Alisée is CEO of seedstars, a global organization specializing in the search for promising start-ups in emerging countries. At the age of 32, she's been on a world tour, 2 TEDx, on the cover of Bilan, Forbes "30 under 30" and voted one of the most influential women in tech, no less! What you may not know is that, before being a wonder woman, Alisée is a wonder mom. Mother of two, she was 8 months pregnant when we met in February. This interview gives you the opportunity to discover her from a more personal angle. She shares with us her desires, her fears, her doubts, her way of reconciling family life and career, all the while trying to manage an emotion that every mother knows: guilt. Don't wait any longer to discover this inspiring new story.

Alisée, can you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hmmm, it's not easy to reveal yourself (smile). Usually, the interviews I do tend to focus on seedstars, not me... I'm 32. I'm French, but I grew up between Singapore, the United States, Switzerland and Italy. After my university studies in Lausanne and Milan, I immediately started at L'Oréal in marketing. At the age of 24, through a friend, I met Pierre-Alain, one of the three founders of seedstars, with whom I became a partner and fell in love. He also became my life partner and the father of my children. Convinced by the potential of seedstars, I decided to leave my "comfortable" job to embark on this incredible adventure, both entrepreneurial and human. The project grew quickly. In 2013, we organized a global start-up competition and set off on our first world tour.

You're the mother of a little boy (aged 2) and pregnant with your second.
Pregnancy isn't really my thing. You might think it's harmless, but it's turned my life upside down, physically, hormonally, socially and even intellectually. You have to experience it to really understand. It's as if I'd totally lost my identity, had to rebuild myself and learn to know myself again. It takes a lot of naivety to throw yourself into motherhood, but fortunately you soon forget (smile). You also have to learn to live with this new feeling of guilt about being at home or at work. 

Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Eleanor Roosvelt

Have you been working long hours over the past 9 months?
Seedstars is a project that really gets under my skin. It's part of me. Pregnant or a mother, I just can't let go. I'm extremely lucky to have a great team and a wonderful partner on whom I can rely. I've put together a made-to-measure schedule that allows me to combine my life as a mom and my professional life with relative ease. With a second child on the way, I'm going to have to find a new dynamic, but I'm relatively confident knowing more or less what to expect, at least I hope so (smile).

Is working with your partner, the father of your children, an advantage or a challenge?
I have to say that the best decision I ever made in my career was to choose him. 8 years ago, we became partners and a couple at the same time. Knowing only this configuration, I can't compare but I clearly see it more as an advantage. For the past 6 years, we've been traveling the world together. We share the same passions, the same values and the same desires. Being on the same adventure, the boundary between work and home is minimal, if not non-existent (which isn't always easy, especially for me). We talk and live seedstars during the day, evenings, weekends and vacations. We need to cut ourselves off more often, but we love it and brainstorming together is part of our life as a couple.

Yes, it is possible to reconcile family and professional life, but you have to accept that certain choices will require sacrifice.

Do you think it's possible to reconcile family and professional life? If so, how?
Yes, it is possible, but you have to accept that certain choices will require sacrifices. On the one hand, I'm torn between telling myself that it's now or never that I have to give my all for my career, and on the other, there's reality. The reality of being the mother of a 2-year-old and 8 months pregnant with my second. You have to accept that things will take longer and be different, which doesn't mean they won't be as good. Returning to work after having a child is not easy. You have to find your place and a certain confidence. Working is part of my balance. I need to do something that motivates me, that's worthwhile and where I feel valued. Everyone is different and should be able to follow her own aspirations.

How did you feel about having to delegate certain professional responsibilities to your partner during your pregnancies?
I'm not going to lie, I felt a lot of jealousy, but also a lot of guilt about not being able to "deliver" as much as I used to during pregnancy and motherhood. Since then, as it's essential for me to spend time with my son, we've set up a new work organization and dynamic. My partner would say the same. At home, chores are more or less equally divided between the two of us. There's no reason for me to do more (smile).

What advice would you give to women who want to succeed professionally?

1. Choose a company that values you.
2. Stop apologizing for everything all the time.
3. Don't suffer from impostor syndrome (I'm victim No. 1. Whenever I relapse, I have several people I can call to bring me back down to earth and restore my self-confidence).
4. Find what really drives you.
5. Make sure your life partner is the right one to support your choices.

What's the most important lesson you've learned from becoming a mother?
That I've never been so much my mother's daughter as when I became one myself. I've never needed her so much! I realized what it meant to love unconditionally and to be devoted to the well-being of your children and family.

Your bike?
" Do one thing everyday that scares you" by Eleanor Roosevelt. 

A quote?
"If you think the grass is greener on the other side it's because it was fertilized with bullshit." It's written for me (smile).

An inspirational woman?
There are so many, but I'd have to say Michelle Obama. I find her impressive and so accurate in her words.

A book?
Lean in by Sheryl Sandberg

Alisée, what's the best thing we can wish you today for tomorrow?
7 hours of sleep in a row, I can only dream of it (smile)!

Since we met in February, Alisée has given birth to a beautiful baby girl, and the whole family is doing very well. We look forward to seeing her again soon!
If you'd like to meet Alisée and ask her all your questions about her vision of motherhood and work, sign up for our next MothersTalk "Career and motherhood, are they compatible?".

PROGRAM:

👩🏼👩🏻 Hosted by Elsa & Natalie
💻 Live ZOOM (a link will be sent to you the day before)
📆 Tuesday, 29 September
⏱1h30 de Talk
💲15 CHF
🇫🇷 The Talk will be given in French. Alisée also speaks English and will be able to respond more specifically in English if required.

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