Interview With Papis Camara: How To Maximise Your Career Choices

I am Vanessa Tchoubia, a chemical engineer.

I work in the “Research and Innovation” department at L’Oréal in France, within the field of regulatory affairs.

Passionate about Human Resources and Personal Development, I am the Host and Founder of the Podcast “Booste ta recherche d’emploi, that you could listen on several digital audio plateforms (Spotify, Google podcast, etc.) via the link https://anchor.fm/vanokolo and on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/booste-ta-recherche-d-emploi-podcast

A Podcast to share experiences and practical advice

“Booste ta recherche d’emploi” (Boost your job search” in English) is a Podcast made from a single observation: many people have diplomas, yet they still struggle to find a job. Many things could explain this situation obviously, including a lack of knowledge of the labor market.

As a result, “Booste ta recherche d’emploi,” through sharing experiences of the interviewees on a Podcast format, aims to give guidance to optimize either the job search or a career change in an increasingly complex professional environment.

Who is this Job Search Podcast for?

“Booste ta recherche d’emploi” is designed for both those looking for a job for the first time and those already with a job but would like a career change.

I like to point out that the guests are not superheroes. There are people with inspiring backgrounds to whom everyone can identify, thus offering many the opportunity to appropriate shared tools and tips hopefully.

Podcast: “How to maximize your career choices” with Papis Camara

For this episode of the podcast, I was delighted to interview Papis Camara. He talks about choices leading him to an incredible professional career within diverse markets and distribution channels, including Online and Digital.

Papis Camara is the Founder and CEO of Papis4Business, a consulting company with offices in Manchester, Paris, and Dakar. They help enterprises unleash their full potential to thrive successfully.

After ten successful years at L’Oréal in Sales, Marketing, and Management for France, UK, USA, and Africa, he joined THG (The Hut Group) in 2017, one of the world’s largest Wellness and Beauty online retail organizations. He was Managing Director for Glossybox France, an Online and Digital business. Then, as Director Yu Parfums between June 2018 to May 2020, he led the end-to-end creation of this new Direct-to-customer start-up in the UK: An E-commerce platform with its own brand.

Papis is a mentor and a source of inspiration for me. Along with his brilliant career, he has always shown an analytical and creative spirit. On top of being a digital expert, he has a rich professional experience of over 13 years. He has demonstrated, once again, his entrepreneurial spirit and leadership abilities by creating Papis4Business. He is also an empathic and collaborative leader. Overall, it felt natural to me that he has accepted to be a guest on my Podcast, followed by this interview to share his valuable experience about building a successful career.

Despite a busy agenda, you mentor, coach, give your valuable time to others to help them to progress in their professional career. Where do you get this passion from?

To me, it sounds normal because I could not be where I am today if I did not have people who have helped me along the way. I had people who have given me my chance. I remember when I was at L’Oréal Professionnel being promoted to oversee their biggest and most prestigious customers in the UK. How can you not be grateful after such trust? Now do not get me wrong; you must earn it. I have worked my way to be where I am today. I had challenges like everyone, sometimes more than many people. But that is part of life; you must keep going through challenges so you can grow.

I had people spending time to give me valuable feedback so I can get better. On top of that, I am a big believer in the power of sharing. I think the money or material we possess does not make us more valuable in life. We are more valuable because we help people get better and live to their full potential. And like Zig Ziglar once said: “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough people get what they want.”

Also, I am a people person, an expression I had not heard of before moving to the UK in April 2013. And I think it is an expression that defines me best. I love people, and I genuinely care about people. I used to tell my teams that even if we succeed in business, but they do not grow as professionals and people, I would have failed in my manager role.

So, because God has blessed me with a prosperous career, as you said, I thought it was very natural for me to give back. There are so many ways to give back in life…and for me, coaching and mentoring people is part of that.

Recently, you have created Papis4Business, a consulting company which advices enterprises in diverse areas of their business: Online & Digital, Coaching & Mentoring, Strategy, and Marketing. Could you please tell us more about the service of Coaching & Mentoring you offer?

Sure, Vanessa. But first, please let me give more context by widely explaining what our company is about. Like you said earlier, Papis4Business is an all-in-one consulting company that helps enterprises unleash their full potential to thrive. So, whether they are a big corporation or a start-up, we are here to answer all their individual needs, helping navigate change and accelerating growth.

We only partner with recognized experts in their fields, bringing a wide-ranging proficiency and advice to various areas of business: Online & Digital, Coaching & Mentoring, Strategy, Marketing like you said. We offer a tailor-made approach that maximizes time management and supports a company’s long-lasting growth.

In terms of Coaching & Mentoring, this is on a nutshell what we can offer:

• One-To-One Mentoring
• Team Empowerment
• Leadership Development
• Crisis Management

What is the advice that you would have loved to receive at the beginning of your professional career?

I think I was lucky; I once had a catch-up with a top executive at L’Oréal in Paris in 2010. He told me this advice, which has helped me throughout my entire career: “Do not do like many people trying to think of their next step as soon as they land a new job. Instead, focus on working hard on your current job, make the difference, bring an added value. Then you will see promotions coming naturally down the line.”

So, to all people who are reading this, work hard because working hard really works. So many people want to enjoy the benefit, but they are not willing to pay the price. So many people want the reward, but they will not make the sacrifice. Don’t you find interesting Vanessa that it is only in the dictionary where “Work” comes after “Result”? In real life, first, you must work, work hard, work smart, before expecting any result.

Now do not get me wrong, it is good and key to aspire. But a career is built like a building, meaning steps by steps. Every step will require hard work, dedication, commitment, goals, plan, and resiliency.