Nathalie Rozborski : I think the first thing you should know is that I’m Franco-Polish, I’ve always navigated between two different cultures, I think this dichotomy really characterises my personality. My education says the same thing, I was working as a hip-hop dancer whilst studying international business marketing – this complementary contrast is a big part of my personal and professional identity.

A dancer! I lived in Dijon and from the first semester of university, I knew it wasn’t for me. I moved to Paris with the goal of becoming a professional dancer, specialising in urban dance. I knew about the dance-offs outside the Gare de Lyon & Châtelet, but I also understood only a few people ever made it big. My father is an ex-professional footballer and he reminded me that a career like that only lasts until you’re 30. So, I decided to continue my studies at the Sorbonne – qualifying in fashion & luxury creative management, the job I do today.

Zacharie is two and a half, he loves to read magazines with me and look at the marking campaigns on the way to the nursery. He’s already got a discerning eye when it comes to aesthetics, it’s pretty funny. I think brands should do focus groups with kids for marketing and perfumes. Children have a more direct relationship with imagery without the social filters that adults apply to everything, it’s really interesting. I explain to him that ‘Mummy has clients & she helps them make decisions’, he responds ‘what’s a client?’ – so, I don’t put too much focus on it, he’ll understand in his own time.

Firstly, I think becoming a mother radically changes your priorities. You manage yourself a lot better. Because I know I don’t have time to waste, I’ve become much better at delegating, which had long been a big issue for me… Having less time has helped me to focus on the most important aspects of each task. Being a mother is like being a project manager - you’ve got to be on top of everything. My day only works if I respect my agenda. I like to keep a little spontaneity, but I think children need structure, so do the teams I work with, it’s important to maintain a rhythm so everyone is on the same page. Being a mother, you’ve also got to learn to go with the flow.

… It’s the children that dictate the day.That was a real personal challenge to overcome. They’ve taught me that there’s always a different way of doing things, that there aren’t any rules when it comes to having a career and kids. I think that the debate is over. Women don’t have to decide whether to be a homemaker or a breadwinner – do both.

I go to bed really early and wake up at 6.30 am. It might not be particularly sexy, but my day doesn’t work without a good night’s sleep – I’m always in bed before 10.30pm. I love to sleep and the best is before midnight! I get up so early because I need 30 minutes of ‘me’ time in the morning, to think about my priorities and structure my day. After that, I’m ready and the day can start! I look after the kids, the house, work and everything else in between. You’ll never see me at a dinner party after 11 pm.

It might be both! I got my chance really early on in my career. By 27 years old, I was already the fashion director for Nelly Rodi, the largest part of the business – and accounted for ¾ of its total earnings. I was young and, in my first year, I travelled to over one hundred countries - only returning to my apartment once a month! I was doing seminars in Singapore, China, Morocco, the U.S.A, organising conferences for more than 350+ people in English. I gained 10 years of experience in 12 months. It’s true to say that we have a problem regarding age in France but, I think there’s definitely some bad old bosses and really talented up starters out there. I wish we got better with age! You do gain maturity, stability and experience, but talent isn’t something you can learn.

I work on a balance of trust and control, I encourage people to take responsibility and grow in their role. I know that’s not a common management type in France… I don’t believe in working late just for the sake of it. The last person at the office isn’t the person working the hardest, I see it as a sign of disorganisation. Irrespective of what time of day my team arrives or leaves, we work in an industry where only the final result counts, ensuring our clients are satisfied. As a manager, I value a work/life balance. If one of the girls ‘needs’ to go to her boxing class and can’t come to a meeting? I say go. All I ask is that her work is done. We sell advice, therefore the ends justify the means. Moreover, if someone wants to present a video instead of a PDF, they do it! The only thing that matters to me is the result. I am very strict on objectives, even a bit radical. I have a lot of faith in the next generation of entrepreneurs and I feel very close to them in terms of their values, like Guillaume Gibault (founder of Slip Français), Julia Bijaoui (founder and president of Frichti) and Juliette Levy the founder of OhMyCream. When this generation reaches the top, they’re going to change the workplace forever. It’s going to take a generation, but it’s coming.