On January 14, 2020, Sarah Gomes moved to tears the investors of the first season of the television show
Who Wants to Become My Associate?
La Lyonnaise, founder of the company Constant & Zoé, needed 200,000 euros to develop her company, specializing in the manufacture and sale of clothing adapted for people with disabilities.
Since then, the coronavirus epidemic has turned his plans upside down.
The company had to change its economic model but was able to rebound despite the crisis.
The story of his brother Constant, who was born with a cerebral palsy after a medical error, had moved to tears. Two years ago, Sarah Da Silva Gomes made a notable appearance on the television show
Who wants to be my partner?
On January 14, 2020, the Lyonnaise, founder of the company Constant & Zoé, went to the sets of M6 to solicit 200,000 euros from investors, thus offering them a 10% stake in the capital of her company. .
The mission was delicate: to persuade them to help him develop his start-up, specializing in the manufacture and sale of clothing adapted for people with disabilities.
But her arguments put forward with precision, her humility and her vision of entrepreneurship convinced the five investors to follow her.
Sarah left with the promise of getting 250,000 euros.
350,000 euros contributed by the investors of the issue
“There was indeed the raising of money… And even more, smiles the young woman at the time of the balance sheet. Finally, 350,000 euros were raised because Delphine André [CEO of the Charles André Group] invested 100,000 euros more than expected. Their trust enabled us to raise a total of 800,000 euros. The impact of the show has been "huge". Immediate. “It gave us a lot of visibility, a good reputation and a lot of traffic on our website,” Sarah continues. Over 55,000 views instead of 300 daily visits.
"Despite this, it was difficult to make the effect produced fruitful," humbly confesses the person who will be the subject of a portrait on M6 on January 26.
The reason ?
The arrival of the coronavirus epidemic turned his plans upside down two months later.
The company, mainly distributing its clothes in specialized centers for disabled people, was forced to review its economic model.
Change of business model
“Our operation was to be physically present in these medical structures to provide a link. There's nothing better than having customers try on our clothes directly, she explains. But overnight, access was denied to us due to health restrictions. However, sales, made in its structures, until then represented 70% of the turnover of the company.
“Unfortunately, that cut our wings in mid-flight,” adds Sarah.
Having "lost 80% of its distribution channel", the Lyon start-up had no other choice than "to start all over again" not to go out of business.
Hence the need to "find other solutions".
The period has been "hard".
And not just on a professional level.
The young woman can no longer visit her brother, "her ray of sunshine".
“We were separated from him for two months.
We could only communicate by video without being sure that he understood what was happening [Constant neither sees nor speaks].
We had the impression that he thought he was abandoned, ”she says.
"In the end, we come out of it grown"
Full of resources, Sarah then made the bet to bounce back by turning to brands that provide medical equipment. “This step was planned for later, once our company had developed well. The objective was to combine the two markets. But we adapted ”. A choice that pays off. Today, the brand is distributed in 250 stores in France and Belgium. The company has expanded its customer base by now reaching dependent elderly people. She has also modernized her collections by developing jeans, striped or floral patterns. Sales on the completely redesigned website increased by 10%.
“In the end, we grew up and we were able to increase our turnover.
We have managed to turn around… We are not the most to be pitied, ”she analyzes, not losing hope of being able to establish a lasting presence in specialized centers.
As for Constant?
"He has come a long way, but today he is doing very, very well," Sarah concludes with a smile.
Lyon
Lyon: She launched a range of smart clothing for disabled people
Television
" It's enormous !
"... The boss of Constant & Zoé recounts the impact of her appearance in" Who wants to be my partner?
"
Lyon
Start-up
M6
Clothes
Textile
Handicap
Disabled
Entrepreneurship
Television
Economy
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