Hello Tiphaine, can you introduce yourself?
Hello Illari! At MyTroc I’m the co-founder and sales director. I joined Floriane’s (the founder of MyTroc) crazy adventure in 2018. The original idea for MyTroc came from Floriane, who in 2015 witnessed a fairly ordinary scene outside a school: two mothers were exchanging babysitting for clothes. And actually, seeing this, it clicked for her: bartering was the oldest form of exchange. Floriane thought that by using bartering more, we would reduce the consumption of new products and therefore the environmental impact, while promoting mutual aid.
What prompted you to join MyTroc?
The famous glass ceiling. I had been working in an environmentally conscious company for a few years and I wanted to move up. A management position opened up, but I couldn’t apply for it. I felt a great sense of incomprehension when they refused to consider my application for this position, which ultimately went to a man. I realized that if I wanted to continue to advance, I would have to create my own opportunity because I wouldn’t be offered any advancement. I met Floriane and Judicaël, who immediately trusted me to move MyTroc forward.
It seems to me that My Troc Pro is a women’s story. Can you tell us more about this?
Yes, it is! In fact, when I joined MyTroc in 2018, the startup had already been around for two years, but we weren’t really generating any revenue yet. Floriane had partnered with Judicaël, and they had worked on launching our platform for individuals. When we started looking for a B2B business model, we were contacted by three female intrapreneurs from SNCF. They were aiming to launch an internal solution to combat waste and were taking a course dedicated to female intrapreneurship.
This program reflects SNCF’s strong commitment to diversity. We worked intensively with them for three months to launch the Eco Boutique. I think there was a strong desire on both their part and ours to prove that we were capable of seeing our project through to completion and succeed. “I realized that if I wanted to continue to progress, I would have to create my own opportunity because I wouldn’t be offered any advancement.”
How did this entrepreneurial start-up go in a predominantly male environment?
To begin with, you should know that at the beginning, there are two types of startups: those that already have money and those that start with next to nothing. There’s fundraising, of course, but when you’re a woman, it seems more complicated. For example, I remember a lending platform run by two men that managed to raise €2 million very quickly. We, even though we had more users and very solid customers, took much longer to raise funds.
When you’re a woman, you’re already less likely to be at the helm of a company. Only 5% of startups are led by women. Furthermore, you’re statistically less likely to raise the same amount of money as a male team. The SISTA barometer on access to funds shows that women raise 2.5 times less than men in terms of value. We received quite a few rejections because we were less of a show-off than our male counterparts, I think.
In your opinion, what are the reasons that make raising funds more difficult for a female CEO than for a male CEO?
I think, to begin with, there’s the traditional stereotype that we’re “too emotional” and therefore not rational or ambitious enough. There are still a lot of men in the investment world, and I think they identify more with male CEOs. This is partly unconscious, but it obviously doesn’t work in our favor! Yet, it has been proven that companies led by women have better financial results and are more sustainable in the long term.
“You have to have the courage to act and not let yourself be pigeonholed into the roles assigned to you. You have to chart your course with your head held high and, above all, prove to yourself what you’re worth!”
Are changes still happening?
Yes, indeed. There are more women CEOs in the media, particularly in the environmental responsibility sector. More and more challenges and competitions are being organized to highlight women who lead projects, even if they aren’t generally the ones offering the most impressive prizes!
Regarding MyTroc, even though fundraising was a real challenge (it often is!), we were able to close our Seed round with Makesense and a family office that wanted to invest in projects led by women in the majority. It just goes to show that perceptions are changing.
A final word?
I wanted to point out that the differences in treatment between men and women hadn’t jumped out at me during my studies or at the beginning of my career. We’re not really prepared for it, but personally, I was confronted with it around the age of 30. Rather than lamenting it, I think you have to have the courage to act and not let yourself be pigeonholed into the roles assigned to you. You have to chart your course with your head held high and, above all, prove to yourself what you’re worth! About Tiphaine Bezard
tiphaine-bezard
After working in purchasing for mass retailers and then supporting major accounts in their eco-responsibility initiatives in the furniture sector, Tiphaine Bezard joined MyTroc in 2018 to launch the MyTroc Pro solution. Convinced that resource waste is a major issue, she supports large groups and government agencies in their transformation towards a more responsible consumption pattern.
MyTroc
MyTroc is a free public platform that allows the exchange of goods and services between individuals, with the option of using a collaborative currency: hazelnuts. Bartering can take three different forms: classic barter (one object/service for another object/service), hazelnut barter (one object/service for hazelnuts), or open barter (one object/service for another object/service and/or hazelnuts). This solution promotes the circular economy, an approach that has a positive impact on the environment. About MyTroc Pro
MyTroc Pro is a resource reuse and sharing platform dedicated to businesses. By promoting optimized use of materials, the MyTroc Pro solution allows you to save on purchasing and waste treatment costs while adopting a responsible circular economy approach. MyTroc Pro works with SNCF, Keolis, Enedis, Arts et Métiers, and the Bourgogne Franche-Comté region, among others.