Founder and director of the pioneering group of online prize pools Leetchi, Céline Lazorthes has become an emblematic figure in the world of female entrepreneurship in France. Its prize pool system is used today by more than 10 million people across Europe.
Céline Lazorthes: portrait of a passionate and accomplished entrepreneur
Originally from Toulouse, Céline Lazorthes is the daughter of two doctors and granddaughter of doctor and academic Guy Lazorthes.
Following an EPITA preparatory class, in 2003 she joined the Internet and Multimedia Institute of the Pôle Universitaire Léonard-de-Vinci. She took project management courses there and obtained her Master 2 in IT project management.
In 2007, she joined the company Eyeka, a crowdsourcing and networking platform between freelancers and brands, as Online Marketing Manager. At the same time, Céline Lazorthes decided to broaden her field of expertise and integrated HEC Paris for a Master in Digital Business Strategy.
It was in 2013 that she was one of the 100 best-known personalities on the Web in France. A year later, she was elected businesswoman of the year for the Veuve Clicquot prize, and obtained a license to establish an electronic currency. This is how she founded her second company called Mangopay in 2014, which became the leader in community payments in Europe.
To continue to be productive, Céline Lazorthes decides to take a break for several weeks. She goes on vacation with her partner and her six-month-old son in a camper van. The goal is to clear all the news relating to your projects and to recharge your batteries.
The origins of Leetchi and the complicated beginnings of Céline Lazorthes
Céline Lazorthes was part of the organizing team for the HEC integration weekend. From this project came the idea of replacing traditional envelopes with an online kitty to facilitate the collection of money.
Upon leaving HEC Paris in June 2008, Céline Lazorthes faced a gloomy job market, following the decline of the economy. She quickly understood that she was going to have difficulty finding partners for her project. She also faced the classic problem of lack of credibility when you are a young graduate. She has a series of failures, but never loses faith in her idea. It is thanks to the support of her parents, but also thanks to student aid of €20,000 granted by Ozéo that she managed to release a first version of her project in 2009.
Regarding the name Leetchiit was born following a brainstorm with his friends over an aperitif. They offer it a fruit name, in the light of Apple or Orange, which is easy to remember, short and usable internationally.
The creation of the Leetchi concept by Céline Lazorthes
The initial use of Leetchi was to collect money between friends to give gifts or organize joint events.
Gradually, the concept of a solidarity kitty emerged. For several years now, Leetchi has been offering fundraisers aimed at collecting donations in the public sphere. This is mainly used to support associations, poor people or even defend national causes.
Using the prize pools is simple and intuitive, it goes through 4 main stages:
- Create your kitty
- Invite your loved ones to participate and share on social networks
- Collect all entries from the prize pool page
- Spend the prize pool directly with Leetchi’s e-commerce partners free of charge or request a bank transfer
Today, Leetchi is an incredible success in France, England and throughout Europe. The site has 12 million users in more than 150 countries.
The rise of Leetchi
Céline Lazorthes told the site Les Echos Start having cried twice. “ The first time when the site was launched, the second when I realized that I had no customers. » But it was only a matter of time before Leetchi became a big hit.
In 2015, Céline Lazorthes sold 86% of Leetchi’s shares to Crédit Mutuel Arkéa for an amount of 50 million euros. She nevertheless continues to manage her two companies, Leetchi and Mangopay (online payment solution for players in the collaborative economy launched in 2014). In 2017, she handed over management of her companies to devote herself fully to her child. However, she is not abandoning her projects since she retains the presidency of the supervisory board.
Today, the initial concept of the Leetchi prize pool has evolved enormously. Users can now add videos and images and communicate with participants by sending them messages instantly.
The project has also expanded into other markets. Leetchi initially only worked in France. Now the project covers the entire Eurozone and England.
Céline Lazorthes’ commitment to young entrepreneurs
Céline Lazorthes had a very difficult start. She began her entrepreneurial adventure without partners and with very limited resources. She reports having experienced thousands of failures, without stopping fighting.
Today, Céline Lazorthes is committed to improving the situation of entrepreneurs, by donating her time and money to young startups. She is in fact business angel recognized in the world of French investment. She has notably invested in several startups: Frichti, Slip Français etc.
Furthermore, she co-founded a feminist collective with the aim of facilitating access to financing for projects led by women. She is convinced that in a society revolutionized by digital technology, women must be involved in the development of uses, just as much as men.
She is also working with the National Digital Council in developing an ethical charter for taking responsibility in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) matters for investment funds.
UFC-Que Choisir sues Leetchi
Leetchi users have complained about persistent delays in online prize pool payouts. As such, the UFC-Que Choisir association filed a complaint for deceptive commercial practices against the company with the Paris public prosecutor. Promises of a “quick and easy” service are turning into a never-ending nightmare for too many people.
Users have complained about payment delays, unanswered complaints, additional supporting documents requested for no apparent reason, missing prize pools and many other platform malfunctions. The association highlighted numerous testimonials from users disappointed with the service offered by Leetchi.
Leetchi promises to provide a fast and efficient service in order to collect money from individuals, affirming that the payment of the pots to the beneficiary is made within 48 hours. But theory does not necessarily follow practice, given that this promise has been shattered for many users who have to wait weeks, or even worse months, before being able to benefit from their money.
A payment period may last longer, but in exceptional circumstances, if the file takes time to be examined as part of the fight against fraud. Except that the exception is becoming the general rule, since thousands of consumers are affected by delays in releasing funds of several months.
“As part of the unprecedented economic crisis we are going through, and while some people are using this system of pots to meet essential needs (financial support for sick relatives, collection for hospital services, etc.), the The impact of these delays is particularly detrimental. » Continues the association on its website.
