Wonderful Women Interview with Alexandra de Faucigny, Founder Of Tendre Deal

Wonderful Women Interview with Alexandra de Faucigny, Founder Of Tendre Deal.

For this week’s Wonderful Women, I’m speaking to Alexandra de Faucigny, a talented French expat living in London with great style and vision.

Alexandra has launched the UK’s first members-only site, selling 100% French designer clothes, toys, and other children’s accessories at great prices.

Tendre Deal brings mainly little-known independent French brands via regular exclusive ‘sales’, to British parents who are keen to add a ‘French touch’ to their children’s style.

Stunning, classic French style, this part French family here, loves.

 

Describe a typical day for you

Because I am a one-woman band, every day is different a typical day doesn’t exist for me.  It depends on the priorities I have, which could be:

Dealing with the suppliers.

Planning new sales events.

Responding to customers requests.

Preparing the orders.

Going to networking events.

Connecting through social media.

Writing my blog….

However, the school runs and the time I spend with my daughters after school always punctuate my days.

 

What do you feel are your biggest achievements?

I am so proud to have been able to reinvent myself after having my 2 girls.

I wasn’t from the fashion or children’s industry and I didn’t know about e-commerce. I wasn’t skilled in digital marketing and hadn’t written a blog before and not in English either.

I was afraid to make grammatical mistakes but eventually, I thought the public would hear my French accent in the way I write and accept me.

Now, I am in contact with 1000 French suppliers and I’m starting to be recognised in the industry. I won the Mumpreneur UK Bronze Award for my website, my followers on my social media platforms are increasing daily and I have started to create videos with my girls.

All this in one year after starting from scratch…

 

What’s in your handbag?

I like to get a small handbag and place the minimum of things inside. These include my iPhone to stay connected and take pictures, my credit and business cards, a notepad & pen for ideas that pop into my head and a small make up case for that quick fix.

 

What are your ambitions in life?

On a professional level, I want to promote amazing French designers. They are like my little babies here in the UK and they deserve to grow.

On a personal level, I want to find the right work/life balance, to spend great moments with my family, teach my girls the importance of working but not so much to make money but to blossom, to be happy and to be able to share this happiness with others.

 

What advice would you give your pre-baby self that now having had a child?

Don’t focus too much on your career before your kids, as everything might well change and you may have to start from scratch with new ideas. However, everything you will have learnt before, will  no doubt be useful and will offer you perspective.

 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

I would love to be seen as an ambassador in the UK for French children’s products, promoting them on my online platform.

 

What advice would you give a budding businesswoman?

It won’t be easy to juggle with your family and friends with your business priorities but you will gain something priceless: your freedom and the flexibility to be there for your kids when they need you mos,t without having to ask permission.

You will also be a great example to your kids, potentially offering them the seed and inspiration for entrepreneurship.

Don’t be afraid to follow your heart and start a business you love.

 

Finally, happiness is

Having fun in everything you do in your life, with your family, in your job and with your friends.