In the eyes of Ludivine Friscia Rivallin , shop manager of PADD Avignon.
Ludivine, would you have fallen into the trade as a child ?
Unmasked :) My parents were shopkeepers themselves, they ran food shops in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes. So I played shopkeeper from a very young age. As far as studies are concerned, I got a diploma as a veterinary assistant because horses were my childhood passion. After two years in a clinic, followed by some experience in commerce and sales, I had a breakthrough when I took part in the Avignon Horse Show. I went to work at Padd Avignon for a few months and I had the opportunity to buy it from its owner in 2017. I was competing, I knew a lot of people in the business: it could only work !
How did you get support from Padd when you started?
I was clearly lacking in management knowledge, but I was immediately well coached. Special thanks to Arielle Charier, a second mother for us franchisees! And I have to admit that the fact of not having the financial burden of the stock is a great comfort, I would never have been strong enough without it. I also appreciate the fact that Padd's teams are very attentive to my needs, and that they can react quickly to adjust stocks, propose new brands, and sense trends. The horse world is constantly evolving, you can't miss the boat. Finally, beyond the Padd teams, I was also lucky enough to meet Laurie who helps me in the shop. She is my right arm, my left arm, my eyes. In short, indispensable. With her, like everyone else, we took the Covid wall at the beginning of 2020. We were very apprehensive at first, as it was very brutal for the business, and in the end we had not anticipated a boom in activity at all. Paradoxically, it was a crisis like we had never experienced before, and I had to... hire in a hurry to cope.
What is your relationship with the client?
This is a small region, a small department. When I took over the shop, I did a lot of work to re-establish links with the local players in the equestrian world, particularly the clubs and instructors. I had to make myself known and quickly make myself indispensable. Today, I know them all, they tell me about their lives, their projects, the difficulties they are going through and I have to be both an ear and a solution for them. Always. They must never forget that you are there. After five years of hard work, I sincerely feel that we have built a family.
The projects?
The investment has clearly paid off, as I have doubled the turnover since 2017. The limit is now the size of the shop, the 200 m² is no longer enough. So 2023 will be the year of the move! The premises have been found and work is about to begin. I wanted to have a more dynamic shop, one that looked more like me. It will also house our permanent PaddTroc in a more structured way than before.
Which human or relational quality do you prefer and which do you hate?
Empathy. I care about the people around me, whether they are my clients or my duo Laurie-Victoria. On the other hand, I don't understand meanness. I get up every morning to have fun!
Your motto?
Respect above all.
Padd in one word?
Ambition.