"Osons entreprendre différemment, yes we can !": Audrey Cattoz at TEDxEMLYON

Audrey Cattoz is the founder of Konnexion Lunettes Solidaires (KLS), a French glasses manufacturer settled in Lyon. Before setting up her own business in 2010, she used to be a Marketing and Communication Director in the garment industry. She had also acquired a long experience as sales manager in an IT company.

The aim of KLS it to propose « 100% French and user-adjustable » glasses to its customers. Fully made in French factories, the glasses are directly delivered to the client thanks to a network of 200 women, which sell them during informal ladies meetings. This concept, inspired from Tupperware, is a way to strengthen the link with the end-user. Given that there is no other intermediary between the factory and the glass-carriers, additional costs are avoided and glasses are offered at their « fair price ».

Mother of four children, Audrey Cattoz advocates for a right balance between the professional and the personal life. That is why, women are at the center of her project. « Women often have to content themselves with precarious part-time jobs to have enough time to take care of their children » She explains.

For being fair, sustainable and innovative, KLS received in June two distinctions during the Salon des Entrepreneurs in Lyon : "Entreprise équitable et durable" and "Entreprise innovante".

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)