More than 60 mentors and experts take part in supporting startups in the ToasterLAB program. In order to let you get to know these experts and experienced professionals, each month we will be publishing a "mentor profile".
Fanny BASTEAU Expert in brand strategy and founder of L'OISEAU VERT
WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO her
Fanny Basteau is an intellectual - meaning she is one of those people whose ability to create abstract concepts is at least equal to her ability to analyse tangible elements. After her studies in modern literature and philosophy, Fanny felt the need to turn towards the world of business and completed her studies with a degree from ESSEC Business School, graduating in 2011.
At the crossroads of these two universes (the conceptual and the tangible), Fanny has forged her path on the topic of branding. Straight out of the gate, she launched her activity as a free-lance consultant. "At the time, it was still fairly rare to do this in the area of branding... And I got treated as a bit of an extraterrestrial!" she remembers. From a martian, she moved to a more familiar species by creating her agency "L’Oiseau Vert" ("green bird", in French), where she employs a theory and method of "strategic identity alignment".
Fanny is firm on the importance of authentic human relations, sincerity and the concept of frugality within her consulting approach. "The client's freedom and their path towards independance is at the centre of my vision of consulting," she explains. "My clients are free to opt out of my services at any time, as soon as they feel able to advance under their own steam."
A mentor with ToasterLAB since its launch, Fanny appreciates the collective intelligence that she finds there. For start-ups, she offers 3 main lessons:
1. The importance of your brand. "Many start-ups don't appreciate what their brand represents, beyond a simple logo," she explains. "Indeed, it's an indispensible channel for your company's growth."
2. The responsibilities that the brand's values and perception by your consumers mean for your company.
3. The role of empathy in the construction of your brand. "It's not about making people like you by aligning base words like transparency, quality or trust. It's about understanding the customer's pain points, to offer them a solution that will mean something to them."
how FANNY can help you
- Strategy
- Marketing
- Communication
- Brand expression and identity
in her own words
"Entrepreneurs who don't work on the brand are doomed to come up against a glass ceiling... or to fail."
more reading
go deeper
Do you want to take advantage of coaching support that is challenging, generous... but never complacent, from our exceptional mentors? Contact me and find out more about the ToasterLAB program: claire.vanoverstraeten@vitagora.com.
By Claire VO
ToasterLAB Programme Manager, Claire "VO" is in charge of our start-ups' acceleration and post-acceleration. After 12 years with Vitagora, Claire's unparalleled knowledge of our network is put to good use while integrating our startups into the food business ecosystem! E-mail her at: claire.vanoverstraeten@vitagora.com