Ouvre-Boîte, what’s this ?
Ouvre-Boîte is a studywork programme via entrepreneurship, created by Apprentis d’Auteuil in the framework of the professional integration mechanism.
It is dedicated to young people between 18 to 30 years of age, with little or no high school graduation, who have a business project in the fields of catering, trade or sub-trade.
Its mission ? Create the conditions which will enable the young people to break down the walls interfering with their creation project, within a 24-month program including testing their project in actual conditions, pedagogical contents, a volunteer professional support and individual monitoring in order to provide them with the best chances of success…

Ouvre-boîte students of this year
This year, the Bees are supporting Thomas, Abdallah, Sofia, Damien, Chérine, David, Thomas, Anthony, Ismaël, Inaïce, Djohara.
They all have a project !
Within Ouvre-Boîte framework, Fifty Bees will help them set their goals… and reach them. The aim of this training is to define priorities, plan contingencies and reduce stress so that they can concentrate on their activity.
Mentored by several Bees and some other professionals, the young people will start with theory first before moving into practice.

A range of paths and experiences…
Some of them never launched a business, others tried and had to cope with the issues of entrepreneurship.Today, they decided to go through Ouvre-Boîte and take the best possible odds.

Ismaël, for instance, started a business in 2016 but, at the time, it didn’t work… He’s now working part-time until he sets his own locksmith business.Thanks to Ouvre-Boîte, he’s preparing his project, thinking of the most relevant status, learning how to calculate a margin and can now face the future more serenely.

Thomas, as for him, is a skate-board passionate… He’s been customizing them for several years. Whether they’re skatable or decorative, he offers an on demand personnalization service. He’s decided to take the plunge and make this his main activity. After having passed Ouvre-Boîte sélections, he’s now learning how to calculate his break-even point in order to develop his know-how. You’d like to discover his work ? You just have to browse his Instagram account : lug_customboard !

Monday, July 20th ! Management basics (and more) …
After a quick presentation of the projects, let’s get to the heart of the matter with the calculation of turnover. Each entrepreneur is invited to think about his costs on concrete form.
At the beginning, the mines are tensed and take-off is made reluctantly… Fears related to figures and calculations : « figures are a particular pet peeve of mine ! »
Through practice and project, each one improves its awareness of the realities ! They think of all what you should have in mind when you set up a business : sometimes, a little detail will make all the difference… The aim is to ask themselves the right questions and begin to answer them.
Many items are mentioned.The training is an actual sensibilisation to all the constitutive elements of an entrepreneur’s daily life : costs, status, insurances, legal obligations, etc. The whole thing must be consistent… and they must become self-confident.
By the end of the morning, each of them dropped the first figures and many questions are asked : rental costs, professional insurance, travel expenses. The session sees a great deal of exchanges around the projects. The nervous faces of the morning changed into smiles and eyes are lighting up.
After a well deserved lunch break, let’s get back to work… They help each other, each of them brings up his knowledge, everyone is pulling together.There is further refinement and personnalization of the advice. Practices – and cost effective practices – are being compared… They learn where to find the information they need, avoid the pitfalls and prevent major omissions. In the end, their project is securized and they consider the balance.
Delphine’s plus, who monitored the young people that day : her knowledge of each field, an easy way to calculate and a plain language. Some dynamism too !
Each of them realized the significance of figures and the importance of forecasts. A great day closed under the sign of good mood !
The other Bees look forward to continue the adventure !