Taking over a company also means realigning with yourself
Hello Cyril, can you introduce yourself and Masquelier?
Of course. I trained as a management controller and spent 20 years working in large corporations before choosing a different path. I wanted to find meaning again,to reconnect my professional and personal lives.
Masquelier is a company specialized in producing storage boxes for opticians, inparticular the well-known “péniches optiques.” It’s a very specific product, essential for the daily operations of optical shops. We’re the market leader in France, with true industrial expertise and a loyal customer base.
Whychoose acquisition instead of starting from scratch?
I’m not aproduct creator—I’m someone who knows how to manage, analyze, and structure.Acquisition allowed me to use those skills to build a project aligned with myvalues. After years of feeling like a different person during the week than onweekends, I wanted to be the same all the time. That changes everything. I waslooking for a human and tangible project where I could give meaning to myprofessional life.
How didyou find Masquelier?
Totally bychance—through a contact of my accountant. It wasn’t even officially listedyet. I called the broker before he even had the financials. I followed up everyweek. When the numbers came out, I signed the NDA three hours later. It wasfast, instinctive. One single target, one strong intuition. I felt this couldbe the right story. I didn’t want to multiply leads; I wanted alignment.
And howdid you carry out the process?
I quicklybuilt a team: lawyer, accountant, financing advisor… That allowed me to take astep back, negotiate properly, and structure the deal. They helped me avoid theclassic mistakes, like forgetting to lock in the cash position at closing. Itwas also a way to stay calm in a very emotional moment. Without that closeteam, I would have made many more mistakes. I needed trust, but alsoconstructive challenge.
What wasyour management approach with the teams?
I try tocreate an environment where transparency, trust, and autonomy are central. Ishare the numbers, explain decisions, consult when needed. We’ve set up aprofit-sharing scheme, opened a micro-daycare in the showroom, and added moreflexibility. The idea is to provide a framework that gives meaning andperspective. Everyone knows where we’re going, everyone can grow their skills.I don’t pretend to do things “better” than before, just differently—and in away that reflects who I am.
How doyou integrate CSR into your strategy?
It’s not atrend—it’s a conviction. We even created a mascot to embody our CSR approach.We produce locally, use recycled materials, and offer the same prices asstandard products. We carried out a carbon assessment and secured publicfunding. Today, CSR is a real business driver, not just a marketing argument.It’s also a collective source of pride: the teams fully embrace it. And itpositions us differently with clients, who are increasingly sensitive to thesecommitments.
What areyour current growth drivers?
We have twomain levers:
Everythingis framed within our five-year strategy. The goal is to consolidate ourleadership while diversifying smartly. We want to stay agile, close to thefield, and always useful to our clients.
Whichmistakes were you able to avoid thanks to your preparation?
Several,actually: not negotiating stock properly, not clearly defining available cashat closing… Having a multidisciplinary team allowed me to anticipate andstructure the deal cleanly. Most importantly, it helped me stay clear-headed atevery step, even in the heat of the action. Small details can changeeverything in an acquisition.
Howimportant was training in your acquisition journey?
I took aspecific training program on business acquisition, which helped me immensely.It gave structure to my intuition, helped me organize my search, and betterunderstand the legal and human aspects of the process. Just because you’vemanaged teams doesn’t mean you know how to acquire a business. There are codes,steps, reflexes to acquire. Training also helps you feel legitimate. And Ilearned a lot from exchanges with other acquirers in the program.
Why isbeing well-supported so crucial when acquiring a company?
Because youcan’t see or know everything on your own. I had a lawyer, accountant, financingadvisor, and also entrepreneur friends who challenged me at every stage. You’reoften tempted to rush headlong, and it’s the collective that forcesperspective. Their outside view helped me avoid traps and strengthen theproject’s quality. You have to accept being challenged to make betterdecisions.
Lookingback, what has this acquisition brought you?
It’s a luxury. I’m aligned with my values, doing what I love, with the people Ichoose. I still have my anxieties, of course, but every Monday morning, I’m happy to go to work. After 20 years in corporate life, that’s priceless. The feeling of having a real, human, tangible impact—it can’t be bought. I’m finally where I belong, building a project in my own image.
