Family First is a company that puts family at the center of its concerns. It was founded by three professionals from the tourism, marketing, and publishing industries.
Its manager, Helen Misseri, had previously co-founded “Le Curieux” in Monaco three years earlier. This printed guide aimed at families intended to inform them about everything available and everything that can be done with children in the Monegasque country. Thanks to its undeniable success among families, resident readers, associations, listed companies, and various government departments, its 2005 edition was even distributed directly within the educational institutions of the Principality in collaboration with Monaco’s Directorate of National Education and Sports.
Wishing to expand her business, Helen Misseri decided to create her new company in Drap to offer the same service to families living in or visiting the Alpes-Maritimes:
“We aim to participate in improving the daily lives of some 280,000 families living in the Alpes-Maritimes as well as those who stay here occasionally, through these effective and original means.”
The company “Family First” aims to offer new services to families on the French Riviera and to facilitate access to information, initially through a specific guide and a practical, fun, and lively website.
But who is Helen Misseri?
This 33-year-old Englishwoman, mother of two children and wife of Frédéric Misseri from the Nice family company Lagardère S.A., had the most significant problems accessing the information needed by parents who want to live or simply stay with their children in our department:
“Information about the French Riviera in general is found in many guides, but none had targeted their audience on families, who are nevertheless eager for information specific to their major concerns… their children.”
To address this lack, “Family First” created a bilingual French/English paper guide, which will be published in April 2006 and will be distributed to 20,000 families (15,000 free through the network and 5,000 for sale at newsstands):
“Created by parents and for parents, we believe that our company, through this guide in particular, can support the image of dynamism and quality that reflects our department through both its magnificent coastline and its breathtaking hinterlands.”
Interview Helen Misseri
Nice Première: Helen, how was Family First born and what is its concept?
Helen Misseri: Family First is the continuation of a similar guide that I co-edited until last year in Monaco. During the 3 years of the guide, we realized that the demand for a bilingual guide, specialized for families, was also very significant in the Alpes Maritimes… and thus, the birth of Family First. Its principle is to centralize as much practical information about children on the French Riviera in one place.
Nice Première: Your site is offered in English and French. Why this choice?
Helen Misseri: French, naturally thanks to our geographical location and then English because with the increase in low-cost flights coming from England and the Nordic countries where English is widely practiced, the number of foreign families living on the French Riviera or staying here is constantly increasing. Furthermore, this population is very sensitive to additional services that can be provided to the family.
Nice Première: Soon Family First in paper format?
Helen Misseri: Yes. We believe that nowadays a complete website is indispensable and has the advantage of keeping the information up-to-date, however, we are aware that there are still homes without internet and many people who remain loyal to books. It is also sometimes more practical to consult a paper guide, for vacationers for example, when on the beach or in a hotel room, rather than a website. For us, our two guides, paper and computer, will really work in harmony.
