NLBC: Blog nr.3 | The importance of network by NLBC

When starting a business in France, you will always encounter situations that you were not informed about. Only after finding a solution, these situations often give the thought: “if I knew this before..”!

Today we are going to talk about the importance of a network in France. 

The French entrepreneurial sphere is composed of many steps and dimensions. The phrase "how you start your activities" has been a widely discussed subject at the Netherlands Business Council France. Where do you start? How do you start? But the most recurrent question is “Where do I get my answers”. This is for example the case for specific regulations. A lot of information and many regulations are present, but the information is difficult to find.

We believe your Network should be composed of legal, financial, structural and supportive partners with a preference for local knowledge: French actors. These experts have already undertaken different steps to set up their business and they would like to share with you their journey, knowledge, and expertise. 

Furthermore, a business network is very valuable in France, as it could provide benefits such as time, energy, resources and investments. However, it does require an investment towards your business partner, to understand his opinion while organizing lunch and dinner. It is also a question of honor, French partners really value being placed in an honorable position after helping you. It’s a bilateral relationship where you can mutually help to achieve your goals and navigate through the mist.  

However, a last important point to mention, competition is a motor of market analysis for French businesses. The idea behind this underlines the fact that a French business might not help you because you are in the same field of activity as they are. He will then share the belief that giving you information might lead to a potential disadvantage for its activities. This belief can be taken with precautions as this is not the case for any entrepreneur, but be aware, the vision of competition is strong in France.

To conclude, when starting your business in France, the first important notion is the French language, discussed in a previous blog. The second concerns the people you surround yourself with, people that will inspire you, guide you and share their stories on how they started and how they overcame the difficulties in sectors that could be yours!

More interest in this topic and the value you can have from your Network?
Get in touch via info@nlbc.fr.