Newsletter #36: my new job, an amazing flower business and a positive song

Hi there,

I hope you're feeling good.

This edition is super special to me as it marks the beginning of a new chapter of my life.

Last Friday, I celebrated it with my friends from the French Shopify community. We went to an Italian restaurant in Paris and raised our pasta plates to all the exciting things ahead of us.

In today’s edition, we’re discussing my new job, an amazing flower business and a positive song.

Let's dive in.

Work

I started as a freelance Shopify developer in 2019.

I had a blast during the past 5 years. What an incredible ride it has been! I discovered an area that I’m truly passionate about, met amazing people who I’m proud to now call my friends, got inspired by brave and resourceful merchants, and learnt so much along the way.

At the end of 2023, Shopify knocked on my door. They offered me the best position I could ever dream of.

Without a doubt, I entered the hiring process. After going through 4 interviews with impressively talented people, I was hired.

I'm extremely happy to announce that I'm joining Shopify as a Lead Technical Architect, as part of the Professional Services team.This role has similarities with my freelance career as I’ll continue to help merchants make the most of Shopify. However, the scope and impact will be much bigger.

I’ll also be in close contact with many teams inside Shopify, allowing me to have a wide view of how this beautiful machine operates.

After 5 years of playing with Shopify’s products, it’s a huge honor for me to join the company. I’m very grateful to Shopify for their trust. I’m looking forward to getting to know my teammates, and helping merchants tackle their challenges.

One thing I can promise: I will do my very best.

Inspire

In 2017, I started a 2-year apprenticeship at the French public institution La Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations.

Inside the Investment department, my team was in charge of financing (through grants) projects that aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and web development.

We financed 18 projects: a business incubator created by a university, a coding bootcamp, etc.

As part of this job, I also served as a juror in entrepreneurship competitions.

In one of these competitions, one project really caught my attention: Désirée Fleurs, co-founded by Mathilde Bignon and Audrey Venant.

Désirée Fleurs is an eco-responsible florist, specialized in seasonal flowers cultivated in France.

They’re addressing a significant issue: only 15% of cut flowers sold in France are actually produced in France. The rest comes not only from Holland, but also from Kenya, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Colombia…

Désirée Fleurs aims to develop the French flower industry and raise awareness on the subject.

When I discovered the project at that entrepreneurship event, I thought it was great so I voted for it. They did not win the competition, but they stayed in my mind.

I was impressed by their dedication, their passion, and their execution: they had opened a florist shop in Paris, and were already thinking about the next one. After the event, I congratulated the founders, and started following the company on LinkedIn.

Fast forward 7 years.

Last Sunday, I spent the morning in a coffee shop with Mathilde Bignon, co-founder.

We shared a hot chocolate and got to know each other better than through our previous email exchanges. She gave me wonderful updates about the company.

Désirée Fleurs now has:

• 3 florist shops, with a fourth one set to open its doors in May

• 25 employees

• 20% of their annual revenue coming from their Shopify store

• 30% of year-over-year growth on their Shopify store

I could not be happier for them. It's a well-deserved success.

And in the bigger picture, they're also succeeding: compared to 2017, the French flower industry is now more developed, and the general public is becoming more aware of the issue. Prominent media outlets, like ELLE, have even published articles explaining the importance of buying seasonal flowers.

Discover more about Désirée Fleurs on their store.

Explore

This week, to disconnect from work, I investigated theories about Kate Middleton and how she would have edited her Mother’s Day picture herself… Just kidding, let’s not get into that!

I’d like to share with you the song that I play every morning these days: “Who Knows” by Protoje and Chronixx.

It’s not new, it came out in 2015, but I just discovered it. My brother showed it to me and I’m really happy that he did. It’s full of good vibes.

Enjoy.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading this edition until the end.

I'll talk to you soon.

Take good care of yourself.

Coralie