Valérie Benvenuto, KEDGE BS Graduate, Appointed...
Portrait - Michael Weisz, KEDGE Alumnus and founder of the successful startup Shapeheart!
2009 KEDGE graduate, Michael Weisz, has been the co-founder and managing director of Shapeheart - a brand that designs innovative products in the field of sport and mobility - since 2017.
A graduate of KEDGE Business School, the University of Valencia, and IAE of Aix-en- Provence, Michael Weisz has succeeded in combining his two passions in life - sports and marketing - with his successful startup, Shapeheart.
Having been born in a family of sports enthusiasts, Michael practically grew up in the sports industry, so has been lucky enough to meet players in the sector and being able to build a solid network. An expert in the fields of marketing and sport, he’s also a writer for http://sportbuzzbusiness.fr/ , as well as a presenter at several schools, including KEDGE Business School, EM Lyon, and CNPC Sport.
In 2017, Michael decided to co-found Shapeheart, "which has designed mobile phone accessories with a detachable magnetic pouch. This pouch has a unique, patented system which holds your phone securely, no matter what your activity, and which is compatible with all mobile phones on the market.”
Shapeheart has been a real success – it has surpassed more than a million euros in turnover during its three years of existence!
SHAPEHEART.COM LINKEDIN - MICHAEL WEISZ
INTERVIEW - MICHAEL WEISZ 💬
As a former student of KEDGE, what memories do you have of the school? What has left its mark on you (student associations, courses, events, projects, etc.)?
I’d say that I have good memories of my time at KEDGE. For me personally, the most noteworthy thing was the opportunity to do part of my studies in Spain. Those two years in another country helped me develop my own point of view.
You graduated from KEDGE in 2009. What are you doing today? What gave you the idea and the desire to do what you’re doing?
I’m now at the head of the start-up Shapeheart, which creates and sells accessories for smartphones. Its magnetic pouch is designed to be used while biking, running, or motorcycling.
I had wanted to start my own business for a number of years, so it was the obvious thing for me to do. When I met my associate Antoine Schwoob, I gave myself permission to throw myself entirely into the project. The right partner, an idea that you believe in… there’s nothing more to do.
Tell us about Shapeheart, a novel brand in the sport industry. What are your goals for future development?
Shapeheart is a young brand that has just surpassed a million euros in turnover in its third year. Its growth is a result of its unique and patented products. We have several goals: we’re already present in more than 19 countries and 2,500 retail distributors, and want to increase our presence throughout all of Europe. Our goal is to reach five million euros in turnover pretty quickly.
What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who would like to get started? What are the keys to success? Did you already have the soul of an entrepreneur when you got started?
My advice for a young person who wants to get started is to simply to do it! That’s the hardest thing.
Most things are learned in the field, such as learning, to growing, and knowing how to adapt. More than anything, it’s a matter of your state of mind. It’s impossible to know everything from A to Z when you start off. It’s the actual context that teaches us more than anything else.
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