How to build a business around your lifestyle

Ange Dove (00:01)
Welcome to You’re the Boss Podcast. Today, I have a very special guest with me—Nathalie Doremieux. Nathalie, welcome to the show.

Nathalie Doremieux (00:11)
Thank you so much for having me, Ange.

Ange Dove (00:15)
You’re welcome. Let’s start with a bit about you—who you are and what we should know before we dive in.

Nathalie Doremieux (00:24)
I’m not your typical entrepreneur—I like to say I became an entrepreneur for love.

I met my then-boyfriend in school in France. After graduating, we went to the U.S. for the summer to find work in software engineering. Within a month, I landed a job in Berkeley, in Silicon Valley.

We stayed for 10 years, raised three kids, bought a cabin in the mountains, and flipped seven or eight properties. It was a crazy life—so intense that I actually fell asleep at the wheel twice.

That was a wake-up call. In 2005, we decided to move back to France, leave corporate life, and start our own business. I wasn’t wired for entrepreneurship—but my husband was. So we went for it.

Ange Dove (01:46)
That really resonates with me. When I started my business 20 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing—I just wanted freedom, especially to spend time with my kids.

So, you moved back to France after that intense period—what shifted for you?

Nathalie Doremieux (02:47)
It came down to realizing we couldn’t sustain that lifestyle. I remember crying, thinking, “I can’t do this forever.”

When my husband suggested moving back, I said yes immediately. He was a software engineering director but deeply frustrated in corporate life.

Ange Dove (03:36)
So how did you begin building a life aligned with what you wanted?

Nathalie Doremieux (03:50)
We had financial resources from selling our properties, which helped—but it was also a trap.

We spent like Americans—quick decisions, big purchases. We settled in Toulouse, in the south of France. Then we made a huge mistake: we thought that because we were good at software engineering, whatever we built would sell.

For six years, we avoided marketing and sales—and built software no one bought.

Ange Dove (05:30)
Six years—that’s a long time. What changed?

Nathalie Doremieux (05:39)
We ran out of money.

At that point, you either go back to a job—or figure it out. I actually applied for jobs and got offers, which boosted my confidence. But instead, we chose to invest in coaching and networks.

That’s when everything shifted.

Ange Dove (07:55)
Yes—it’s such a journey of self-discovery. You really have to understand yourself before running a business.

Nathalie Doremieux (08:01)
Exactly. For me, it was about unpacking my beliefs—about marketing, selling, and even my identity.

One of the biggest breakthroughs came from working with Fabienne Fredrickson. She helped me realize: there was nothing to fix.

That changed everything.

Ange Dove (13:01)
That’s powerful. Coaches help you see what you can’t see yourself.

Nathalie Doremieux (13:28)
Exactly—and it also transformed how we worked as a team.

I’m an operator—I love structure and to-do lists. My husband is the visionary. Once we understood our differences, everything improved.

Ange Dove (15:00)
And that’s so important when building a team too—understanding different personality types.

Nathalie Doremieux (15:57)
Yes! One exercise that changed everything was identifying what people:

• Love doing

• Are good at

• Dislike

• Struggle with

When you align roles with strengths, you get better results—and happier teams.

Ange Dove (19:06)
And systems play a big role too.

Nathalie Doremieux (19:55)
Absolutely. If something goes wrong:

• No system? Create one.

• System broken? Fix it.

• System ignored? That’s a conversation.

No blame—just improvement.

Ange Dove (20:28)
I love that. So how did you design your business around your lifestyle?

Nathalie Doremieux (21:03)
I built my calendar around my life first.

For example, I had a nanny—but everything worked on my terms. I also implemented “no-business Fridays”—time to work on the business, not in it.

The key is consistency—not speed.

Ange Dove (23:05)
That’s such a powerful mindset—prioritizing personal life first.

Nathalie Doremieux (24:02)
Today, we run The Membership Lab, where we help people build membership programs and online communities.

We focus on:

• Member experience

• Retention

• Systems combining content, support, and accountability

We’ve also integrated AI tools into our work.

Ange Dove (25:24)
And your newer business?

Nathalie Doremieux (25:27)
It’s called Podcast Leadflow.

We help turn podcast episodes into lead-generation tools using AI—creating personalized resources for listeners based on their needs.

Ange Dove (27:48)
I love that idea.

So where can people learn more about you?

Nathalie Doremieux (31:42)
You can visit:
👉 themembershiplab.com/ange

And for Podcast Leadflow:
👉 saas.podcastleadflow.com

Ange Dove (32:40)
Amazing. Nathalie, thank you so much for being here. This has been such a valuable conversation.

Nathalie Doremieux (32:59)
Thank you so much for having me.