Quentin Vallet, a graduate of the Class of 2014, recently created his company and launched his wine brand. He chose to start his own business in the wine industry because he has long had a passion for this sector and also because an important part of the region’s economy is based on vineyards, and this product has an important place in the French cultural heritage.
“It was while working at the VINEXPO show in 2011 that I really got to know wine and its environment. My studies at ECE gave me the opportunity to do internships in the wine industry, which allowed me to gain experience as a store manager in Saint-Emilion and later to work in the event management department of theUnion des Crus Classés de Graves.
I chose to enter this school because, in high school, I was very interested in economics and I already had this desire to create a company; two elements that pushed me to turn to a training that brings a global view of business. It was when I realized that the INSEEC BBA program was also very international that I definitely got on board. I was not disappointed when I discovered fields such as international law, economic intelligence or in-depth management. In my opinion, in addition to the quality of the teaching and the people with whom you evolve in your class, the real added value of the program was the possibility of going abroad and doing internships in companies every year: it really opens you up to the world! I have fond memories of my experiences in Indonesia, Portugal and Canada. What also brings a plus is the group work, very present throughout the schooling. They teach us to work as a team and to rely on the skills of others.
The business creation project started in Bordeaux; we wanted to create a brand representative of the city, which at the same time was becoming a popular destination. Thus, The Diplomat is a wine brand that promotes an emblematic image of France, the know-how and the art of living, which can be found simultaneously in the field of wine and in the cultural heritage. The first range of the Diplomate represents Bordeaux, which under the same name gathers both the largest vineyard of fine wines in the world and a magnificent heritage classified by UNESCO since 2007.
The desire to work hard, to create something, to discover all the elements involved in creating a company are among the criteria that encouraged me to launch this project. If it doesn’t last, I will at least have learned many things that will undoubtedly be useful in my professional life. Any experience is good to take, one should not be afraid to dare! If I had one piece of advice to give to students today, it would be to try to be consistent in their professional project. Don’t choose your internships randomly and try to find the experiences that will allow you to build a relevant CV. The main challenge is to find one’s interest in a field, and then if there is no longer a border between passion and work, everything becomes easier!
Updated 8 March 2022