Valérie Benvenuto, KEDGE BS Graduate, Appointed...
Interview with Caroline, Kedger and founder of Kanoopia!
Kanoopia (Caroline Cantel, a graduate from KEDGE continuing education programmes) puts her qualified skills in support roles at the disposition to relieve them of certain tasks according to their needs and resources.
To begin, tell us about what you did before you created Kanoopia.
I got a technical degree (BTS - Brevet de technicien supérieur) in Commercial Action in a work-study programme, during which I did an internship at Société Générale, After that, I lived in Egypt for a year. When I returned to France, I was rehired at Société Générale in Versailles and then transferred to Nantes, where I was a Customer Adviser followed by Branch Assistant.
How and why did you take continuing education courses at KEDGE? How did the education you received at KEDGE Business School help you become who you are today, and what was it about its teachings that helped you develop your business?
I always wanted to work in a professional environment. Although I was only an assistant at an agency, I worked with some professionals in that position and I wanted to make it my full-time career. I would have loved to continue my studies after I got my BTS, but I had to make other choices at the time. However, I knew that sooner or later I would go back to school. When I moved to Bordeaux I found out about KEDGE’s Continuing Education programmes. I was attracted by several aspects of it. The GEP (Grande Ecole Programme) curriculum covered several aspects of business management, caught my attention, as well as professors who are experts in their fields.
Furthermore, the pace is compatible for someone who works, which fitted me perfectly. It also let me stay in contact with " the real world". The pleasant surprise (which I knew about when I started the course but turned out to be a very beneficial factor for going ahead with my career change), was meeting other students who were all different ages and from all sectors of activity. Such a diversity of backgrounds allowed for quality interactions and discussions and was a real source of learning! As I had just arrived from another region, meeting those people really helped speed up my integration into Bordeaux life.
I experimented with new methods of working while in the programme, and learned about subjects I didn’t know anything about, such as marketing, management, marketing, and risk management The teaching methods let us quickly understand these subjects. Working on two theses (marketing and the final dissertation) was revealing. The impact of the cost of human resources on intrapreneurship in VSEs and SMEs (very small enterprises and small & medium-sized enterprises) is what led me to imagine what Kanoopia could offer.
What is your current business? What gave you the idea and the desire to do what you’re doing today?
I was looking to keep a foot in the professional world at the same time as doing the programme. As I couldn't find any part-time work, I set up my own freelance financial consultancy business for VSEs and SMEs. I also discovered work-sharing at the same time and got a job at the Aquitaine Entrepreneurs network (in charge of supporting successful candidates) and then a business development advisor at the Bordeaux-Gironde Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I finally decided to create the company I would have liked to work for a few years ago! I created Kanoopia in 2020 which provides VSEs and SMEs with qualified services in support functions to unburden them of certain tasks depending upon their needs and resources. Our services relieve managers of carrying employee risks and contribute to the growth of their businesses. It also allows them to gradually add staff while preserving cash flow.
Regarding Kanoopia, what are your development goals?
Kanoopia is intended to be a SCOP (worker cooperative). I work with both freelancers and have employees, but my main goal is to create jobs. So anyone on the team could really become a member of the cooperative in the true sense of the word. Kanoopia is a horizontal enterprise. Any employee can contribute to the growth and the services we offer, as long as it is aligned with the main purpose: to participate in the development of the VSEs and SMEs in our regions. We are intrapreneurs at the service of entrepreneurs (the roots of this project were born during the research I did to prepare my Master thesis at KEDGE). We are present in Bordeaux and are currently in the process of expanding to Agen, Nantes, and Toulouse. I hope that by the end of 2021, the foundations of the SCOP will have been laid!
If you were to give advice to any KEDGE graduate who wants to do something similar, what would it be?
For those graduates and students who have an entrepreneurial project, get in touch with the Business Nursery! The BN's staff are supportive, give very good advice, and promote interaction, not only within the school but also with the local ecosystem.
Tell us in a few words why do you think it's important for a school to have a robust alumni network?
Being a member of the network gives you the opportunity to meet others with divers backgrounds, experiences, and professional positions. It's a chance to help each other in a friendly setting and without any stakes involved. In fact, it’s because of the network that I now work with Magalie and Julie! As those of us who've travelled and moved around a lot know, it can take time to settle into a new city. However, I am now confident that I can establish relationships more easily in another region within our Alumni network, if only to facilitate settling into a new area if I were to move again.
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