The Balzac Paris woman... it's you! Balzac Paris went to meet Marie-Athénaïs Hénin, entrepreneur and Balzac Paris client since her beginnings. Her journey, her projects, the women who inspire her and her favorite Balzac Paris pieces: discover her interview in our Journal.

MARIE-ATHÉNAÏS HENIN

My name is Marie-Athénaïs, I am 34 years old, 3 children and I am a freelancer in communication . With my Philippine partner, we do content strategy consulting for brands. Concretely what does this mean? We support young brands to help them consolidate their communication strategy and positioning . I take care of the editorial strategy part, and Filipina of all the marketing part, communication plans etc. At the same time, 4 years ago we created Le Collectif Engagés , a network of entrepreneurs who innovate in the service of ethical and sustainable consumption, in order to allow them to meet and discuss. We bring together twenty young companies every year, so that makes about sixty brands that we have had the chance to meet since the beginning! From this network were born collaborations, shared offices , and many other great stories!

MARIE-ATHÉNAÏS HENIN

I've known Balzac Paris since its beginnings, I've really been a fan from the start ! I always come back to it: I love the colors , the details, the cuts. The ones that fit me when I had one child still fit me even though I have three today! The clothes correspond well to my rhythm of life: I'm just as comfortable in them when I'm on all fours playing Lego with my boys as when I have to go on a date! 

MARIE-ATHÉNAÏS HENIN

I have to talk about my associate , Philippine! We grew up in the same street when we were little, then with our studies, we lost sight of each other, then found each other several times… Until the day when, on my return from Argentina, she forwarded me an ad for a position in the company in which she worked! It was at this time that we started working in pairs. When my second child was born, I left this business to start my own business. I left with a very specific project in mind: to create portraits of women entrepreneurs. We were in 2015 and the subject was taking more and more space. It was a very interesting writing exercise, which allowed me to meet incredible women! 

When Philippine had a second child, she also started her own business and we launched our first project together in 2017, a distribution channel for young brands. Since then, we have not left each other and things have followed one another: the creation of the Collectif Engagés , and today the advice in communication strategy! 

MARIE-ATHÉNAÏS HENIN

I am very inspired by “real life” people. I don't really have an idol, on the other hand I am very admiring of courageous and audacious women. They fascinate me! This is also why I wanted so much to make portraits of women entrepreneurs. But as I am immersed in the editorial world, if I really had to choose a particular type of woman who inspires me, I would obviously say women authors . I adore Alice Ferney , for example, I went to see her at a conference after reading her book “La conversationamour” which overwhelmed me with its accuracy and its perfect transcription of emotions. It's so well written, when you read it, you live it!

MARIE-ATHÉNAÏS HENIN

I hesitate! At the moment I am working on a project around the painter Consuelo de Saint-Exupery , wife of Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I read biographies after biographies, correspondence after correspondence about this fascinating and passionate woman, but in truth, if I could live 24 hours in her life, it would be more enriching than any text! 

Otherwise, I would love to live 24 hours in the life of a mother with a very large family. I am fascinated by these women, they too are so brave! I would like to see how it works from the inside. They must have a secret! 

MARIE-ATHÉNAÏS HENIN

I'm going to give what I always give: at the start of a project, you always have to ask yourself “What are my ambitions with this project? " Do I want to make a living out of it? Do I want to stay artisanal and do this on weekends only? Do I want to be a benchmark in the market in 10 years? Once you have defined your ambition, you must invest to match this ambition. Invest time, and money! There is no “bad ambition”, it's just as interesting and rewarding to sell your creations on markets as to work day and night to set up a large company. On the other hand , you have to know where you want to go!