Terry Nangy graduated from GOBELINS Paris in 2010. A few years later, he created LiliPro, a hybrid company that allows him to combine his two passions, communication and training.

I began my course at Gobelins with a Graphic Production diploma then I wanted to reorient myself towards workshop fabrication and management, and so I continued my studies with a BTS in Communication and Graphics Industries (option Study and creation of printed products).

Following that I decided to extend my field of vision beyond graphics industries. So I enrolled in the Commercial Cross Media Manager Bachelor (which no longer exists today). The course’s goal is to train technicians for commercial and customer relationship management jobs with a general and strategic view.

After graduating from my bachelor I chose a “Communication manager” master in another school.  At the end of my first year there, I was recruited immediately an informatics engineering company as a commercial manager specialized in communication software. I had free reins to develop the company’s activities. Besides, I went through most of my course in work-linked training at various companies (agency, printer, announcer, etc.) by working both as an employee and freelancer.

Once I had some experience in informatics engineering, I decided to go into entrepreneurship full time by founding my first company.

I’ve created my own job now. I’m at this crossroad between communication and training. My company, LiloPro, is divided in two, with one part communication agency and one part training center.

I drifted away from print after my studies but naturally gravitated back towards it with this company. I developed a printing business with a few digital machines whose activities I later expanded to production and textile printing. I developed my e-commerce business in relation to my company and specialties as well.

From 2009 and on, I’ve been proposed to host training sessions and I really loved that. It was after this experience that I began to create the whole educational side of my company. I started off with some very technical training (digital marketing, computer assisted publication, project managements, etc.), then it extended progressively towards commercial, general management, entrepreneurship, even interpersonal communication and group dynamics.

Every formation I offer is always technique oriented. For example when I talk about entrepreneurship I can tackle the subject from a strategic angle (like the business model choice according to market studies) just as much as a very technical angle (like product specificities and/or services from a structural/conceptual point of view). As such I pass on everything I was able to learn during my training and professional experiences, especially in graphics industries. 

Gobelins allowed me to learn very good technical skills as well as marketing strategy and business development skills. My training has allowed me to see the big picture which has allowed me to evolve towards educational engineering and all the other activities I’ve developed.

Indeed, I am a certified coach specializing in company coaching these days, a Neuro-Linguistics programming practitioner, mental coach and Process Communication Model trainer. Thanks to Gobelins, I developed this appetite for research and continuous improvement and precision in what I do, while always maintaining the core: Communication in all its forms.

I’ve got a lot of projects for the future. As the years went by, I realized that what matters to me is not the revenue (though it is not something to neglect), but rather intellectual enrichment. Today, my objective is to continue this personal progression all the while developing my company’s visibility (and that of my brands) in order to further be able to take the support I provide to another level.

Do not be afraid, always listen and look around you. Most of the times, we have answers all around us, but we don’t take the time to notice them. One example, what triggered my passion for entrepreneurship was entrepreneurship awareness modules proposed by the CCI that I decided to follow out of curiosity.

My number one advice is to always be aware of the opportunities that surround us, because there’s so many of them out there, both inside the school and outside.

I have lots of good memories of Gobelins (in and outside of class). What comes back to me when I think about it was the freshman orientation trip in the mountains at Mijoux. (All the first years were sent there to create a group dynamic.) I have very good memories of that time.

I also remember the DRUPA very well, a graphics industries event held every four years in Germany. This event showed me just how big this universe this. It was the concrete and complete incarnation of this professional world everyone always talked about and of which I knew only a mere few aspects. 

Interview by Sophie Jean