Our Incredible Life Paths: Valentine CARRE (TBS 2014)

Who were you at school?                              

Why did you choose to study at Toulouse?

After getting my licence in economy-management, I passed the entrance exam to attend business school. It was a real tour of France! I looked for a school that was well-ranked that would give me great career possibilities and, if possible, in the South of France.

Would you tell us about your time as a student at TBS? (Studies)

The first year, in 2011, consisted of common core studies where I discovered a lot of new subjects and another way of working (there was a lot of teamwork). It opened my mind and made me think about my future profession. At the same time, I discovered school life and did something almost every evening. I join "Hotsoft" a super club of geeks. I was also in the "Trophé des arts", the "Sémineige", the "Sémimer", and the "CCE". And I made very good friends.

I decided to do a gap year in 2012 so that I could experience working for different companies and professions, in very different sectors! Thanks to the network, I found an opportunity to work as Assistant IS Project Manager at Chanel Mode in Paris, and I went for it! I was not only plunged into the world of luxury products, but also into BI and project management. It was an unforgettable experience that had a very welcoming team! For the second half of my gap year, I went to work for Boncolac as Assistant Manager of Product Innovation, and found my beautiful adopted city - Toulouse. I explored the food industry and the job of product manager. I developed a real interest in the profession, which has a strong creative dimension. In short, I gained business skills and had the experience of working within a company during that gap year.

In 2013, I decided to take off and study abroad. I did a Master in B2B Marketing and discovered Barcelona! I ended my studies by doing an end-of-studies internship at the Pierre Fabre laboratories as an Operational Marketing Assistant, EMEA, through a former TBS student!

Do you have any stories from your graduating class to share? (Student associations, etc.)

During my gap year, I remember taking a 12-hour round trip by train with a friend from Paris to attend a Christmas party that my club organised - “HAT7”. I really was that dedicated!

Who are you today?

What are you currently doing?

Since I left TBS, my career has been somewhat unusual with plot twists along the way!

Several months after I got my diploma, I had my first fixed-term position as the Head of Product Development at Pierre Fabre laboratories for its Elancyl brand. Then I moved to the Klorane range. I not only worked on product development projects, but also on packaging redesign and digital products.

It was being through working closely on these various creative projects – packaging conception, video content creation, press releases – that I realised that what I wanted to do was to work alongside creative people

So, I changed my career path and went back to school to learn Graphic Design at Axe Sud Toulouse –the Condé Group school. I got my Bachelor in Graphic Design in 2018 after spending time in at the Artediez school in Madrid to perfect my illustration skills. I loved that school. I learned a lot in regards to creative design, and I met lots of great people.

At the same time as taking those classes, I became a micro-entrepreneur so I could work on freelance projects.

In mid-July 2018, I got an opportunity with CREPS of Dijon. The job was interesting because it combined graphic design projects (mascot creation, graphic charter, brochures) with communications (brainstorming, web project management, publication of brochures). These were tasks I enjoyed because I relate to the sporting world which has values to which I adhere: pushing my limits, giving the best of myself, having a healthy lifestyle. I had a lot of autonomy in the job and I appreciated the freedom it gave me; however, I wanted to work in a communication agency to make more use of my graphic design skills.

A month ago, I started working as Artistic Web Director at the Pilot’in agency – a digital communications agency that was created by… Julien Dereumaux, a TBS Alumni!!! This agency is small agency that provides support for its clients’ digital projects. From website design to web marketing, motion design and branding, Pilot'in has more than one trick up its sleeve!

It's a brand-new beginning with a team of sailors, each one more friendly than the next! I’m very excited about this new adventure! 

Why did you choose this career, this project?

I was always interested in artistic creation! I’ve been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil. I was also a bit of a “geek”. That’s why it was natural that, little by little, my career moved toward focusing on my passions!

How did your studies help you reach your personal and / or professional achievements?

My experiences at TBS and the business skills I learned were real assets for many aspects of my new job (observation, analysis, synthesis, etc.)

Just as equally, my degree opened doors for me through its network and its reputation.

What advice would you give to the alumni of TBS, students or graduates?

Increase the number of people you meet and the experiences you have, listen to yourself, and invest as deeply of yourself as you can in your passions.