“I lost everything, especially my family”

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“An entrepreneur’s success depends on being able to get back on his feet after being hit hard.” Thomas Estier, co-founder of robotics-focused startup Rovenso, which filed for bankruptcy in the fall of 2022, is showing a confident composure. Even in your toughest moments as an entrepreneur.

Of course, the engineer regrets the end of the adventure, but tries to draw constructive lessons from it, as he told Blick.

3.4 million francs were invested. Personally, Thomas Estier will probably have to write “100,000 to 200,000 francs if you add up the startup capital”. This is what’s left of Rovenso’s bankruptcy.

“No risk, no innovation”

The future of his company looked promising. The EPFL subsidiary had developed autonomous robots capable of performing security patrols in sensitive locations such as airports and industrial facilities, among other things.

The startup company drummed in China and managed to raise capital from an American investor. After settling in the canton of Friborg, contracts were signed with the French power grid operator RTE and the German copper giant Aurubis, among others.

But a series of setbacks derailed their plans: the Covid-19 pandemic, the lack of microchips and ladders, as well as rising interest rates that frightened investors. This cocktail proved fatal for the Swiss start-up company. “We could of course have better predicted the wave of complications ahead,” admits Thomas Estier. “But an entrepreneur is used to not always having the funds for his projects. There is no innovation without risk. Today I prefer to turn my thoughts to what we have accomplished as a company.”

Star Confectioner about bankruptcy

Philippe Guignard also has to pass below. Celebrity pastry chef Philippe Guignard begins to rise again after years of suffering. «In my 20 years of professional life, I have achieved success after success and never missed a competition.»

The Vaud native does not hide that his passion for the pastry shop took him much further than he could have imagined. In the 1990s Orbe had built a small empire with branches in Yverdon, Neuchâtel, Lausanne, Montreux and Vallée de Joux and became a very famous and successful man, at least in appearance.

But behind the scenes, problems were piling up: management mistakes, too much ambition, and not always being able to control his ego. The causes are varied and complex, but according to Philippe Guignard it is clear that they are the result of an undiagnosed burnout. «When you run a company, you have to have your full capabilities. If you lose them, everything collapses,” she sighs. “This can happen to anyone.”

It’s been a long fall and a painful landing for the star of the French-speaking Swiss patisserie: His company went bankrupt in 2014, with a total loss of more than 10 million francs. In 2018, his villa in the north of Vaud was confiscated, and in 2020 he was sentenced to three years in prison, six months unconditionally, on charges of fraud.

find support

Philippe Guignard doesn’t want it to have anything to do with self-pity. However, his life was severely affected by his bankruptcy and conflicts with the judiciary. His marriage did not survive. “There’s no use digging into the past. Of course, one should learn from human mistakes, but remember that it’s much easier to look at what they’ve done for months or years from afar. It’s what happened. The most important thing is to look forward,” says Guignard.

There was no lack of support, whether from old friends before his success or friendships he’s built throughout his career. At the beginning of his trial, one of his friends told him: “It will be hell, but you will make it.” And he was right: “I lost everything, especially my family, but gradually I find the strength to stand up again.”

Philippe Guignard seeks strength from the people who inspire him, including Bernard Tapie. The native of Vaud is full of praise for the French businessman who died in 2021 and managed to reach the top despite a difficult road. “After taking a few low blows, he succeeded. It reminds me that I’m not alone.”

Take Public Responsibility

Thomas Estier didn’t hesitate to announce his bankruptcy on LinkedIn: “This has not only been transparent to my network, but has also helped me better deal with the blow. I’ve been encouraged by the numerous statements of support that followed this post. I’ve noticed that people remember us and our work,” says Estier.

Publicly declaring bankruptcy also means acknowledging that this tragic outcome must be taken into account by every entrepreneur, which not everyone likes. But Thomas Estier assures that he is not afraid of the backlash: “Even in Switzerland, the subject is becoming less and less taboo.”

Get back to work quickly

To get back on track, the two entrepreneurs believe it’s better to get back to work as soon as possible. But for Thomas Estier, it is recommended that you give yourself a few weeks of rest “to gather yourself emotionally and spend some time with your loved ones.” The most important thing is not to doubt yourself. “It is relatively easy for an entrepreneur to find a job related to their area of ​​expertise. For myself, I sit on the advisory board of two robotics companies.”

It’s also okay to think about a new project and start working on it. The engineer admits that he is working on his next project. But shouldn’t you rein in your ambitions after a setback? “Absolutely not. I’m still an entrepreneur and bankruptcy was a phase but definitely not the end.”

After more than a year in psychiatry, Philippe Guignard announced that he was healthy and ready to return to work. He opened the Tea-Room Maison Guignard in Bulle FR in April 2022 and employs “a small dozen people”. The project can be realized thanks to the trust of three private investors.

“This fresh start gives me the strength to get up every morning,” she happily says, looking inspired. “Even if you always have to be patient with new projects” work is on the right track.

In collaboration with LargeNetwork

This article was originally published on the French-language site Blick.ch.

Source :Blick