In the dragon's eye: a defining moment in our entrepreneurial journey
It hadn't even been six months since Virginie and Alexandre went into business, and Virginie's mother was already asking, "When are the Dragons coming?" She had a flair for it... but back then, it was still far too early.
We chose to wait until we were really ready. Four years later, with a well-established business, we felt the time was right. For us, Dans l'œil du dragon is the ultimate achievement in an entrepreneurial journey. It's the kind of moment when you realize whether your project holds up in the eyes of the big boys.
A long process
The selection process was long, but the day we received confirmation that we were going to present our company to the Dragons, we were both overexcited and a little stressed: we knew we only had one chance, and we wanted to do things right.
Virginie knew the pitch by heart. Any time was a good time to practice, even on walks with Pancho! Passers-by must really have thought she was talking to herself.
On the day of the shoot, we were confident. Virginie's parents were even present, and they were the first to see our pitch... we were too embarrassed to do it in front of anyone else... And now we were going to do it on TV!
All day long, we were surprisingly calm. Almost zen. Until we found ourselves behind the big doors, waiting for the famous countdown: 3-2-1. That's when the adrenaline kicked in. The moment you push open the doors is hard to describe: it's like stepping into a TV screen. After years of watching the show, it was our turn to be on stage.
Questions... and a surprise
Once the pitch was over, the pressure was off: we'd managed to deliver our message exactly as we wanted. Then came the more technical questions. And here, we were impressed by the Dragons' benevolence, their attentiveness, and their genuine desire to understand our business. They challenged us, asked pointed questions and offered valuable food for thought.
To be honest, we hadn't planned on receiving any offers. We were simply going for the experience. In the best-case scenario, maybe a Dragon would raise his hand. But when the offers started coming in - 4 out of 5 - we were thrown for a loop... in the nicest possible way!
Choosing an investor was no easy task. From the outset of our project, we've worked very much on a gut feeling. As we chatted in the bunker, we soon realized that we had the same feeling: Isabèle Chevalier. We both sensed a real interest on her part, and with her exceptional entrepreneurial background, we knew it was a perfect match. Isabèle was the perfect person to help us take OVS to the next level.
An unforgettable experience
Our move to In the eye of the dragon will remain engraved in our memories. It was a unique experience, human, demanding, but deeply enriching. If we had to sum it all up in one word: unforgettable. We'd do it again tomorrow morning, without a second thought.
To all those who dream of going there one day: go for it. Be prepared, be real, and live it to the full.
