A priori
, nothing intends an automobile brand to deploy a program aimed at promoting female entrepreneurship.
At Mercedes-Benz, it's different, because from the start, women have been central.
If Carl Benz is known for being the inventor of the first gasoline engine, his wife Bertha was also a pioneer by making the first long-distance journey by car in history.
With the She's Mercedes program, the manufacturer pays tribute to this visionary and perpetuates the legacy of the one who played a decisive role in the history of the brand with the star.
A boost for those who undertake
At the initiative of this major project, we find two women, Angélique Touguet and Clémence Madet.
"At Mercedes-Benz, we have always valued the audacity to undertake and risk taking, but with She's Mercedes, we go further"
, they assure.
Designed as a real springboard for female entrepreneurs, this unique program aims to accelerate their projects and encourage encounters through 100% female mentoring.
The exchange and sharing of experiences are at the heart of this unique system which has enabled women at the helm of promising young companies, such as Charlotte de Laitre and Claire Chappet (Be My Nest) or Fanny Saulay and Olivia de Fayet (Wilo & Grove), to benefit from the expertise of renowned entrepreneurs such as Pauline Laigneau (Gemmyo) and Cordelia Flourens (Elles font YouTube).
Building on its success, She's Mercedes is back for a new season.
The importance of being well surrounded
For this second edition, a national call for applications was launched, twenty-five finalists appeared before a jury of experts, and seven new winners were finally selected to live this extraordinary human adventure: Nathalie Boscq and Caroline Filou Heukamp (Happy Funky Family), Kenza Keller (Talm), Laurie Paradis (Kubinvest), Marina Lemaire (Archie), Pauline Grumel (Unisoap) and Mathilde Scheuer (Hollis Laboratory).
By their side, they can count on the support and involvement of four mentors with inspiring backgrounds and recognized human qualities: Isabelle Rabier (Jolimoi), Cathy Closier (Season), Agathe Wautier (The Galion Project) and Carole Juge-Llewellyn (Joone).
"The fact that the program is organized by Mercedes-Benz, a brand with strong values, modern and innovative, made sense to me
," says the latter.
The first mentor/laureate meeting took place during an immersive two-day retreat, an opportunity to benefit from an instructive and unique moment of exchange.
“I like this collective side.
It's quite rare to find yourself with fifteen women entrepreneurs with very different projects, motivations and life paths to discuss business.
It's super-rewarding
, ”enthuses Isabelle Rabier at the end of this suspended moment.
Indeed, She's Mercedes is distinguished by a privileged relationship and tailor-made support that allows mentors and laureates to discuss strategic or operational issues as well as more personal subjects, in a constructive and benevolent approach.
"She's Mercedes is everything I believe in: collective intelligence, sharing between peers, sharing experiences
," says Agathe Wautier.
A program that speaks to all women
Beyond mentoring, She's Mercedes France is part of a broader approach focused
on female
empowerment .
This notably involves resolutely inspiring content (talks, interviews, videos, podcasts, etc.) fed by the testimonials of mentors and laureates.
Their advice is for all women, not just entrepreneurs.
Objective ?
Stimulate their ambition and, why not, awaken new vocations.
www.mercedes-benz.fr/shes