Living from your business and being free, that's true success

In 2012, Marine André created Bee Nature, cosmetic products made from honey: she was 22 years old. She will be the first to launch a crowdfunding in Belgium. In 9 years, she developed 15 products, and sold 80,000 units in more than 1,000 outlets in Belgium each year. In 9 years, Marine has also given birth to 4 babies.

"At a certain point, you have to put in the work to grow, especially in marketing... I no longer had the energy to go and raise 10M° alone with 4 children at home. I had activated my networks. I talked a lot with other entrepreneurs, asking them how they had sold their companies. I was ready to become a partner or to bring in a CEO who would invest. When the French company Pharmatica bought Bee nature in 2019, Marine set her goals for the resale: brand sustainability, staff takeover and investor reimbursement.

Marine has also written a book, "Entrepreneur and Mum", in which she reveals her 10 tips for daring to launch herself.

"I realised that you have to be ethical but you also have to do volume: so go to the big fish who will bring in the money! Success has many facets: developing green products, respecting health and the environment, taking more market share and generating employment."

" When someone doesn't adhere to the company's values, you shouldn't keep them. These errors of choice cost a lot of money and time.

"When you have a project, you have to test it, go to the end of the idea. You don't necessarily have to do it full time, you can do it part time too," she recommends.

"I'm an entrepreneur at heart, I'm going to be involved in three projects. I chose them in line with my values: family, nature and education. I will tell you more soon...

But what I can tell you already is that in life, nothing happens without moving. You have to push doors to get what you want. You have to dare to think big, but do your own thing and be happy yourself.

It's better to earn less money and be free," concludes Marine André.