Jean-Michel Gauthier is the CEO of InternsME.com, an online platform that connects students & fresh graduates with top employers for internships, traineeships and entry-level job opportunities. He is actively driving the growth of the company, which has attracted thousands of registered candidates and employers.

In 2015, InternsME was ranked amongst the top 100 SMEs in Dubai and recognized in the top 3 most innovative SMEs. In 2016, InternsME was awarded “Digital Startup of the Year” by Entrepreneur magazine. The company is now active throughout the GCC and planning further expansion and product launches in 2018.

Jean also manages Eternal Venture’s fund which has made 3 portfolio investments within its first year of operation. He has assessed hundreds of business plans and market opportunities.

Jean was educated in the UAE, followed by a Masters degree from Kings College in London. He founded his first startup in 2007 and successfully launched the world’s fastest PC in the UAE. He has since worked in a number of multinational organizations and in late 2013, structured a shareholder exit of his family retail & wholesale business.

His specialties include entrepreneurship, innovation, digital startups, employment & recruitment, healthcare & pharmaceuticals, team management and growth strategy.

Enjoy the show!

Posted on February 6, 2018

Show Notes:

• 1:30 – Launching his first startup while studying at University
• 2:30 – Experience while working for a local Pharmaceutical distributor served as the inspiration for InternsME
• 6:45 – His personal experience hiring graduates leading to his visionary mission for InternsME
• 12:00 – The differences between traineeships and internships
• 15:30 – InternsME’s Blue Ocean Strategy
• 20:00 – Learning from other successful startups on how to localize when entering new markets
• 22:00 – On getting the first Angel Investors on board to kickstart InternsME
• 26:45 – Utilizing the power of stories to convey information
• 33:30 – What he looks for in candidates
• 36:15 – His ‘go-to’ interview question
• 37:30 – His early morning routine
• 39:00 – How success stems from happiness and life fulfillment
• 44:45 – His message to the people of Dubai to help and be kind to one another
• 45:15 – On how gaming allows him to ‘switch off’ during his downtime
• 45:45 – The healthcare moonshot project he would like to see Dubai implement
• 48:00 – His favorite documentary on the 2008 economic crisis
• 48:45 – Advice he would give to his 20-year old self about conducting business