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This article is an excerpt from a special edition of Entrepreneur Middle East produced for the 2024 edition of the Women’s Empowerment (WE) Convention, organised by WE Council. Read the full article here.
Whenever Carla Bruni’s name is mentioned, an impressive list of achievements often follows her name, and indeed, Bruni has built a lucrative career both as a model and as a singer-songwriter since her debut album in 2003. I agreehas famously sold more than two million copies worldwide. Meanwhile, Bruni served as First Lady of France from 2008 to 2012, and in 2020, she ventured into entrepreneurship as co-owner of Château d’Estaubron, an 18th-century castle with vineyards in the south of France. “I’m now learning business,” says Bruni. “For me, this is a totally new situation, because although there is creativity everywhere – journalism, sports, organisations – creative work is totally different from business. That is, creativity is something we all have inside us and that everyone can tap into.”
Speaking to Bruni on the sidelines of the 2024 Women’s Empowerment (WE) Convention, an initiative of the WE Council, held in Dubai in April, it became clear that the atmosphere of the event, which was attended by more than 2,000 people and featured speakers such as Sheikha Moza bint Marwan Al Maktoum, Head of Dubai Police Aviation, tennis champion Maria Sharapova, and actor Meryem Uzerli, was a great example of what inspires her creativity. “What drives my creativity is observing the people around me, the world, and getting emotions from it,” Bruni explains. “That’s what gives me the most creativity. Being here with you all right now, talking, interacting. I love that. I love imagining what other people’s lives are like. How they live, what their dreams are. So, actually, I get my creativity from connecting with other people.”
But creativity can feel stifled when you’re on the brink of burnout, whether in entrepreneurship or other aspects of business, especially when your work and personal life are out of balance. Achieving stability in both work and personal life is much harder for women, Bruni says. “Women have to do it all, and they’re in a much more vulnerable position than men,” she says. “Men have their place in society. We have to earn our place in society. Men can work and have a family, but we have to balance family and work. So, first of all, I have a lot of respect for all women. You know, there are a lot of women out there who work really hard.” [in their professions]”They have families, they have to look after the house, because they don’t have helpers. So it’s difficult being a woman. It’s much harder than being a man, no matter how lucky you are. A modern woman has a lot to do, and the burden is on her shoulders.”
Related: Big Goals, Bold Choices: Serial Entrepreneur, Public Speaker, and Reality TV Star Sara Al Madani
Here, Bruni adds that when it comes to achieving the ideal work-life balance, “women do it right. We’re smart!” But there’s one piece of advice Bruni gives to female professionals: don’t get hung up on the idea of success. “I think success is a rare situation. 90% of situations in life are failures, and that’s good,” she says. “You don’t learn anything from success. You learn a lot from failure. So I say that life gives us a little success every now and then, and that’s enough. Longevity doesn’t mean anything. Success is the exception. For every human being, the most common is failure, not success. Even those who seem to be ‘successful’ have failed… So, although I believe that success is very rare and very fun, it doesn’t teach us anything. You know what it teaches us? It’s when we fall down and we get up again. That’s what’s good about life. So it’s pain, pain, difficulty. We’d rather be successful and have an easy life, but there is no easy life.”
Of course, this is not to say that you shouldn’t aspire to success. In fact, Bruni herself says that she would like to see more female entrepreneurs succeed in business. “Being successful in entrepreneurship is very important for women, because in this society, women have to be strong,” she says. “This society was created by men, so when female entrepreneurs work hard, start a business, and make a name for themselves in this world, I really admire them.” And, of course, Bruni hopes that such success will lead her to her own entrepreneurial path. But that’s not all she has in the future. “The next step for me is to maintain what I have now, which is very wonderful,” Bruni says. “You know, we have five children and three grandchildren, and if they are healthy and happy, my life is heaven.”
Insider Insight: Carla Bruni shares note for career-minded women
Never let someone else choose for you “Take control of your life. This comes through work and the status we create for ourselves in society. No matter how happy your home life is, it will never give you the power that work and fulfillment can bring.”
Don’t base your choices on calculations “Let your instincts guide you; they’re your best guide. Choose what works for you and you’ll feel satisfied.”
Don’t underestimate the importance of friendship and love “No career can be successful without a foundation of kindness. You are not obliged to choose between work and love. Find a partner who respects you and respects your ambitions. Find friends who will accompany you. Life is fundamentally made of love. Love is the foundation on which success is built.”
Related: Big goals, bold choices: Mila Smart Semishkina, founder of the Women’s Empowerment Council and WE Convention
