After graduating from the École Hôtelière de Genève, I decided to spend two months in Oxford, England. My aim was to improve my English, as I firmly believe that, in our business, fluency in English and German is an essential asset.

During this period, I didn’t work, but concentrated on learning the language intensively. On my return, I continued to work at HOTELIS, where I was involved in the VIP areas for GSHC and SFC matches. I was also thinking of starting something on the side, something I was passionate about. It was at this point that I co-founded Moonlight, my company, to boost the early-weekend entertainment scene in Geneva. I wanted to learn about finance, so I applied to Swiss Life to acquire this knowledge.

This dual experience allows me to combine my passion for meeting new people and creating unique experiences, while at the same time engaging in meaningful work in the provident field.

My internship path has had a major influence on my professional career, with each experience providing me with specific skills and a better understanding of what I wanted to do.

My first internship was at Beau-Rivage Genève, where I worked as an F&B Banquet Assistant. At the time, I was hesitating between hotel school and tourism school, and I wanted to get a concrete idea by working directly in a 5* hotel.

This experience taught me a lot about customer relations and team management. I was trusted and given a lot of responsibility, which helped me develop my ability to take initiative.

Then I did an internship at Les Merveilleux de Fred, an entrepreneurial couple who have brought traditional Flanders specialties to Geneva. This gave me a behind-the-scenes look at a fast-growing company, which enriched my vision of entrepreneurship.

Then I moved to Lausanne, where I really wanted to work in events management. I had the opportunity to work as an events coordinator at the Royal Savoy Lausanne, and this experience enabled me to manage my own events while keeping in touch with the F&B side I had discovered during my first internship. This enabled me to link organization with service, and to get an overview of what makes a successful event.

Finally, my last internship was with PublicisLive, an events agency that deals with institutional organizations. This enabled me to work on beautiful events on a larger and longer scale, with a high level of rigor, and helped me develop a “worldwide” vision.

These internships also enabled me to develop skills in project management, customer service and team organization, which are now key skills in my work at Swiss Life, but also in the creation and development of Moonlight. Each experience was a brick in the road that helped me build my career, gain confidence and understand how to combine hospitality with the need to create social links.

My role at Swiss Life as a pensions and finance advisor draws heavily on the skills I’ve been able to develop through my training in hospitality and customer relations. The core of my work is based on managing customers, understanding their needs, and active listening – skills that come directly from my training, where customer service and satisfaction are paramount. These skills help me to establish a relationship of trust with my customers, to fully understand their expectations, and to provide them with personalized support.

A typical day as an advisor consists mainly of arranging and attending meetings with customers. During these meetings, I discuss their financial situation, their objectives, and the solutions they wish to implement for their future. Each customer is unique, so my days are very varied, and each exchange is an opportunity to adapt my advice to their specific needs.

I’m also taking a training course in Lausanne, to develop my skills and knowledge in the field of insurance and pensions. This enables me to provide accurate and up-to-date information to my customers. My aim is to help people understand how to manage their finances well, and to give them the tools to build a financial future that suits them.

What motivated us to create Moonlight was the realization that a segment of the population, particularly young working people, often lack opportunities to meet new people once they start work. We often find ourselves socializing only with our colleagues, and opportunities to socialize outside the workplace become rare.

We’ve also noticed that most people organize their outings at weekends, especially to see friends who are still studying. During the week, many tend to stay at home, watching Netflix, or spending time on social networks. We want to change this, by creating an alternative that will reinvigorate Geneva’s social life during the week, and encourage people to get out, meet new people, and discover new bars.

Our inspirations come from major European cities where going out isn’t limited to the weekend – places where people go out every day, creating a real social dynamic. The aim with Moonlight is to enable people to get out of their routine, reconnect with the real world, and enjoy unique moments with friends or meeting new people, while supporting local bars in attracting a weekday clientele.

We’re just starting out, so we haven’t experienced any real difficulties, but our main challenge will be to get people to change their habits. Successfully demonstrating the value of going out early in the week and creating a real buzz. But also convincing the bars to join us in this adventure. Bars often have fewer customers at the start of the week, and we have to show them that our project can be of real benefit to them. So we have to show our value.

For students at the École Hôtelière, I’d tell them to take full advantage of every opportunity to learn – whether through their internships, courses, languages or even events organized by the school.

Hospitality is above all a question of passion for service and human contact. The more you give yourself the opportunity to experiment, the more you grow as a professional. I also advise them to be curious, to learn quickly and well, and then to step out of their comfort zone, because that’s where the best learning opportunities lie.

As for more general advice for young professionals, I’d say never underestimate the power of networking. The relationships you form, whether with fellow interns, teachers, or even other students, can be crucial to your future. Take the time to make genuine connections. Finally, don’t be afraid to embark on a personal project, even if it seems uncertain. Think big in your goals – take the story of the three bricklayers as an example:

To the question “What are you doing right now?”, the first replies: “I’m laying bricks”, the second: “I’m making $19.30 an hour” and the third: “Me? I’m building the most beautiful cathedral in the world”.

Reflecting on my journey so far, I’m very grateful for the different experiences that have brought me to where I am today. Whether it’s my internships, my work at Swiss Life, or the creation of Moonlight, each step has been an opportunity for growth and learning. It has helped me understand the importance of taking initiative, building relationships and always striving to offer enriching experiences to others.

For the future, I want to continue to develop Moonlight and ensure that it becomes a benchmark for weekday nightlife in Geneva. I also want to continue to help people better understand their pension and financial security options, so that they can build a secure future.

My aim is to continue evolving as an entrepreneur and advisor, always keeping in mind the desire to make the lives of others richer, whether by creating moments of conviviality or accompanying them in their financial decisions.