The top lessons I have learned from doing business in Paris.
Sixteen years later, the most memorable lessons are from our favorite set of bubbles: Champagne.
Bonjour Les Amis – welcome back.
The last time we were together, we talked about blending. That magical art of taking two different things and moulding them into something new—something better.
That thought has left me reflecting on blending my future with ‘my past life’…or rather, my past ‘lives’ (I’ve had quite a few.)
No, not reincarnation (as far as I am aware), but reinvention. Something I’ve had to do a few times over the years - intentional or not.
Yet every time I start again, I feel those same heavy whispers of impossibility.
Thankfully, one thing I have learned a great deal about over the past few years is the significance of the word ‘impossibile’.
In fact, nothing is really ever impossible.
Speaking of impossible…
In 2009, sixteen years ago, everything in my world felt impossible. In that one year, I lost my grandmother (who meant the world to me), I walked away from a corporate job, and I started a business.
To add to the fray, that business wasn’t a lifelong dream. The idea was actually born over a New Year’s Eve dinner with friends. On December 31st, 2008, somewhere before the stroke of midnight, a few laughs and a few more glasses of wine in, we started dreaming out loud about what we could be ‘when we grow up.’ (A question I hope to keep asking myself every year of my life.)
And poof. The idea of this business floated down as harmlessly as a pretty ember from a fire. The only problem was that it landed squarely on me — and sizzled right into my being.
The fact that this business happened to be in an industry I knew nothing about, in a city I was still discovering, in a language and culture entirely foreign to me… didn’t even cross my mind.
And of course, at first glance, it seemed impossible.
But what does impossible even mean? Instead of dwelling on what couldn’t be done, I chose to explore what could. After all, who decides what’s possible, and what isn’t? Who says so?
I have to give France credit here. This is the land where people discovered the pleasure of eating snails (I’d love to know who first said, ‘let’s eat this’), where most responses to a question begin with a non, where a single plot of grapes can cost thousands of euros, and where beige, taupe, and everything old is considered chic. Frankly, nothing is really impossible after all.
It just took a few years of doing business in Paris (and all the knocks that come with it) to appreciate that.
Speaking of Paris…
These past sixteen years, Paris has taught me more about business than any MBA ever could.
You’ve already heard me talk about the obvious:
-This is a social economy, not a market economy. Reputation and relationships are everything.
-Speed is relative. Between the hare and the tortoise, France is the tortoise… but we know how that story ends.
-Non is really just the start of a discussion; it is the curtsy before the dance.
-The artisan (not the client) is royalty. You have the honor and pleasure of buying their products.
-Business and personal are intertwined here. A useful note, the next time you enter a small shop: you’ll do yourself a massive favour by greeting them with a cheerful “Bonjour Monsieur/Madame.”Monsieur/Madame’)…
And the list goes on.
However, some of my greatest lessons have come in recent years — and not from where you might expect (or where I might have expected either).
The loudest lessons have come from Paris and her finest.
I’ll be the first to admit — it took me a long time to truly listen. And when I finally did…the lessons were all over the city.
If I listen closely enough, I can learn something new every single day.
Life lessons thanks to the Eiffel Tower…
It’s not just a pretty heap of metal; it has a few things to say.
1-When it was first imagined, people signed a petition demanding that the Eiffel Tower not be built. When the Eiffel Tower was proposed for the 1889 World’s Fair, it was called a ‘monstrosity’ and a ‘tragic street lamp’. Today, it is the most visited monument in the world.
Lesson: Not everyone will get your idea, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be successful. Don’t measure the worth of your idea by critics.
2-The Eiffel Tower was initially intended to last only 20 years. 136 years later, it’s still standing.
Lesson: “Temporary” is a mindset. You never know how your idea will evolve. Commit to the work; you never know how far it will go.
3-The Eiffel Tower has been painted 20 times, and its color has ranged from yellow to red, to reddish-brown, to the Eiffel Tower Brown we know today.
Lesson: You can rewrite your story as much as you like. Reinvention isn’t optional.
4-The Eiffel Tower is constantly undergoing renovations, repaintings, and adaptations (even its elevators have been replaced multiple times).
Lesson: The work on ‘you’ is never finished. And it doesn’t get easier to do the hard work, you just learn to do the hard better (I have to credit the enormous Kara Lawson - one of my role models - for this).
Life lessons thanks to Notre Dame…
The heart of Paris, and our most iconic church, has a few things we can learn from.
1-Notre Dame is famous thanks to her bells. Those beautiful bells that chime are often what we think of when we think of Notre Dame - yet, most people don’t even know that ten of them have names (yes, they have names). The Paris music we enjoy is thanks to Gabriel, Anne-Geneviève, Denis, Marcel, Étienne, Benedict-Joseph, Maurice, Jean-Marie, Marie, and Emmanuel, who is world famous (and, apparently, the only one to have survived the French Revolution).
Lesson: Nothing great is done alone. For every success, there is a hard-working support behind the scenes.
2-Notre Dame is a phoenix. She’s been through quite a lot over the years (so have her bells!). And, of course, her most significant challenge occurred on Monday, April 15th, 2019. A moment we all remember.
Lesson: Even when all feels lost, you can rise again. And this is a true story of a return that is even more magnificent than before.
3-Notre Dame was built to be a medieval Catholic cathedral. Eight hundred fifty-plus years later, she is much, much more than that.
Lesson: She has transitioned into something well beyond what people thought she was capable of or destined for - Notre Dame is not just a church; she has transitioned into a symbol of France and her people. What a true story of reinvention.
Putting aside the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, the moral of the story is that we can find lessons everywhere around us - if we look (or in this case listen).
Those lessons I’ve learned over the years haven’t just served me in business; they have served me in life, especially when things have felt, well, impossible.
As I embark on a new chapter and a new business here in Paris (which, of course, can feel impossible on some days), I keep coming back to these same lessons to steady myself.
And last but not least, my favourite lesson?
Thanks to none other than our favourite beverage: Champagne…
Life Lessons from your favorite bubbles
Your favorite set of bubbles has a few things to offer.
1-Champagne is born under pressure. An analogy I have heard is that it’s roughly equivalent to the pressure of a bus tire. That’s why Champagne bottles are made of thicker glass than other wine bottles, and why the cork is held down by a wire cage (le muselet).
Lesson: All of those difficult, high-pressure moments that have squeezed you (and will again in the future)- they are what make you sparkle even brighter.
2-The mastery of Champagne is the blending of the past with the present (versus other wines in France that are not able to blend).
Lesson: What a great reminder for us to honor who we have been and to blend all of that magic to create a new version of ourselves!
3-Champagne corks cannot be put back into the bottle. Once they expand, they cannot be forced back.
Lesson: Growth means it’s ok for you not to ‘fit’ your way back into those old stories. It’s a wonderful thing to outgrow something because you are a beautiful, bolder, expanded version of yourself.
4-Champagne vines are in soil that reflects light up to the grapes. Chalk soil is particular because of its reflective properties.
Lesson: A crucial reminder is that you need to be planted in the right soil to grow. Put yourself in an environment where light will shine upon you.
5-Champagne vine roots go very deep. Due to the nature of the soil, Champagne vines have some of the deepest roots. This not only helps keep them nourished but also keeps them grounded.
Lesson: The deeper your roots, and the more anchored you are, the better you can withstand the elements you face.
6-The bubbles in Champagne are thanks to imperfections. The tiny scratches, specks of dust, or even tiny bits of fiber stuck to the inside of the glass we serve Champagne in are what allow the bubbles to flourish.
Lesson: Own and love your imperfections; they are what make you shine your brightest.
And the BEST part about Champagne
The real magic is that at any age, you can have an exceptional year!
A year that is so special that it stands out above the rest! Those very special years are crowned extraordinary and earn the title of Vintage Champagne. A Millésimé.
It takes extraordinary circumstances to create a year like that. Circumstances that might seem impossible to the average person.
But then again — we’re talking about you.
So go sparkle, mes amis.
P.S. - Don’t forget to start preparing your Jardin Secret for 2026.
Until next time, a prompt I’ll leave you with:
What do you need to make your year a Millésimé?
See you next time. À bientôt, mes amis.
Jane
A few last things:
If you want to have your Millésimé in 2026…
You need to think carefully about what you are planting in your Jardin Secret. I’m working on just that for all of us. A new Jardin Secret series is in the works for 2026, and if you’d like to be the first to know, you can sign up here
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Season two of the Pod is back!:
Don’t forget to tune into my podcast. A new episode drops every other Monday.
I’d love you to join along - and tell me what you’d love to hear about! You can find more here.
Oh! what a fun, informative dive into the word "impossible" and the life lessons ...The national treasures have so much to teach us and your insights are right on! Of course, champagne--sparkle! Thank you!
Beautifully insightful, Jane. I think this might be my favorite “Prompts from Paris” yet! I love the meaningful life lessons you’ve drawn from the enduring symbols of Paris (including champagne!). She has much to teach us—if we will slow down and pay attention. And here’s to making 2026 my Millésimé! I was unfamiliar with the term, and I love everything about it! 🥂