Lose weight and make money: the promise made by an EDHEC entrepreneur

What if adopting a healthy lifestyle could make you both healthier and wealthier? Nadim Chami (Master 2015) has just launched Le Poids Chiche, a concept that might interest quite a few graduates as the New Year begins...

EDHEC Alumni: Can you explain briefly how Le Poids Chiche came about?

Nadim Chami: Le Poids Chiche is the first social network for weight loss and well-being. It came about from a challenge laid down by a friend during a poker evening. To win the pot, he had to lose 3 kg and get rid of the spare tyre he had been carrying around for a while. We gave him one month to succeed, with weekly checks. At the end of the month, he had only lost 2 kg. He lost out, but the improvised challenge paved the way for Le Poids Chiche. Through our “slimming challenges”, we try to boost the motivation of our members in their quest for a slim waistline and well-being. To join a challenge, each participant bets on him or herself by putting a certain sum of money (everyone pays the same amount) into the kitty.

To win a slimming challenge, players have to lose 4% of their body weight in 4 weeks. To reach their objective, they have the support of the coach (athlete, nutritionist, etc.) who organises the challenge, and they can also rely on the community to motivate them. At the end of the challenge, the winners divide up the kitty, so they get back their initial bet on top of their share of the losers’ contributions.

EA: 1 month after the launch, how would you assess this entrepreneurial adventure?

NC: We have just entered the “public” phase of this adventure, but we have been working on Le Poids Chiche for more than a year, since I met my associate during my gap year internship at PayPal. Joining the working world via the path of entrepreneurship is a unique sensation, alternating between liberty and risk. The pitfall is getting caught up in the pace of life, which is very different from the one I experienced working in a company.
I have learned to channel my energy and motivation so that I can identify and carry out the necessary tasks to ensure Le Poids Chiche expands. The most important thing is to form a robust team of people who trust one another and share the same long-term vision. I’ll be interested to see how I’ll answer the same question in a year from now!

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

NC: For the moment we have developed the company with the help of developers from engineering schools. The EDHEC network put us in contact with people who spontaneously showed an interest in the project and were willing to get involved. Unfortunately we do not yet have the means to recruit. I have every intention of drawing on the strength of the network of EDHEC students and graduates alike to develop Le Poids Chiche!

 
EA: What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?

NC: I’m a young entrepreneur myself and every day I learn something through my role and the errors I make. So I don’t really have any advice for the moment, except to say that it is always important to control one’s motivation!

EA: What’s next for Le Poids Chiche?

NC: The next phase is to experiment with different platforms in order to find one that is good quality, understandable and easy to use, before we launch our mobile applications. We will also be concentrating on the post-holiday and pre-summer periods, which are key in our sector.

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

NC: The EDHEC network is definitely where I will turn when it comes to recruiting (interns, staff, etc.). As for the entrepreneurial side of things, we have just begun receiving support from the incubator, which seems like a very promising experience! And for financing, we are naturally looking for funds but initially we intend to prove the value and potential of our project before presenting it to investors. The network will then be a source of support and allow us to present our sales pitch and, we hope, find our first fundraisers.

Contact
> Website : www.lepoidschiche.com

> Le Poids Chiche on Facebook 
> Le Poids Chiche on Twitter
> Le Poids Chiche on Instagram

> nadim@lepoidschiche.com