Evolving, sharing, and showing professionalism

“Ever since I joined the agency, I learned a lot in all the different positions I held. I discovered that challenging oneself should not be perceived as a failure, but as an opportunity to grow and evolve.”  

After almost six years working for OneChocolate, where she went from Press Officer to Project Manager, to Account Director, Elodie has succeeded in developing her experience in the PR industry. Her cheerful and straightforward disposition enables her to focus on her tasks, while maintaining joyful and friendly relationships with her colleagues. Her meticulous and organised nature makes her an excellent conduit between journalists and clients.

Throughout her career, Elodie had to overcome a few challenges, such as reconciling her strong character and propensity for perfectionism with day-to-day business challenges. This taught her to better delegate her work and admit to her mistakes. Thanks to her outspokenness and know-how, she was able to put herself in a position to meet her clients’ needs while developing long-term communication strategies. In a nutshell, Elodie is convinced that a job done well is key.

Not only does this world traveller and literature aficionada enjoy reading John Irving’s and Jonathan Franzen’s work, but she is also a passionate writer. Indeed, after studying Communication at Sciences Po (Institute of Political Studies) in Bordeaux and a successful experience at the Publicis Group, she managed to achieve a lifelong goal and decided to spend some time travelling around Australia, where she had the opportunity to improve her English. She took advantage of this period to write her first, self-published novel, which brought her one step closer to her dream of having her work published by a publishing house. “The little girl I was would be thrilled to know that her novel is accessible to a larger audience”, she confessed.

Her command of English and her determination to cultivate this language are a few reasons that led her to work in the PR industry and to be recruited by OneChocolate. Her editorial and organisational skills allow her to be proficient in the main aspects of her job – client and journalist relations and content production. Besides, this cheerful young mother who rides her bike everywhere knows how to preserve herself to spend time with her family, while maintaining a friendly atmosphere at work. In her own words: “I am not here to suffer.” And even though basil pesto stands at the top of her list of favourite food, she has a fondness for chocolate as well.

Quotes

  • How do I see today’s business world?

Working is something that motivates me to do things well and to overcome personal and professional challenges alike, even though I always try to preserve my private life. At OneChocolate, I was able to find balance. There is great chemistry amongst the team members and, although we have very diverse personalities, we certainly know how to support one another. We all work in a professional and collaborative spirit, sprinkled with a dose of fun and cheerfulness.

  • If I had to list my most remarkable experiences?

Regarding my personal life, I would have to mention my most significant travelling experiences: an Erasmus exchange in Amsterdam during a semester in college and my trip to Australia, which have truly driven my passion for languages, adventure, and novelty. Then, there would be the writing of my very first novel. Finally, I simply cannot leave out the birth of my child! From a professional standpoint, my experience at Publicis Dialog, where I had an exceptional mentor and learned a lot from many people, comes to mind. Later, when I returned from Australia, I was hired by OneChocolate. I have been a member of the team for almost six years now and I feel very comfortable. We work in a great environment!

 

A portrait by Benjamin Mallais