2023-10-19 05:06:41
It’s a page that has just turned for Romain Raffard. And for good reason, the entrepreneur announced in September his departure from Bergamotte, a company created in 2015 with Loïc Reperant to launch into the flower delivery market. An announcement which came two years following the acquisition of Bergamotte by its British rival Bloom & Wild. Romain Raffard agreed to confide in Maddyness to discuss the reasons for his departure and discuss his plans for the future.
If leaving a company for which we did not count our time and energy to get it off the ground obviously constitutes a small heartbreak, Romain Raffard believes that he had time to prepare for this deadline, since it was planned from the acquisition of Bergamotte by Bloom & Wild. Loïc Reperant, his partner, also decided to leave the company two years following its takeover. “Digestion took place quite slowly and gradually. It’s not a violent outing. I had two years to prepare for it and I had already experienced an exit with my previous company in 2015. I am leaving with the feeling of accomplishment”assures Romain Raffard.
“I needed a change of perspective”
This two-year transition period allowed the co-founder of Bergamotte to hand over smoothly to ensure the sustainability of his company under its new owner. “There was a consolidation project at the European level which we were not necessarily part of from the start. As a result, we immediately informed Bloom & Wild that we would accomplish our handover mission over two years, but that we would be leaving the company in the summer of 2023. This was a gradual handover, with the implementation place of all integration and consolidation projects. It’s a buyout that went rather well”he observes.
In addition, the acquisition of Bergamotte took place during a period of concentration in the flower delivery market, since its Dutch competitor Bloomon had also been acquired by Bloom & Wild in 2021. Faced with this strong competition and the grueling pace of entrepreneurship, Romain Raffard felt that it was the right time to set sail. “We had executed our plan well, we were where we wanted to be at the time of the buyout. We had two choices: sell and consolidate our strategic position at European level or raise funds with a slightly longer perspective of five years. But selling flowers is an extremely exhausting job…”, notes the French entrepreneur. Therefore, the first option was chosen. “I had two children who I didn’t really have time to see grow up, I needed to change my perspective. It was key for me to take a break. I returned to live in Bordeaux, I needed to get out of the ecosystem a little. For some, the first morning without email, without Codir, it can create a fear of heights. For my part, I experienced it rather well”he adds.
A sparring partner serving entrepreneurs
If Romain Raffard has decided to take a breather, don’t believe that he remains inactive. If his daily life is no longer as untenable as before, it still remains very busy. “I started becoming a business angel at the time of the sale. This allowed me to reconnect with a taste for challenge and the beginnings of an entrepreneurial adventure. It was almost life-saving to get started in this activity. Opening up to new verticals, such as SaaS, Medtech or biotech, is very stimulating. It helped me turn the page.”explains the entrepreneur.
At the same time, the latter also decided to share his experience to put it at the service of budding entrepreneurs. “I also launched a small consulting activity to help young entrepreneurs overcome turbulence, set up a board or even manage HR issues. I missed having a sparring partner around me when I was at Bergamotte”, he confides. In this context, he supports his clients on missions of 12, 18 or 24 months, for 2 to 4 hours of support per month. “There is a transmission side that I appreciate. I get a lot of positive energy. It’s a process that nourishes me a lot to be the true shadow advisor, like a family doctor or a shadow CEO. It’s my way of turning the page, it will last as long as it takes.”he adds.
If his departure from Bergamotte is still very fresh, is Romain Raffard already thinking regarding returning to entrepreneurship? “Obviously, at some point, I will dive once more. I’ll give myself at least a year.”, he assures. Although he has a few ideas in mind, he still has to determine the precise contours of his future project. “Do I start from the garage or do I take shortcuts?”, he asks himself. However, he already has some certainties. “It won’t be in B2C. In this area, you are constantly putting your title on the line. In SaaS, it’s a little less explosive. We have much higher financial visibility. For the nerves, it’s better!”explains the entrepreneur with a smile on his lips.
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