several files to be written and validated by institutions to prove that my project was solid. After that, there were several months of renovation work to turn the space into a crèche! Finally, once the opening date was set, I was able to focus on recruiting the team and communicating with families. Each step was completely different from the previous one, and it has allowed me to learn a lot at every stage.
How did motherhood impact your self-confidence and desire to pursue entrepreneurship?
Becoming a mother really freed me from the fear of failure. Somehow, as long as my son is doing well, nothing else is really that serious, so why not give it a shot? I also want to show him a model of a mother who is fulfilled in her work, who loves what she does, and dares to try new things. That wasn’t necessarily the case when I was employed…
Can you tell us more about your professional project, La Cachette?
It’s a private micro-crèche (but registration is not limited to parents supported by their companies) that will welcome 12 children. There’s a big issue around valuing professionals in the crèche sector, and I’m really committed to creating a place that’s just as welcoming and kind to the children as it is to the professionals who work there. This involves the design but also the salary conditions, working hours, and considering everyone’s personal needs... I hope to create a place where the team feels good because the children are welcomed not just into a space, but by people who need to feel well in order to calmly support the little ones and provide the emotional security and stability they need.
What advice would you like to share with those looking to change careers?
- If you feel real excitement when thinking about or talking about your project, I think you should go for it! At least dedicate enough time to see if it’s viable. It’s precious to feel alive in your work, and even if it doesn’t work out, it’s still a great experience!
- Talk to, meet as many people as possible who work in the field you’re interested in, and if you can, work in that field yourself to get a real idea of the job and daily life, without preconceived notions about what you think you’ll like or what you think you’re good at or not. I found that in a different environment, you discover unexpected affinities or character traits.
- Don’t stop at the first "No", because often if you dig a bit deeper, you can find solutions or alternatives, and keep going anyway.
- Get inspired! I’m lucky to have some incredible entrepreneurs around me, like my big sister Marie, my best friends Kenza and Ophélie, and they are a huge source of motivation seeing how they handle setbacks, find solutions, and constantly evolve.
Can you tell us about the upcoming opening of La Cachette?
La Cachette will open in April, and I’m really excited to welcome the first families!
Final thoughts?
Thank you, Kenza. What a privilege to be supported like this by friends 💙
