Doing Business in the Countryside
Thanks to Livementor for this article in Odyssey “doing business differently”.
"As I speak to you, I have in front of me two sparrows playing and falling on each other."
This is how Odile Laresche, animal painter and textile designer, describes the environment in which her house and studio are located, in Vernou-en-Sologne (Loir-et-Cher). A former Parisian, Odile passionately evokes nature and animals, but also local dynamism and solidarity between artisans.
The countryside in the genes
Can you become provincial after being Parisian? For Odile, the answer is yes! "I spent my youth at my grandmother's in Antony, in the 92. We had a garden with chickens and rabbits, in the middle of the city. During school holidays, my grandmother took us to the countryside. I think that gave me deep rural roots. So I left the Paris region as soon as I could, at 20, because I didn't feel good there at all." At the time, Odile followed the father of her children in one of his projects: "I arrived somewhat by chance in Sologne and ran a hotel-restaurant for 10 years. I felt that it wasn't what I wanted to do, so I later trained as a panoramic painter for six months, in Pantin. I then looked for work in Sologne. Since there were no salaried jobs in my field, I set up my own business and started out by creating Italian-style sets and panoramic views in local restaurants. But after working for a few pizzerias, the opportunities quickly dried up. So I turned to animal photography.
From a dog portrait to a passage on France 5
“And why not start by painting the neighbor’s dog? It all started with this idea, 20 years ago,” says Odile. “For a long time, I only did animal portraits. I started creating textiles four years ago, to combine painting and my taste for decoration. Today, I offer cushions, pouches, placemats and other objects on which my creations are printed. I offer two collections per year, always with linen as a support.” At the end of February 2020, Odile also took part in the filming of the show La Maison France 5.
“I was incredibly lucky!” she explains. “I launched my Shopify site in October 2019, and the show brought me a lot of traffic. I now sell all over France, even in Europe. I even have requests from the United States and Canada!”
Nature as a lever for productivity and a source of inspiration
Odile's studio is located three kilometers from the village. "It's an old farm, lost in the woods," Odile explains. "I start each day on the computer and then continue with hours of work. The fact of not being exposed to interruptions allows me to concentrate and work really hard. Here, the simple fact of wanting to go out requires reflection and organization. I am convinced that living in the countryside improves my productivity. In the city, I would flit around more!" But the advantages of the countryside are far from limited to productivity: "My inspiration is there, since I live among the animals that I paint. When I walk, I come across roe deer, wild boars, stags, does or birds. This direct contact allows me to absorb their attitude and to represent them accurately. I sit outside whenever possible, to draw or look at my fabrics in natural light. My breaks consist of petting the dog or going to the chicken coop to get eggs."
Between chosen solitude, exchanges and solidarity
Vernou-en-Sologne has around 700 inhabitants, but don't think that Odile feels isolated there: "The village is very lively, with a butcher, a baker, a grocery store-bar-tabac. Entrepreneurship is valued, with the existence of many small structures. There is also a real network of solidarity between creators. We meet at exhibitions and exchange information by email. We stick together and I don't think you can find better in town."
Odile also spends a lot of time outside her workshop: “I go to see my printer near Lyon twice a year and take part in many
exhibitions all over France. This is the case every weekend, the three months before Christmas, but also in the spring. I like my solitude and the idea of being able to reach a wide target from home. But I also love these times of exchange with people during the exhibitions.
So, is Sologne the ideal destination for any city dweller in need of nature? Odile tempers: "In January and February, the forest is no longer very pretty and the landscape becomes sad. The beginning of the year can therefore be difficult. I also believe that you should not arrive in conquered territory, because many people have already done a lot of things here. The social fabric already exists, you just have to slip into it discreetly!"
By Delphine Poirier for Odysseys of Entrepreneurship by Livementor
The Livementor philosophy: Contrary to the media image which shows a few successful entrepreneurs, we were convinced from the beginning that entrepreneurship was not reserved for an elite.
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