They joined forces thanks to the classified ads of Les Echos Entrepreneurs

It’s not just the romantic encounter in life. There is also that between partners. And, in both cases, the classifieds can hold some nice surprises. In August 2020, Geraldine Robert post an ad on Les Echos Entrepreneurs. She is looking for a partner to launch a sports store. She insists on the personality of the elected official who must be ready to create a new sporting universe.

“Working in a consulting firm in Paris, I had a project to set up an e-shop for eco-responsible sportswear”, in Lille to follow my spouse, says the one who received around fifteen responses. She explains that she eliminated some unmotivated applications as soon as she read the CV, “others on their vision of sport, too focused on performance, sweat and suffering: it was not at all what I wanted. Sport, for me, is above all about having fun with friends, moving your body and having fun, ”explains the former synchronized swimming champion.

For its part, after a first abortive entrepreneurial experience and the functions of auditor or management controller, Vincent Godbert thinks about raising a case in Lille. “From a family of artisan bakers, I like the trade,” he describes himself. He responds to Géraldine’s announcement in December 2020, 6 months after the publication of the announcement.

Take time to get to know each other

A first phone call is decided. “I saw right away that he had thought about the project, remembers the entrepreneur. We had a real conversation. The two will not physically meet until several months later. And Jog&Jimtheir “baby”, a brand of colorful sportswear made from natural and biosourced materials, was not officially born in Roubaix until August 2021, the time for prospective associates to ensure their compatibility. The start-up has just closed a crowdfunding campaign ensuring the presale of 292 pieces, tencel t-shirts and shorts produced in Portugal, for 10,000 euros from 120 contributors.

In the meantime, and until the creation of Jog&Jim, Géraldine from Paris and Vincent from Lille, organized zoom workshops two hours a week to define the foundations of their association. “We wanted to be sure to share the same vision of the project. For example, we practiced the exercise of the life line, pro and personal, to get to know each other,” says Vincent. “We were in tune with the fact of creating a company around fun and meaningful sport, by very quickly calling on the flax and hemp sectors in France for our next collections”, continues Géraldine.

Collaborate intelligently

The first face-to-face test meeting is going very well. They meet in Paris for a day together. Géraldine praises Vincent’s ease of communication, who, for his part, “after the first moment of apprehension, comes out with the impression of having always known the young woman”. The question of the division of shares is not one of them. “As Vincent had stopped working for six months, while I was still stationed in Paris, I offered to take 51% of the capital against 49% for me,” explains Géraldine. Finally, they set down in writing, through a charter, the values ​​of their textile start-up and launch themselves with 5,000 euros in capital and 10,000 euros in associated current accounts.

Since then, the entrepreneurial path for two has been rather fluid, even if Géraldine sometimes reproaches Vincent for his excessive optimism on questions of production planning. “We communicate very well with each other, we are attentive”, welcome the two entrepreneurs. To choose your game partner, they advise to start working with the person, before creating the company. And, in chorus, they conclude: “Thank you to Les Echos Entrepreneurs for allowing us to meet! »