Interview with Anna Jardin Leveque, HandiCall

DEALCOCKPIT: Ms Jardin Leveque, let's go back to the beginning. HandiCall is not a new creation, but a takeover. Can you tell us how the adventure began?

Anna Jardin Leveque: HandiCall was founded in 2004 by two people who had a very innovative idea: a company that integrates people with handicaps into customer relations. Historically, companies adapted to special needs were mainly involved in industrial subcontracting or maintenance – HandiCall targeted a very strategic area for businesses.

My father and I took it over when it was in judicial reorganisation (redressement judiciaire) in 2006. After an education in economics and international finance and a very brief stint in banking, which I did not enjoy at all, my entrepreneur father convinced me to take over the business with him.

At the time, I was on maternity leave with my third child, living in Essonne, and this company was in Bordeaux. There was no 2am TGV train yet, only a 6:50am flight, so it wasn't an obvious choice for me.

DC: What was it then, that convinced you?

Anna J.L.: The social value: integrating people with disabilities.

I knew nothing about the subject, I had all the wrong preconceptions about disability, which I didn't necessarily associate with performance. But when I met the team, I discovered people who simply needed to rebuild their professional lives. I found myself face to face with individuals like myself, who could just no longer practise their main profession because of their disability. Like a nurse who can no longer carry a patient and therefore needs to learn a new trade.

Disability, diversity and performance are not mutually exclusive. We have proven the opposite: individual fragility can in fact be a collective strength.

DC: What were the very first challenges you were faced with after this takeover?

Anna J.L.: We had to save the company, reassure existing customers and attract new ones. At first, the word ‘business’ was almost taboo because we were in the social sector. But without clients, there can be no social project. We worked on quality and professionalism, opened new sites (Tours, Chartres, Auvergne) and rebuilt trust.

Fortunately, there were no complications as far as family matters were concerned. My father and I always had a clear idea of our respective roles, and it was a genuine pleasure to work together for 15 years.

DC: What were the key moments in the development of the company before you decided to sell?

Anna J.L.: There were several. The major turning point was in 2019, when we received an offer for a buyout, but I didn't want to sell and still wanted to grow the business. So, I became the sole shareholder by buying out all the family shares.

At that time, we had a turnover of €5 million with over 200 employees. Simultaneously, I had conducted a study on our social impact with France Active, a financing organism promoting a social and solidary economy that had been supporting us for years: more than 8 out of 10 people found a better life thanks to returning to work.

I realised how lucky we were to have a business that, every time it develops, has a positive impact. This pushed me to speed things up with the ‘Nous 2024’ plan, which aimed to double our size in five years.

And then Covid hit. Thanks to our already flexible model, we were already all set up for remote work. In three days, the entire company switched to remote work without any disruption. What seemed to be a weakness, namely the presence of vulnerable employees, became a strength: we knew how to adapt quickly, protect our teams and remain productive. This period strengthened our ethos and reinforced our ambition.

DC: You have truly demonstrated that it is possible to reconcile social impact and economic growth. Was this a goal from the outset?

Anna J.L.: Yes, definitely. We obtained CSR certification (ISO 26000) to formalise what we were already doing: combining economic quality, operational excellence and social responsibility. In my view, a company can and must be a positive force in society, not just a machine for generating profits.

DC: When did the idea of selling the company first arise?

Anna J.L.: In 2024, after 20 years, I came back from holidays exhausted, with no energy left. I had just turned 50, and I felt that I no longer had the energy to write the next chapter. Our model remains reliant on 30% public funding. Besides, I felt that we had accomplished what we had set out to do. It was the end of a cycle, and it was time to pass the baton to someone else who had the vision and energy to carry on.

During a strategic seminar with the entire executive committee, we agreed that performance is important, but resilience is equally essential. For an SME, this isn’t as easy as it sounds: even €6 million in profits, which may seem like a lot, is in reality barely a month's worth of salaries. And even considering that our ‘Nous 2024’ project was a success, it doesn't mean things will continue that way.

My biggest challenge was thus to ensure HandiCall's sustainability. Since we are a family business and my son was already working with us, I considered handing everything over to him. But ultimately, I decided that it wouldn't truly be a favour to him – I would never have been able to detach myself mentally.

So naturally, I wanted to find a buyer who had real ambitions for HandiCall, both to ensure its long-term future and to continue developing it.

DC: How does the process of selling a company actually unfold?

Anna J.L.: I turned to a trusted intermediary. I contacted Alexandre Aidoudi, who five years earlier had put us in touch with a potential buyer. He reassured me that it was the right time to sell. So we prepared the dossier together, he took care of the presentation and the targeting of potential buyers, and we promptly received a first and even a second LOI.
For me, there were three important factors: the project proposed for the future, the fact that it had to be an entrepreneur, and the valuation, of course.

The first offer came from an entrepreneur with a smaller company than ours, also in the call centre industry but slightly different from us.

Meanwhile, I was also approached by Télétech, a company that handles customer relations within the Finare insurance group. For the past ten years or so, they have been acquiring companies in the call centre domain both for their own needs and for outsourcing. While reviewing their M&A opportunities, they came across HandiCall, which was one of the two fastest growing businesses in the sector.

However, for me, Télétech's identity was not compatible with our raison d'être. We therefore began the process with the first buyer but soon realised that he was extremely unresponsive and the opportunity not very solid. He played dead, went on holidays for weeks at a time, and we were not reassured by the structure of his company. So, the story ended there.

Immediately afterwards, Finare came back to us with a better offer; this time to be bought out directly by them. From that moment on, everything happened very quickly: we signed the LOI at the end of April, began due diligence with Finare, who quickly established their professionalism and pertinence as buyers, and we closed on 9 July with 100% paid upon signing, without any outstanding conditions. This was important to me: no ambiguity, no unnecessary complexity.

DC: Beyond the sale, what do you think was the determining factor in HandiCall's growth?

Anna J.L.: Three things: quality, always. Professionalisation and professionalism, with solid processes. And finally, corporate culture: we have valued diversity and transformed fragility into collective strength. This has created a strong identity that transcends the individual.

DC: This type of process is also an emotional marathon. How did you react to that?

Anna J.L.: It was a very intense time for me: I cried a lot. I received overwhelmingly moving testimonies from employees saying that HandiCall had saved their lives and that their experience at HandiCall had been incredible. Our motto, “the human being makes the difference”, is not just a slogan and thus took on its full meaning.

I was extremely touched. When you hire people in vulnerable situations, you're not just giving them a job, you're giving them back a social connection, a daily routine, a sense of purpose and confidence. And that's huge.

DC: Why did you choose DealCockpit to manage your data room needs, and what is your feedback?

Anna J.L.: It was Alexandre who gave me your details, and the responsiveness on DealCockpit's part was astonishing. A week later, the data room was open, a simple and smooth interface, easy accesses, not a single technical question on the buyer's side.

Even after the change of candidates, all I had to do was close the access with the first one and reopen it with the second. The due diligence phase was conducted entirely in-house at Finare without any friction, which allowed us to focus on the essentials.

DC: What advice would you give to a business owner who is considering selling their company?

Anna J.L.: Firstly, not to remain alone. I talked a lot with peers at the CJD (Centre des Jeunes Dirigeants, or Young Leaders Centre): it allowed me to share my doubts and take a step back. This network has enriched me greatly by challenging me and ultimately helping me make my decision.

The second point is to choose the right advisor who is aligned with your goals and not solely focused on financial gain. I chose Alexandre Aidoudi, and I have zero regrets. We complemented each other very well and made an excellent team. This is essential to ensure that the transition takes place in a spirit of trust.

Lastly, remaining true to yourself and staying close to your team. I took the time to speak to each member of the management committee individually, as it was important for me to explain my “why” to them.
On the one hand, a sale moves very quickly, on the other, it is important to take time when it is necessary.

DC: What are your plans and aspirations from here on out?

Anna J.L.: I 'd like to continue making an impact, but in a different way. I'd like to join administrative councils to promote inclusion and diversity. I'd also like to get involved in artistic projects, not as an artist but to support creativity and beauty. After 20 years of entrepreneurship, I want to contribute in a different way, with meaning and freedom.