Corinne Dumont: “An entrepreneur must not try to copy men”

In an early 17-year career in a bank,Corinne Dumont revealed its entrepreneurial fiber in 2007, taking back with two partners two precursor stores in the organic trade. Meanwhile, Sequoia became the brand of 5 organic stores (Uccle, Stockel, Waterloo, Wavre and Enghien), before the inauguration of a 6th this 17th of November in Watermael-Bosvoorde. The company employs around 80 people and has a turnover of around 15 million euros (up 12%).

It was a great success for Corinne Dumont to be one of the three Belgian laureates – with Annemie Baeyaert from the artificial turf manufacturer Resigrass and Ingrid Ceusters from the real estate group Hugo Ceusters – who personify women’s entrepreneurship at the conference The IWEC. This international network, based in particular on chambers of commerce from all over the world, aims to improve women’s access to entrepreneurship. This first Belgian edition is the initiative of BECI, the Brussels Chamber of Commerce. It brings together at the Hotel Métropole ministers, MEPs and of course entrepreneurs around the opportunities and constraints of female entrepreneurship.

Not easy

” Personally, it’s true that I took time before I decided to take the step to entrepreneurship. It took a real questioning, a need to create something concrete. Although I come from a family of entrepreneurs, the process is not obvious because many women still suffer from a self-confidence problem in the business world , “says Corinne Dumont. A barrier that it will cross with brilliance, not without having from the start ensured to associate and to surround well. ” Perhaps a woman, which is often touted emotional intelligence, was easier to delegate than a man, because it ensures more to maintain a balance between his professional life and private life . “Corinne Dumont concedes that this search for a personal balance between” several hats “can be a real brake on women’s entrepreneurship, as well as an opportunity to explore new business models, Hypergrowth. ” My biggest advice is certainly not to try to copy men. I tried early to apply male methods, and it does not work. Entrepreneurs, be yourself, especially keep your femininity ! ”

At the level of the leadership style, this femininity is translated for example by a greater search for consensus, favoring the human side. ” The art of combining softness and firmness ,” smiled Corinne Dumont.

Apart from the weight of stereotypes and poor training choices, a major obstacle to female entrepreneurship would be access to finance. ” Personally, I have not suffered because I learned to ‘practice’ the banking sector for over 15 years. But it is a world of men and I quite understand that it is difficult for many women to convince mainly male investors. In the watermark, there is the problem of the credibility that many entrepreneurs face. They must further be justified . ”

But the director general of Sequoia wants to share a positive message at this conference. ” Things change. What is certain is that women have so much to contribute to entrepreneurship, particularly in favored areas such as communication, health, personal development . ”