An explosive encounter with a young mom who's got it going on (laughs). With her contagious simplicity and joie de vivre, Annick manages her smala and her business with a master's hand. Discover the sincere, funny and touching portrait of this Queen Mama.

Annick, can you introduce yourself in a few words?
I'm 32, mother of Dahlia and Isiah. I've been in a relationship with Nicolas for 6 ½ years, whom I met at a friend's going-away party. That evening, he over-dragged me, which worked out because 3 months later we were living together, big love (laughs). I'm Congolese by birth. I lived in Kinshasa until I was 12, when I moved to the Bernese Jura. At 22, I moved to Lausanne to study design, then landed in Geneva to work in marketing. I soon decided to set up on my own and launched my first company, Style Avenue. The concept? To digitize luxury second-hand goods, a revolution at the time. A few years later, I created another: Popup Corner. An ephemeral boutique concept organized twice a year, featuring a trendy selection of designer brands from here and abroad. The 1st edition was a hit, the 2nd less so. The latter coincided with my desire to have a baby. A few months later, I was lucky enough to become pregnant. Throughout the pregnancy and the months following the birth, I put work aside to concentrate on what was essential: my family. Then, little by little, I started to think about a new project with a business model more suited to my new life as a mom (a few months later I was pregnant with baby 2). Then, as if by magic, I came up with The Trotters. Still in retail, the idea is to present around 5 new brands (design & fashion) per season, for which I've negotiated exclusivity for Switzerland. More than just ephemeral sales and an online store, The Trotters is a state of mind. Free and rebellious, The Trotters is inspired by travel and encounters. The Trotters it's a nomad concept.

When the alarm goes off, what's the first thing you do?
I don't have an alarm clock. I'm lucky enough to get up naturally at the time I want.

What does your daily schedule look like?
I'm up at 7am. I spend 30 minutes doing my e-mails. In between, Nico takes care of Dahlia. Then I get Isiah ready and at 8:15 a.m. GO off to the nursery to drop off the big one. 9:30am, back home where I drink my coffee and work until 12pm. Then lunch and the obligatory nap. In the afternoon, I make one appointment after another for The Trotters. At 4pm, I stop everything, go home, tidy up and pick up Dahlia from nursery. We go for a walk and a snack in the park before heading home. There, Nico takes over and takes care of the evening ritual: shower, dinner, bedtime at 8.15pm. If, by chance, Dahlia falls asleep easily, we can say we've got the evening to ourselves, but it's rare! If we do, we go up to our stylish rooftop for a drink, a smoke and 5 minutes to forget the kids (laughs).

What are your ingredients for reconciling everything?
There's no magic formula, so you have to keep things in perspective. If you can do it all, great, if not, too bad. I try to take things one day at a time, without getting bogged down in organization.

And what about dad?
He's very present and takes over whenever he can, which is mainly in the evenings and at weekends. At night, he gets up if needed for Dahlia while I look after Isiah.

Would you have any advice for a young mother?
I don't have any advice to give, because we're all very different. Every mother instinctively does what's best for her child. The only important thing to say is: "Trust yourself".

And for a mumpreneur?
Set yourself a schedule and stick to it, even on days when the house is a mess, your child is sick or you're exhausted. Personally, with a 2-month-old baby, it's hard to get into a rhythm, but I've set myself a goal: to work 4 hours a day flat out, even if not consecutively. The rest of the time I devote to my daughters.

If you had to define motherhood in 1 word?
Hurricane

Cool vs. uncool during pregnancy?

Not cool: feeling fat, ugly and tired (laughs).
Cool: feeling your baby move. Realize that you're carrying life!

What's your current obsession?
Losing weight to feel better about myself.

Your tips for :

A romantic dinner: the café des négociants
Girls' night out: karaoke at La Coupole.
A moment just for you: an afternoon at the SPA du Kempinski
A family activity: go to the park or the mountains and have tea parties with other moms.

What does being a good mother mean to you?
Being present and loving.

What do you find most fulfilling in this role?
Being with my daughters on a daily basis, watching them grow and develop in a carefree way.

What core values would you like to instill in them?
Independence and joie de vivre.

How do you get people to obey you?
Promising Dahlia to go tobogganing in the park works every time (laughs).

Your tip for dealing with a crisis situation?
Breathe, let go and tell yourself it's temporary.

What's your guilty pleasure?
The cigarette/beer duo, too glam (laughs).

An express recipe to please everyone?
Spaghetti with tomato sauce.

Your shopping addresses for kids and you?
Smallable.com

Your last purchase?
Shoes.

Your greatest quality and your biggest flaw?
I'm a good listener and I'm always available for those close to me, but I'm very (too) stubborn.

Where do you find your inspiration?
During your travels. The last one was in Cassis for my friend Mikela's sublime wedding.

What are the next projects for The Trotters?
If all goes well, the new brands for the winter season will go online on October 15. I'd also like to find 3 corners in resort hotels (Cran-Montana, Megève and Courchevel).

Annick, what can we wish you today for tomorrow?
Professional success and good health for my family.

A nod to Franka & Antoine for the pretty dress worn by Dahlia in the photos.