Being an Entrepreneur for Freedom and Creativity

On April 17^th, Anne Claire Joffroy launched her new online shop, Un jardin sous les étoiles (“A Garden Under the Stars”), where you can find greeting cards, gift ideas for loved ones, such as the collection of Fairie mugs, or meditation and inspiration by the “Words of Light” cards.

Originally from France, Anne-Claire moved to Winnipeg with her husband, Nicolas, and their daughter, Lucie in August 2020, and being able to get her own business started again was important. The world of entrepreneurship allows her to fully express her creativity. Her shop was an opportunity for her to develop her entrepreneurial side. The drawings and paintings that illustrate the cards on sale are all unique creations of Anne-Claire Joffroy.

An artist who became an entrepreneur 

Before making the leap to entrepreneurship, the newcomer worked for a long time as an employee in various organizations in France. She explains: “I am a very curious person. I always need to learn new things. If I don’t learn anything new at work, I get bored. ” After my pregnancy, I decided to take parental leave, and it made me think about what I wanted to do.” It was during this parental leave that Anne-Claire Joffroy, in a way, laid the foundations of her business. She recalls: “At that time, I wanted to write on social media and contribute online while remaining anonymous. The name came naturally to me: Un jardin sous les étoiles (“A Garden Under the Stars”). So, I created a Facebook page and started posting on it.”

After two years of parental leave, she returned to work. But quickly, the young mother realized that it no longer suited her. “I needed something else.” It was at that time that Anne-Claire Joffroy, who had meanwhile started painting, began to share her work with friends. “I told myself that I was going to see what it looked like, and my friends immediately told me that it was really good, that I should post my paintings on my page. That’s what I did. And there, I received a lot of very positive comments, many of which asked me to make cards with my paintings.”

The entrepreneurial adventure continues in Winnipeg with the support of CDEM 

Once she arrived in Canada, after a few months of transition, “I found the inspiration for painting, and I decided to continue,” she says, before confiding that she does not see herself “going back to work for an organization with regular office hours!” She specifies, however, that as a former Project Manager, combined with a very curious personality, she remains open to be part of different projects. This is what led her to become a columnist for the Franco-Manitoban magazine ”Le Nénuphar”.

To launch her business on Canadian soil, Anne-Claire Joffroy was able to count on the support from CDEM. “I participated in CDEM Business Start training, which allowed me to better understand the entrepreneurial world in Manitoba. It was beneficial to be able to ask my questions and receive all this information. “

Determined to live from her passion 

Now that her online store is launched, Anne-Claire Joffroy has a new challenge, to find her art material. “I can’t find here the equipment I usually use. I’m going to have to test new ones, but when you’re used to working with something, it’s complicated to change it. That said, the main objective of the French entrepreneur is to make herself known. “For this, I need to go to the markets and trade shows to meet people so that they see what I offer. It is by showing them my creations that people will be interested in my work. After which, I will invite them to go to my site. However, this approach is proving to be a little complicated in these times of pandemic. But Anne-Claire Joffroy is resilient. She is more than motivated to make her shop, Un jardin sous les étoiles, known and to continue to live from her passion for art and entrepreneurship.

To visit Anne-Claire Joffroy’s website and discover her creations: https://unjardinsouslesetoiles.ca/