Diversity creates magic
The Family was born in Paris in 2012, when Alice, who was leading the 1st French accelerator, met her cofounders. She was facing the limits of the local ecosystem: elitism and bureaucracy, and the lack of business mindset, ambition, and investors.
They felt the potential of mixing the best of different worlds: the know-how of international entrepreneurs and the singularity of local talents following their own values.
Knowledge is power
The Family would bring education, tools and access to capital to all courageous founders willing to create game-changing, global and scalable companies.
But when your context isn't startup-friendly, you need to address more people, to include all key players, from corporates to public decision makers, speaking in their language. Nicolas joined The Family dedicating time in educating European economic leaders. In his newsletters 'European Straits' and 'Capital Call', you'll get a glimpse of his theses.
Ambition
can be
taught
Ambition is a social construct, it's related to your culture. In some places, like SF or Tel Aviv for instance, founders are immersed in ambition.
The good news is that if it's cultural, it's something one can learn, train and build.
Being surrounded by highly motivated and skilled founders has been the most important aspect of raising ambition among our fellowship. Adding in the guidance of peers, that's how the magic has happened.
Money
follows
In the early days of a startup, what makes the big difference isn't the amount of money you spend, but the people you spend time with - cofounders, users, advisors and peers.
Great VCs & business angels can decide in a second to bet on a startup, so long as they see someone who's making the right decisions, showing traction or impressive execution.
Execution
is reality
No matter how much money they've raised before reaching market fit, startups need to stay small and execute. Their true allies are constant communication with the users, rapidly adapting their product, attention to detail and exceptional customer support. Only a small team of founders with a few early employees can create that intensity, defining what will become your company's culture.
Post-product-market-fit, you optimize for growth. The operations drive the pace, how fast you can hire, how fast knowledge compounds, how you keep engineering velocity.
Pay-it-forward
The value of a community-based organization lies in its ability to generate authentic and intense exchanges among its fellows.
Trust, generosity and openness are the key components of an efficient support-system. It starts with the founding team itself. It's not obvious or natural to share contacts and knowledge, to really listen, it requires work and dedication.
Paying-it-forward has always been our #1 rule. We give before we know how we'll get it back. Among a small group of peers, that's how everyone can level-up faster, building long-term relationships, enabling new business opportunities and starting sincere friendships.
MANIFESTO
THE FAMILY IS A LONG-TERM, STRATEGIC & MINORITY SHAREHOLDER
We have multiple activities but a single mission: empowering entrepreneurs in their quest for a repeatable, scalable & profitable business model. Although our form is corporate, our attitude is partnership.
AFTER THE INDUSTRIAL AGE, THE ENTREPRENEURIAL AGE IS BEGINNING
In the entrepreneurial age, physics and information will be replaced by entrepreneurship: the ability to serve a customer at the highest level of quality & scale, simultaneously.
FOR THE 1ST TIME IN HISTORY, THE YOUNG MUST TEACH THE OLD
Employment as we know it is dead: the new generation is not looking for a job, but strives to find purpose.
THE FAMILY IS A BLACK SWAN FACTORY
Building unpredictable & non-linear businesses. The Family wants to be the market leader of innovation-driven value creation.
THE MONEY IMPORTANCE DECREASES IN VENTURE BUSINESS
Added value through relevant services is becoming the key. However, capital stays the best way to align the interest of multiple parties. The Family puts money where the talents are, obliviating the boundaries.
EDUCATING ENTREPRENEURS
Entrepreneurs educate us & each other in turn. From this exchange, a doctrine emerges. Coworking spaces are not the source of innovation, the people inside are. Mentoring is just another name for paternalization & derisking. Entrepreneurs must be let absolutely free in order to grow up correctly, healthily and awesomely.
THE FELLOWSHIP IS THE CENTERPIECE OF OUR FAMILY
Membership inside our family is a clear meritocracy.
It is not time-based: you never leave The Family, unless we kick you out.
PARTYING IS A SERIOUS MATTER, WE ARE PROUD BARBARIANS
No conflict, no interest.
