Anne-Laure Bringout, Le Bon Côté des Choses
Femmes du Numérique:To begin with, what is your definition of “digital”?
Anne-Laure Bringout:My definition of digital is technology as a medium and a creator of value at the service of mankind.
Women, an opportunity for digital. Digital, an opportunity for women. What do you think about it? Why did you choose this sector?
Whatever the field we work in, when teams are mixed, it systematically opens up new horizons… many thinkers of all stripes have disserted on the difference between men and women, and it’s not for nothing that the wealth of humanity is made up of these two entities. In every sector, it’s this mix that we need to draw on, the two sides of the same coin. Complementary feelings between men and women enable the exchange of different points of view to approach and manage situations differently. So, yes, women are an opportunity for the digital industry, but I’d like to add that they’re an opportunity in every field.
Digital is an opportunity, of course! It’s an innovative sector teeming with start-ups, and it’s easy enough to get involved in entrepreneurial ventures via the various structures that have been set up in recent years, such as incubators. This is helping to give a more consistent impetus to digital technology in our country. This favorable environment enables us to invent the uses of tomorrow, combined with the progress of information technology, which is constantly pushing back the boundaries of what is possible.
I first became interested in digital technology in high school, when I started using the Internet. Like most of us, it changed my life quite a bit, and I wanted to be part of that change. What’s more, a booming sector that gives free rein to creativity isn’t the case for all sectors.
Is being a woman entrepreneur a plus?
A plus? In the eyes of others or for yourself? In the eyes of others, I think that for some people still (unfortunately), it’s a turn-off to have women entrepreneurs, and so it puts the image of being an entrepreneur when you’re a woman into sharper relief. But the most important thing is for you. It’s about bringing a well-thought-out project to fruition, sharing it with others and making it grow with the ups and downs of life.
Have you had any doubts, hesitations or difficulties in setting up your own business?
Yes, of course, if you don’t question yourself from time to time, it’s very difficult to move forward. Take failures as lessons, hesitations as choices and, as a common thread, stay in tune with the environment around us. I’m convinced that every experience, good or bad, is good for moving forward. We don’t always have the right idea at the right time, but with experience and knowledge, difficult moments seem more and more surmountable. The most important thing is not to fall into the same pitfalls and to remain “agile” so as not to bring down the difficult edifice that is business creation.
Tell us more about your project. How did the idea come about? What needs do you meet?
The idea was born 5 years ago in the mind of Thierry Ferrandiz, president and founder of Le Bon Côté des Choses, when discussing with friends the non-transparent prices offered by different brands when shopping. They were thinking that they didn’t have an easy way of comparing everyday products, which may be small purchases, but together they represent a family’s second biggest expense. We have therefore developed considerable expertise in the acquisition, processing, analysis and restitution of commercial information available in drives, deliveries and stores. In fact, we were the first shopping list comparator in France in 2011. We therefore capitalized on this know-how in decision support to pivot our activities into B2B mode in October 2013. Le Bon Côté des Choses has developed MyBCC, an online platform (PaaS) for price monitoring, competitive positioning analysis and emerchandising aimed at all consumer professionals, even if we are today more focused on the Retail universe. In this way, they can monitor their image, the impact of their marketing operations, the level of price dispersion by sales outlet, the level of promotional intensity, etc., and have an overall view of the positioning strategy and assortment of their competitors, enabling them to activate the various operational levers available to them in their businesses.
How do you defend gender equality in your professional and personal life?
I defend it by not defending it. As I don’t see any reason why women shouldn’t be equal to men, I don’t make any difference and I consider this equality to be due. I’m aware that this isn’t the case for all women, and that some have to defend this equality if it’s to be respected.
How have you managed to reconcile work and family life?
I don’t have children yet, so that makes things a lot easier, as family imperatives are different. On the other hand, I think it’s essential to find some breathing space; it’s important to feel good in your head and body if you want to succeed professionally. So I give time to my loved ones, and I give time to myself through sporting and cultural activities. It’s essential to strike a balance between work and family life, to never forget who you are and to always be attentive to yourself and your loved ones, the pillars of what defines me.
What advice would you give to a young woman hesitating to work or set up a business in the digital sector?
Digital technology is an exciting field, and I don’t see any obstacles to a woman working in it. It’s a very dynamic, open sector, with many prospects, the field of possibilities is wide! You can easily land on your feet. What’s more, the digital world is a pretty dynamic one, with lots of young graduates embarking on entrepreneurial ventures, including more and more women! Dynamic, innovative, open and young… welcome!
Biography
I began my studies with a rather classical bachelor’s degree in Lettres Modernes. I went on to take a more practical approach to business with a master’s degree in new information and communication technologies. I specialized in web project management, sociology of use and cognitive engineering. I wanted to be part of the digital shift in our economy.
So I approached several gas pedals to find the start-up project that seemed most in tune with who I am. That’s when I met Thierry Ferrandiz, who at the time had a projectcalled “Le Bon Côté des Choses”, incubated at Grain in Grenoble. The most important thing is the current.
And it went by very quickly. So I joined the wonderful, hectic and exciting world of entrepreneurship. We set up Le Bon Côté des Choses in June 2011 with a third partner, Rémy Amouroux, one of the 5 co-founders of Kelkoo price comparison, who decided to take over as technical director.