I answered a few months ago an Interview for an excellent article from the British magazine STYLIST
http://www.stylist.co.uk/
The article was about interviewing 30 women from different countries all around the world and ask them about their vision of life at 30 years old. It is really passioning to read these stories and to see life from point to view so far away from ours. Getting to know about the problems they are confronted with everyday, their vision of happiness and their expectations makes you realize even more how lucky we are, citizens of developed democratic countries, to have so much freedom and the possibility, thanks to a good education, to build the future we dream of.
(My full interview is in the end, not so passioning compared to the others ones but here anyway)
Have a good read :-)
CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THEM IN BIGGER SIZE
My full Interview is here :
Eloïse
Age : 32
Birth country : France
Town you live in : Paris
Relationship status : Single
Do you have children : No
What’s your job : I am an entrepreneur, I have founded a second-hand clothes, shoes and accessories online shop named LOUISE Paris www.louiseparis.fr
What do you spend on rent/mortgage : 1035€ a month
Tell us about yourself in 100 words :
I am from the Alps, I have been living in Paris for the past 8 years in a lovely 40 sqm apartment which is also my office. I love our beautiful planet and I have created my company in order to participate in protecting this amazing nature. I only use my bike to move around, I really need the exercise and I love admiring the beautiful architecture of this great city. I like going out, tasting delicious wine and food, and partying until dawn. I spend as many weekends as I can in the nature, going surfing on the west coast or snowboarding in the Alps. I love cooking, travelling and shopping tones of clothes - I am an ebay addict - but only second hand high quality fashion. And, oh I forgot, I am a total control freak.
What are the greatest challenges you face ?
One the greatest challenge I have to face today is to turn my small business into a successful startup that remains sustainable development oriented.
I have founded my company four years ago and I have been working alone the whole time in a very « homemade » way, respecting as much as possible the environnement.
It is a full time activity that doesn’t make any money if I can’t work. I need to hire employees, move to a bigger office and find ways to keep being eco-friendly in order to develop a business structure that can work without me being 100% present all the time and that remains faithful to my values. It is a big step forward, a consequent financial investment and a lot more responsibilities.
How would you define happiness ?
Being optimistic and epicurean. Finding the fun in every boring situations, seeing the best in every moments and every people, smiling and enjoying all of those, joyfully and light-heartedly.
What is your biggest ambition ?
You know that Ghandi said « Be the change that you wish to see in the world ».
I hate to witness hopelessly how we are destroying the environment, making each day after another, a minority of people richer and starving to death so many others. But as consumers we have all the power to change things if we decide to change our bad habits.
I have created my company with the « crazy » ambition to try to convince as many people as I can to consume a lot less and in a better way, to shop second hand qualitative products made in respect of the environment and of the manufacturers and to take care of what we buy.
Is this where you saw yourself at 30 ?
Haha no at all, I am a thousand kilometers far from it. I thought things would go a lot faster. Five years ago I was thinking I would already be at the head of a big company, very influential and successful. I am laughing hard thinking of my younger self with so many expectations and hungry ambitions.
I have learned to be patient and to build my life in a slow but very constructive way.
I am talking only about my professional life because I I had no ideas where I would be in my personal life and it still is totally blurred.
What do you wish you could tell every woman ?
Do what you love most and do it as well as you can. Work is 90% of your time, let's make the most of it. Choose to turn the hardships of life into enthusiastic and exciting challenges. Even in times of deep crisis there still are a few good things that you can appreciate. Focus on these sources of happiness, enjoy every single one of them, enjoy the company of your friends and your family, contemplate the amazing nature, you never know when things will end, so make the most of what you have at the moment and smile :-) !
What is your biggest fear ?
Losing someone I love
What is your most prized possession ?
Super superficial sorry, two rare pieces of art from Chloé : an exquisite pair of black suede shoes embellished with crystals and a divine wedding dress from the spring 2009 runway show.
Do you think women are equal to men and why ?
They are equal and the answer seems obvious to me because I am lucky enough to be born in a country where it is written in the constitution that men and women have equal rights and to have parents who have raised me to think that way. This education is not a given for everyone unfortunately. But I am convinced that we can contribute to change mentalities by creating school in developing countries where children can get a proper education and by helping financially women throughout the world to create small businesses that will make them more independent, powerful and respected.
What are you most proud of in your life ?
I have been training my friends to recycle every time we go on holidays together, and to stop using the micro-wave, I am driving them crazy ! But it starts to work, I am so proud ! We are going to save this planet, I am telling you.
What do you hope for in ten years ?
I want to move closer to the ocean in a few years and hopefully raise a family if I have managed to find mr right. I hope I will be able to run Louise Paris’ website, office and shop from a distance, only coming from times to times to Paris, and to balance equally my professional and personal life.
What women has inspired you and why ?
I met my friend Mariam when I was starting my website five years ago, she is and will always be my first inspiration. She founded Pikaboonanny at that time, a high‐end nanny agency. Her company is doing really very well, I am amazed by what she has managed to achieve. She is a strong, very smart and hard working woman, always available whenever you need help. And she never brags about anything, how cool is that ?!
What do you eat as a treat ?
A lemon pie, it is SO delicious. I love how the acidity of the lemon excites your taste buds and makes you smile instantly.
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