And after?
Launched on Coursera in February 2015, the French MOOC « Devenir entrepreneur du changement » ("Becoming an entrepreneur of change") has become the French-speaking MOOC with the most numerous participants. What have they become? Thank you to the three entrepreneurs who chose to testify: Thomas Lemasle, Anne-Sophie Macabeo and Kylia Claude.
Knowledge@HEC: What lead you to choose this MOOC?
Thomas Lemasle: I took this MOOC because I harbored two driving forces: an entrepreneurial spirit and the will to “do good”. I felt that this MOOC would help me appropriate my intuition and solidify my beliefs.
Anne-Sophie Macabeo: I heard about this MOOC at a Groupe Renault CSR event in June 2017 during which Matthieu Dardaillon from Ticket for Change came to speak and present the course. With the work that I do, I have always wondered: how can I transform my ideas into meaningful projects. I started the MOOC end of 2017 ready to leave Renault for a different, more purposeful adventure and finally realized that it was by changing things internally—by being an intrapreneur—that I could have the most impact. Since the course is free and accessible to all, it allows people to start it with confidence.
Kylia Claude: I have always found the idea of assimilating positive impact with strong economic activity very attractive, which is exactly what the MOOC taught us. The course showed students how to view business and social actions through an entrepreneurial prism. I also appreciated that it was certified by HEC Paris and Ticket for Change.
K@HEC : How did these courses help you to materialize or further develop your project?
Thomas Lemasle: The MOOC first allowed me to put my finger on the cause closest to my heart: ecology. It then showed me how to put my talents to good use, which could very concretely serve this cause and more. I could bring together a team guided by shared values. In creating PinotBleu, this is exactly what I did: I built a business that serves the common good, with the primary mission of respecting the planet and biodiversity through the promotion of sustainable viticulture.
Anne-Sophie Macabeo: Overall, the MOOC allowed me to define a project that makes sense for me. With the innovative and operational tools given to us, I was able to reassess my career, make the link between professional and personal investment, identify a project to promote within the company, and acquire the tools to promote it. Consequently, the MOOC showed me how to reposition myself as an intrapreneur of change within the company for which I already worked. I now carry out meaningful projects that will likely change the rest of my life.
Kylia Claude: The pragmatic pedagogy pushed us towards inspiration and introspection, which then allowed us to lay the groundwork for our project and to go in the right direction. Ultimately, we created and developed the Canva business model.
