Nina Chanteau: I bet on Nocode to launch my freelance career

This week we profile Nina Chanteau, a 30-year-old woman with a remarkable career!

After studying at a hotel management school in Switzerland and then at HEC entrepreneurs, Nina worked as an executive assistant for 8 months. However, even though she loved her job, she grew tired of it. Following the trigger she tells us about in the article, she decided to leave everything behind. After an attempt at a world tour and months of self-training on several tools including Webflow, Airtable, Bubble, Glide, Make, Zapier, WeWeb and Figma, she finally launched herself as a professional freelance Nocode Makeuse! 

Nina tells you all about her extraordinary career path, the challenges she overcame, and her invaluable advice!

His background

Nina Chanteau is a 30-year-old woman who has charted a singular course marked by ups and downs, exciting discoveries and bold choices.

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Her career began with a classic, but already remarkable, academic background. Having spent her entire school career in Paris, Nina, a precocious child, juggled her studies with a demanding passion: high-level horse riding.

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It was at the age of 16 that she put an end to her equestrian career and began a new chapter. She took off for the Ecole hôtelière in Lausanne, Switzerland. There, she immersed herself in a comprehensive four-year program, including a one-year preparatory course in hospitality operations, followed by a Bachelor's degree. 

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During her two professional internships, she developed many of her operational skills, particularly during her hotel internship in London.

After three intense years, Nina realized that the hotel and restaurant business was not for her.

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At the final stage of her academic career, instead of taking the traditional route of an internship with a company, Nina opted for research. One year was devoted to an in-depth thesis on SME transfers, under the benevolent tutelage of her thesis supervisor. With her diploma in hand, she distinguished herself by coming second in her class!

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This success opened the doors to a new professional adventure as an academic assistant, where she supported her mentor in strategy, marketing and entrepreneurship courses. The connection between HEC entrepreneurs and the Lausanne school took shape, prompting Nina to apply and continue her studies with a Master's degree specializing in entrepreneurship at HEC.

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After five years in Switzerland, Nina took on an unexpected challenge when she joined Le Wagon. This intense bootcamp in full-stack development revealed her love of code, a passion rooted in her attraction to technology. Le Wagon became the catalyst that propelled Nina into the world of development, a path she would never have imagined despite her interest in science.

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The post-HEC period saw her immersed in the world of start-ups, participating as right-hand woman in a company in the culinary field. Her pivotal role in improving customer experience and internal processes led her to the retail sector, but her initial enthusiasm waned after a few months. 

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Her partner then fell into burnout, making this a particularly difficult time for both of them. The state of her partner's mental health acted as an electroshock for Nina, prompting them both to quit their respective jobs, create their own legal structure, and embark on their project to circumnavigate the world in two years! 

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In 2020, their lives change completely. They leave friends, family and apartment behind! 

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Unfortunately, their ambitious goal of becoming "digital nomads" is put to the test in Costa Rica during Covid-19. Faced with unforeseen events, soul-searching and even an illness that takes its toll on Nina, she and her partner have to endure a gap year that forces them to rethink their lives and aspirations. After a few months, they return home and start all over again. It may seem like a failure, but Nina knows they'll have no trouble getting back on their feet!

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Discovering the Nocode

The discovery of the Nocode was a revelation for Nina, initiated by her partner. It is through this new perspective that Nina sees herself evolving, remaining in the field of technology!

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Her first foray into Nocode was through platforms such asAirtable and Webflow. A determined autodidact, Nina quickly assimilated the ins and outs of these tools, transforming her curiosity into competence. Her apprenticeship proved to be the springboard to her first customer, Canons, who remains loyal to this day. As the company's digital manager, Nina has demonstrated her ability to create tailor-made solutions, building lasting customer relationships.

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Using the Malt platform was then a strategic lever for Nina, enabling her to find other customers. Her talent crystallized in the creation of her professional website on Webflow, a showcase that captured the attention of potential prospects. Word of mouth, fueled by customer satisfaction, quickly took over, propelling Nina's career into the world of Nocode.

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However, even after these initial successes, Nina shares a reality common to freelancers: occasional doubts. Questions about her legitimacy and the quality of her work can sometimes assail. "Sometimes I ask myself: am I really legitimate? So I look at my previous deliverables and the satisfaction of my customers to find the answer!" It's also this questioning that drives Nina to constantly raise her skill level and offer exceptional service!

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It's been four years since her Nocode debut, and in that time Nina has not only consolidated her reputation as a Nocode developer, but has also taken the important step of moving to Lyon in early July. 

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Her website, a reflection of her background and skills, proudly displays a section dedicated to her portfolio. By exploring this page, visitors discover not only the outstanding projects she has completed, but also her entire technical stack, including Webflow, Airtable, Bubble, Glide, Make, Zapier, WeWeb and Figma!

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How she uses it every day

On a daily basis, Nina skilfully integrates Nocode into her personal and professional life, taking advantage of these tools to simplify and optimize her activities.

On a personal note, although time is sometimes short, Nina recognizes the effectiveness of Nocode, particularly through the use of Airtable. It's her all-round tool, helping her to manage her day-to-day life as well as her travel plans.

When it comes to managing her leads, Nina takes a pragmatic approach. Since her leads come from a variety of sources, she uses Trello as a tracking board for her customers. This method gives her clear visibility of every project in progress, facilitating efficient and organized management of her customer relationships.

With professional experience spanning a dozen customers, Nina favors building long-term relationships. This approach gives her considerable stability, with the ability to add functionality and ensure regular maintenance of her customers' sites. She sees herself not only as a service provider, but also as a trusted partner, contributing to her customers' ongoing success!

In addition to these long-term commitments, Nina also carries out"one-shot" assignments, tackling one-off projects with no long-term maintenance commitment. However, she notes that the majority of her collaborations have a long-term perspective, proof of her customers' renewed confidence in her skills and professionalism.

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What she is most proud of 

"Contrary to popular belief, I love living with the independence and insecurity of freelancing! I'm proud that I didn't turn back, that I fought hard. It's been 4 years now since I knew I'd made the right choice, and I wouldn't go back to permanent employment for anything in the world!"

Nina is also proud of her customers' satisfaction, which she sees as the result of her hard work and motivation. "Not a single customer was unhappy, and that plays a big part in a freelancer's reputation because what works best is word of mouth!"

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Her advice to other members

"Go for it! There's not that much risk involved, because you can always turn back."

Nina insists that students who are at the start of their careers should not continue in a job that makes them unhappy. According to her, it's important not to continue working in a job that makes you unhappy: "The most important thing is your mental health! 

She also encourages us to take risks "For those who are unhappy, it may be necessary to step outside the box!"

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According to the Nocode developer, the most important thing for freelancers is to accept rejection. It's by accepting them that you can not only gain height, but also improve!

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His advice for those who want to get started

"Take advantage because these are tools where you can self-train, certifications add credibility but it's practice that will make the difference!" According to Nina, it's important to create sides projects even for free for your loved ones to practice on. Nocode can also be seen as a hobby "Instead of reading a book, practice on Bubble!"

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What next?

Nina is very attached to her independence and her projects. The only thing she'd like to change in her life is to get in touch with professional Makers with whom she could set up bigger projects, which aren't feasible when you're on your own. "I'd like to have colleagues of sorts, with whom I could set up bigger collaborative projects, that's the only thing I'm missing!"