Romain Fréton (Master 1997) : a former consultant now serial-entrepreneur

EDHEC Alumni : How did Otiko come about?
Romain Fréton : 10 years in consulting at Gemini Consulting and Oliver Wyman and 9 years as entrepreneur launching two ventures Astelia and Otiko.

What are your first conclusion about this adventure ?
RF : It’s a booster for taking further responsibilities, personal commitment, risks, successes and failures. It’s more burning than being part of one company in my view. Entrepreneurship is really linked with your personality because personality is your major asset and also because entrepreneurship leverages it too. In a nutshell: burning and personality. 

Have you ever benefited from the network of EDHEC graduates?
RF : Never though I feel really attached to Edhec and available for alumni contact. 

Do you have any advices to share with aspiring entrepreneurs?
RF : Be focused in succeeding. A great idea combined with a solid motivation is not enough. Start up are sometimes seen in a romantic perspective, as you mentioned in your question above, it’s an adventure. It’s true except that without success, adventure turns into drama. One must take into account that entrepreneurship is a tight competition against other and against your own limits and that one must win. If you fail in succeeding, then at least, “fail quickly” because it’s even worse when the failure lasts a long time. Just imagine that your next venture will be the good one…Last advice: “start a new venture again”  

What are the next steps for Otiko?
RF : Develop Otiko by reaching 100 pharmacys selling point by June 2015. Launch a breakthrough innovation to secure elderly people at home. We are currently working on this project.

What do you expect to gain from EDHEC graduates?
RF : Preventing your parents or grands parents from entering a nursing home thanks to minifone and buying Otiko glasses in pharmacys to see clearly that you’ve just saved 350€, would allow myself not to launch a 3rd venture… 

Contact
www.minifone.fr : téléassistance pour personnes âgées
www.otiko.fr : optique en pharmacie