A young graduate at the head of a winemaking estate!

Madeleine Herbeau (Master 2014) recently took over the reins at her family-run winemaking estate in Provence. This young graduate from EDHEC’s MSc Entrepreneurship programme tells us about her first steps as an entrepreneur.

EDHEC Alumni: Can you explain briefly how Château Barbebelle came about?

Madeleine Herbeau: I joined EDHEC in year 2 after a dual degree in law and management at the Sorbonne. Following a gap year which was divided between an internship in Paris and a university exchange programme in Shanghai, I knew I wanted to choose the MSc Entrepreneurship for my final year! I thoroughly enjoyed that year and I’m delighted to see that my classmates have also started out on their own and enjoyed some success!

After that year on the MSc programme I decided to do my final internship at Nestlé to keep as many options open as possible for my future career. During my gap year I had helped set up My Vitibox, a start-up specialised in subscriptions for monthly wine deliveries, and knew I could learn a lot from a major company like Nestlé! It was an enriching experience but I wasn’t convinced it was for me.

It wasn’t long before I decided to take over from my father. I was very drawn by the dimension of responsibility in this family endeavour, and ever since I have felt completely fulfilled at Barbebelle: what’s not to like about life in Provence surrounded by vines?

EA:  How would you assess this entrepreneurial adventure?

MH: Since I arrived 6 months ago, I have learned something every day, especially about technical aspects: from cultivating vines to the winemaking process. I really love that part of my job.

My primary mission since arriving at Barbebelle has been to boost wine sales on the highly promising export market. So far we’ve been quite successful: our first crates for the United States will be dispatched in January and I’ve made a few serious contacts in Europe. I’m persistent! The importers I’ve met with like our wines and are glad to be working with the next generation!

The first part of this adventure has been very positive. Every day I am very happy and confident about the future of Barbebelle. I have high ambitions and I’m working hard to succeed, while putting some quiet time aside to make the most of life in Provence and my friends. One of the advantages of being an entrepreneur is being able to organise your time as you wish!

EA: Have you ever benefited from the network of EDHEC graduates?

MH: Through EDHEC I have made many friends who have also gone on to set up their own companies. We stick together! Although our projects are very different, we obviously encounter similar problems and are glad to be able to talk about them. And during stressful periods, the help they give me is invaluable!

I would like to keep developing my contacts with the network of EDHEC graduates, obviously with those working in the wine sector, but I am sure that I would also benefit from meeting others in mass retailing, event organisers, or people working in the hotel and catering sector, media, etc.

 
EA: What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?

MH: I’m still starting out so I can’t really claim to give advice to young graduates like me when it comes to entrepreneurship, but I would advise them to take the plunge right away before they have obligations and other burdens to carry. When you finish school all the lights are green, and no company could reproach someone for wanting to get stuck in and trying to create something.

One thing that I feel is very important is that the “idea” everyone looks for before setting up a company is not as essential as all that. The main thing is to be driven by a desire for entrepreneurship. The initial idea will necessarily change in accordance with many different external factors: demand, competition, logistics, etc. While on the MSc Entrepreneurship programme at EDHEC, we were often advised not to remain stuck on our main idea and to be willing to make concessions in order to succeed. For example, I wouldn’t stubbornly produce a wine with an old-fashioned label that I loved if my clients wanted something modern!

Finally I would advise them to stay confident and calm, as too much stress often doesn’t help matters. At EDHEC we are fortunate enough to have received a good education, we have people around us, and many of those we have to convince believe in us and we can change direction quite easily if something doesn’t work out the way we hope.

EA: What’s next for Château Barbebelle?

MH: There are many things in the pipeline! In the short term I must first of all recruit an agricultural employee to replace one of the team who is retiring. This is a major challenge as the team is very small and we have very limited margin for error when hiring. Next year I will also have to hire someone to look after administrative matters. By late 2016 we should have a full team in action once again!

I am also currently designing a new high-end product, with everything that implies: choosing the bottle, designing the label, the cork, boxes, name, pricing, etc. and, as in any start-up, I obviously don’t have the budget to pay an agency to do the work, so I’m going to do it with a friend.

The list goes on: for example, I’m constantly looking for new markets in France and abroad, I’m thinking about setting up activities outside winemaking (e.g. hotels, restaurants), I’m trying to find ways to renew the retail cellar, and I’m trying to gain greater visibility for Barbebelle in the media.

EA: What are your expectations from the community of EDHEC graduates?

MC: It would be great to benefit from the community of EDHEC graduates, who can be found everywhere in the world and across all sectors. Everyone (or almost) has a fondness for wine, and if everyone bought a bottle of Château Barbebelle from time to time I would be very happy!

Jokes aside, there are real opportunities at Barbebelle and I hope to provide wine for events organised by EDHEC affiliates or even offer to rent out the Barbebelle estate for corporate seminars or Christmas dinners for example.

Contact
> Website: www.barbebelle.com
> Barbebelle on Facebook
> madeleine.herbeau@barbebelle.com