Charlotte Catanzaro immerses us in her daily life as a business leader, between creation, shootings, team management and strategic responsibilities. She authentically shares the challenges and successes of a busy September, after a summer break, while giving a behind-the-scenes look at her exciting and demanding job. A personal and captivating story that reflects the boundless energy and creativity needed to lead a dynamic SME in the world of fashion.

Like every month, the tasks of a business manager are numerous and very varied. Particularly the month of September, where, after a well-deserved vacation at the end of August, it was time to get back on track (even if we never take a break!). I don't know about you, but summer is always a little quieter in terms of appointments, and we schedule everything in September! So a very busy schedule awaited me. First of all, we give priority to creation of course, and at Maison Catanzaro we don't rest since 3 people spend 100% of their time there. Every week this work requires fittings, in order to perfect the models. This is where we leave room for imagination. Then we have to organize the photo shoots.

There is always a gap that makes my head spin and that of my teams. Let me explain: We are working on the creation and development of collection C, but at the same time we have to take care of the photos of collection B which has just been finished, and we are producing collection A which has already been finished for a few months (I hope you are following me). And of course we are already thinking about collections D and E. All this to say that it is an endless chain.

So in this month of September there was the photo and video shoot (the studio part, for the product sheets) of collection Volume 20 (the "B") to organize and carry out. the exchanges with the sales team, because yes we have a sales objective! And when necessary, I get stuck in and I go see the customers, like at the beginning of October when I would take advantage of being in Paris (#shooting) to go and show the new products to the stores.

Since everything overlaps, I also took care of the photos of the new collection Les P’tites Folies (the “A”) and also (receiving the images, putting them online, and seeing with the videographer for the video montages). What required the most work was especially the preparation of the Editorial shooting of Volume 20 which will take place in Paris at the beginning of October. And it was no small feat. But you will see all that very soon on social networks and in the next magazines. And because you also have to have fun, I let myself be photographed by my friend and photographer, Patrice Berchery. A very pleasant moment in the streets of Aix en Provence, where some residents, behind their window, must have seen me changing in the street!

In addition to the creative side, there is the more down-to-earth side. The one that consists of selling all these creations of course! So my daily life is mainly made up of meetings, appointments, updates with the teams (creative, marketing, sales, production, logistics, etc.) And yes, you have to think about future strategies, question everything you have learned, reinvent yourself, and get your nose in the numbers. Being the head of an SME makes me, us (because, if you are reading this, you know what I am talking about) real conductors (or multifunction Moulinex as I joke when I say it).

A typical day?

Get up (late), drop my son off at school, and go to my workplace (Maison Catanzaro office). When I arrive, a quick tour of the teams (sometimes it takes me an hour to reach my own office ?). Then I read the dozens of emails that arrived before me! And I take my Notebook (because yes, I take handwritten notes) and I take care (at least I try) of completing all the tasks that I had noted the day before before leaving. Then comes that famous moment when I look at the figures (bank accounts, orders, outstanding amounts, etc.). And then for each collection we also have to determine the sales prices of our products, this month I studied a lot on my Excel files.

So yes, it is to me that you owe your bank accounts in the red! Regularly, in collaboration with the creative team, I work on choosing the themes of the collections, the next trends, the materials, or even the names of the items (and I can tell you that after 30 years of existence it is no longer so easy because we have gone through all the names). After that we have to negotiate with the suppliers, ... take stock with the purchasing and production manager who manages the stocks.

There are also discussions with the marketing and communications team. They always have a lot of questions! Or discussions with the sales team, because yes, we have a sales objective! And when necessary, I get stuck in and go see customers, like at the beginning of October when I would take advantage of being in Paris (#shooting) to go and show the new products to the stores.

Another part of my job is to ensure the quality of what is produced, we make it a point of honor that all the pieces that leave our workshop are checked before sending to you. So yes, sometimes we get through a defect, and if unfortunately you come across one, do not hesitate to contact us to repair it. All day long it's the fashion show in my office, we have to answer everyone's questions (I should maybe ask them to put on a Catanzaro outfit each time, I will at least have a real fashion show in front of me!)

After all that, you will tell me that it is time to go home?! Well yes I have to go and pick up my son. I move on to my mother's life and I fall asleep thinking about work of course (it's in the middle of the night that my best ideas are born).