Nice-Premium: Your website fun-meeting.fr was launched recently. You ventured into starting a business and formed an event organizing company focused on social gatherings. This is quite a unique idea. What made you embark on this journey?
Carine Ghiglione: When I found myself single, I noticed it wasn’t easy to meet people, even in a vibrant environment. Some of my friends made the same remark. There are of course the encounters one can have in nightclubs, but they are not necessarily promising… Then there are platforms like Meetic, but you can never really know who is behind the computer screen. I should mention that my website is not a dating site. The site is just a platform for registration, it’s a showcase.
N-P: What exactly is the principle of the company?
C.G: I just want to help people expand their social networks. For this, I organize evening or daytime events where people of the same age group can mingle. The events are naturally tailored to the ages of the participants. Fun Meeting is not a matchmaking agency.
N-P: That’s a big project. When did the idea come to you?
C.G: Well, I have dreamed of starting my own company for years. But I’ve only been thinking about this specific project for 2 years, and it has been 1 year since I launched it.
N-P: The first event will be held on February 14th, for Valentine’s Day. What’s the schedule?
C.G: The Valentine’s Day event is a speed-dating session taking place at Before, a trendy bar in Nice. The average age will be around 25 to 33 years. The cost is €20 per person, including a drink and snacks. There are still a few spots available, but be aware, I will stop taking reservations two days before.
N-P: Other events are also planned for February. Can you tell us about them?
C.G: Yes, there are two more. The first will take place over the weekend of February 21st. It’s a full day in Saint-Jeannet starting with breakfast. The age group is between 40 and 60 years. The second day, next Friday, February 27th, will be dedicated to seniors, from 60 to 77 years. I have reserved a dance meal in Nice that I recommend.
N-P: For the day in Saint-Jeannet, are there activities planned?
C.G: Absolutely. It will start with cooking classes based on essential oils. It’s not something often thought about, but it’s very good for health, and from the age of 40, people start taking care of themselves. The activities will be carried out in groups of two people. After lunch, there will be a walk and a tour of the vineyard where participants can enjoy tastings, and also make some purchases.
N-P: Can we sign up someone we know if they are single?
C.G: Yes, I even encourage you to do so! There are two solutions for this. The first is to register the person directly on the website in the event section, just choose the age range and the type of event that suits them. The second solution is to buy gift vouchers in the gift section, if you’re unsure about what they would like.
N-P: The economic climate isn’t the best right now. It might seem a bit daring to start your own company. How did you find the necessary budget?
C.G: Financially, you could say I started with nothing. I had €25,000 in a company savings plan, but unfortunately, I lost half of it. Even though this money is virtual, I can’t touch it, otherwise, the losses will become real. I’ve therefore taken out loans. In total, I had only €5,000 for my project instead of €15,000! Fortunately, I had benefits like a zero-interest loan since I’m not yet 26 years old. This was also one of the reasons why I was able to carry out this project so quickly, having celebrated my birthday last Saturday!
