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Many women grapple with imposter syndrome, the fear of not measuring up, and few dare to venture into the world of entrepreneurship, let alone the realm of business acquisition. Sophia Secourgeon had to deal with those apprehensions but she faces them. She is an engineer with a 10-year background in the aeronautics industry, who transitioned to become the first female searcher in France last year, within the traditional SF model. Sophia discovered the world of Search Funds during her MBA at IESE Business School and embarked on the quest for investors. In 2 months, she secured the initial 40% of her capital table, then went through a brief desert period for 2-3 months before capturing another 40% in a month, ultimately becoming oversubscribed during her closing last summer. In total, about twenty investors joined her, including many French-speaking professionals (business angels, former searchers, CEOs, investment bankers) who would serve as her mentors, and numerous international “usual suspects” such as AIJ Global, Inversiones Cabiedes, Itaca Capital, Kinderhook Partners, or Newton Equity Partners.
According to her, France remains a Latin country where certain gender stereotypes persist, and occasional discrimination can be found in specific sectors and corporate cultures, creating additional obstacles in the quest for the ideal business. However, women know how to highlight their strengths: their communication skills, empathy, and resilience are significant assets that enable them to establish strong relationships with sellers. Sophia is one who mostly rejects deals brought by brokers, often deemed too expensive, and she is particularly interested in the industrial sector. She appreciates the “pure” concept of Search Funds, delving into the corners of the provinces to find the perfect company: efficient, reasonably priced, and with strong growth potential. Sophia is very satisfied with her initial contacts: she has just sent her first LOI, within the first 5 months of search, to a company whose main shareholders are women.
