Jan 8, 2009

My Small Company

Well, it's almost official so it's time I talk about what kept me busy since December started.
I dropped off all my documents at that famous "guichet unique", one single-counter for setting up your company named "CFE (Centre de Formation des Entreprises)". I forgot how painful and stressful it could be going to an administration and hoping you haven't forgot anything. I was prepared but still...
I was like anxious when the women across the desk looked carefully at all my documents, comparing and reading while frowning her eyes. I was literally holding my breath. Then I thought, "something's missing, that can't be the end of the world"...except that I was freezing only by getting there. I was used to freeze in Boston for a few months every year but I guess the body gets used to warmth !! I couldn't imagine coming back for one paper...and there it was, she said there were 2 problems !
I was lucky with the first one, the "jurist of the house" was reachable (not mine, the CFE's), it was quickly solved. Besides, it shows I was right so that gave me a little confidence (not saying a little power !!). The second one was a mistake I made (by not double-checking a legal add I sent on Christmas week) but she still took all I brought saying my file was pending. It lasted around 10 minutes and it took me 1 hour to get there back and forth...Anyway, I am almost done now.

I just need to buy a laptop and a printer/fax machine/scanner, what I was going to do to today.
Then get my license as a real estate agent (still need to sign and gather lots of documents) but that's the last step.
Then, and that's the scary part, I am free to go...lucky me !!
The economic situation, even in France, is not at its very best. The first year I was out from "College", there was an economic crisis and it was really tough to get a job. I was supposed to work for a CPA to be able to do after a year my "3 year-internship" but couldn't.
We are protected in France and we don't realize that. We have insurance for all and preschools are free. We can also receive money just by having more than one kid and being a SAHM (not too much but still).
But it takes forever to set up a company and it can be very complicated if you don't know the legal part...
I can't stop comparing the US and France although I know it's not a healthy thing to do. I promise I'll do my best to be positive. I will try to infuse through my new job that customer attention and business-being-always-pro state of mind I appreciated so much there. That is how business have to be run. I believe in trying to change things around by starting little, one day at a time, being a role-model.
I have other battle-fields but that'll be a subject in a different post.
I wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR. May 2009 be one of your best year, May 2009 bring joy and peace to your family and the friends you love.

5 comments:

Isabelle said...

Bonne année et surtout bonne chance pour ta "petite entreprise" :)

Marie said...

Merci Isa !
Je suis contente de commencer quelque chose de vraiment nouveau mais c'est pas evident d'etre son propre boss ! Tu bosses pas de la maison toi aussi ?

Isabelle said...

Oui, en effet, Marie, je travaille chez moi. Mais pas à mon compte, je suis salariée d'une petite boîte. Il s'agit donc de télétravail.
Je suis plus ou moins libre de mes horaires (si je dois emmener mes enfants chez le docteur par exemple je peux le faire dans la journée, et pas en sortant du bureau). Mais, bon, dans 99% des cas je respecte des horaires de bureau (9h-12h30 et 14h-18h).

Marie said...

Yes, that helps a lot !!
And do you think you have a better life ? do you think you have more/less or equal opportunities in terms of career ?

Isabelle said...

Malheureusement mon job n'est que purement alimentaire (je suis technicienne de bases de données), donc je n'ai pas franchement d'opportunités de progression de carrière... Et de toute façon ça n'est pas du tout un domaine qui m'intéresse (catalogues de cuisines et de salles de bain).

J'ai postulé pour ce boulot il y a 6 ans uniquement parce que j'avais la possibilité de travailler chez moi. Mes enfants étaient plus jeunes (à l'époque ils avaient 9 ans et 5 ans), donc c'était l'idéal. Je ne suis payée qu'au SMIC mais j'ai mes mercredis de libre (enfin, libres si on veut car avec toutes les activités extra-scolaires, je ne suis pas beaucoup à la maison !!).
Ma vie est plus facile car je ne suis pas tributaire des transports en commun ou des embouteillages, et si mes enfants sont malades, je peux quand même travailler. Par contre je ne vois pas grand monde, c'est le côté moins sympa !