Alcopedia, the Encyclopedia of Spirits
Juliet Bourely is passionate about spirits and books, she launched Alcopedia, the Encyclopedia of Alcohols. The collection Alcopedia is magnificent boxes in the form of old books. Each book presents an alcohol and hides a bottle of precious spirits. Reading and re-reading has never before provided such pleasure!
Graduated from Edhec Grande Ecole in 2014, Juliet decided to embark on the entrepreneurial adventure to highlight the French heritage and rich history of traditions.
As decorative objects, full of surprises, Alcopedia books will find their place in your library. As a gift, or for completing a collection, Alcopedia books can be customized upon request.
You want to know more about her career as a young entrepreneur? Discover this interview:
- Can you describe your academic and professional career?
When I became an EDHEC student, I also became a member of an association in which I invested a great deal: the oenological circle Dionysos. The tastings we organized and the regular meetings we managed to have with producers, on campus or at shows, have confirmed my interest to learn and discover more on the diversity of the French heritage in spirits and oenology. My internships in start-ups have reinforced the desire to create my own project. To define and specify Alcopedia, I met many producers of wines and spirits, analyzed the stakes of the sector. I also attended Cognac International Spirits Center (CIDS) to acquire expertise in spirits.
- How was your entrepreneurial project born?
Creating my business, I realized that everything stems from personal experience. Why books? I have always devoured whole books. Why old books in particular? My grandfather was restoring old books and, for hours, I helped him take care of these precious witnesses of the past. Why spirits? My parents operate a small production of Calvados and "as a child, I fell in the pot". Why secret boxes hiding these spirits? To propose a unique product with humor.
I wanted to pay tribute to the French cultural heritage. When creating the Encyclopedia, the project of Diderot was to collect all human knowledge. The (very humble) project of Alcopedia is to present the spirits, like books with explanations and tasting advice.
- In light of your experience, what advice can you give to students or graduates who would like to start a business?
Have fun! One must love the project to devote its energy and to keep confidence in the hard blows. Take your time, because there will necessarily be unforeseen, extra delays. For example, I had to give up my first logo after a trial, stopping production, which considerably delayed the launch of the products.
The second advice is without hesitation to know how to get off the internet in favor of the "real" world; Do not hesitate to talk about their projects around you, the one-in-a-million supplier can often be found thanks to your network. It is an incredible force that must not be overlooked.
In my particular case, a micro-company where I am the only person to work full-time on the project, you have to know to multi-task and to train permanently. Training of Adobe software, but also on FTP for the the website, were aspects I did not think at all when creating my company… To reinforce my knowledge in the field of alcohol, I attended a course in Cognac that brought me theory and ... valuable contacts! The most important thing is to know how to surround yourself well, and never hesitate to ask for advice around yourself.
- Have you been able to take advantage of the EDHEC graduate network at one time or another?
Based in Brussels, I wanted to give a European dimension to Alcopedia. I was able to meet the alumni living in Brussels during several friendly meetings. I also learned a lot from the evenings organized on the campus of Paris. I have worked with an EDHEC trainee to help me develop my website. The members of the association Dionysos, with whom I exchange a lot, have also supported me in this project, with their expertise but also their talents.
- What are the next steps for your business?
For strategy, the idea is to expand the collection of Alcopedia by introducing new spirits. I want to multiply the channels of distribution to have the concept be known.
Obviously I also have many other ideas, but you will discover them as you follow Alcopedia!
For the first collection, I present 3 prestigious exceptional types of spirits. Each spirit is the fruit of work of enthusiasts and it has a story to tell. The collection is available in 3 book sizes, please have a look at the website to find out more!
- Do you have any expectations of the Edhec graduate community?
I hope that the EDHEC community will support Alcopedia! Keep in mind these beautiful books for your gifts; what’s more your solidarity is precious, so do not hesitate to help me by:
- Like and a shar the Facebook page;
- Visit the website to discover the products;
- Talk about it to everyone around you;
- Think about potential partnership with companies for original and elegant business gifts;
- And of course, please share your advice and experiences as entrepreneurs.
Follow Alcopedia on social network!
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