The SOLUTIAL development centre

My name is Elsa Gourbeille and I am the founder of the SOLUTIAL development centre located in Béziers, in the south of France, which was launched in 2012.

I was born in Paris and lived my childhood and adolescence in the eastern of Paris where I obtained a bachelor's degree in technological and tertiary science with the "commercial actions" option in 2004. I continued my studies on a Senior Technician's Certificate in Negotiation and Alternate Customer Relationship Management, which I obtained in 2006. Then I entered the world of work. I started working in the distribution networks of products and services to professionals, with a "top-of-the-range" brand. Then, at 22, I obtained a position as an animator and coordinator and I was in charge of developing a national franchise to be established in Paris.

I had the chance to travel all over France, to discover various activities and I met entrepreneurs from different backgrounds. It was an incredible experience that allowed me to learn about human relations, to understand how a company works, and also to become aware of the opportunities and obstacles of entrepreneurship.

Then, at 25 years old, my life as a woman took over my professional career following the arrival of my daughter Daphne in 2011. This important event made me want to create actions that could improve the future of our children, while exploiting the knowledge and skills I have acquired. In 2013 I therefore created a training and development centre dedicated to small businesses, so as to help them get organised, create projects and potentially create jobs.

Today I have about twenty trainers and consultants at SOLUTIAL. They support and train company managers and employees to overcome the obstacles to entrepreneurship and bring entrepreneurs out of their isolation.

After a market audit, and with the help of a community of volunteer experts specialised in various fields, we created the ACTIV association. ACTIV is an incubator of ideas and a design office that allows a creator, with an idea, to build his project, to ensure its reliability and to create an innovative, rewarding and responsible company. We have created a youth centre to help students stimulate their creativity, build reliable projects and give the entrepreneurship keys to the new generations.

I am now 32 years old; I still learn every day from every person I meet and from every experience I have. I am fortunate to be surrounded by experts and partners who trust me and who encourage me to continue to undertake and stimulate entrepreneurship. I encourage everyone to undertake, create and try to change the world to improve the future of our children!

Gourbeille Elsa, Director, France