Unstoppable Success: Seven Experts on Careers, Business and Money in France

“Who doesn’t worry about taxes, savings, investments or retirement?”

In France, growing your money can be a real casse-tête, or brain teaser, if you are not educated in the language of French income taxes and social charges. Your lack of understanding will have you whimpering when that tax bill arrives in your mailbox.

Whether you’re a fresh arrival working your first job or developing your business, preparing for retirement, investing, or wondering how your children will pay succession taxes, you need to do your homework to maximize your benefits.

Luckily, INSPIRELLE has your back! To help expats living and working in France, we’ve invited over 25 key experts to participate in our Unstoppable You half-day conference on Saturday, April 5th, 2025. Co-hosted by the International School of Paris, this unique event offers panels, interactive workshops, and one-on-one coaching sessions.

Last week we introduced six professional coaches and consultants who can answer your questions on Mastering Life in Paris (including relocation, administration, education and parenting). Next week, we’ll highlight the experts on Mastering Balance (health, wellness and relationships).

This week, we focus on the professionals we have lined up to address the topic:

Unstoppable Success: Coaches to Help You Navigate Business, Careers & Finances

Joanne Archibald, Executive and Intercultural Coach

Joanne Archibald arrived in Paris at the age of 23 with a suitcase and a mini dictionary. Through determination, she taught in a French public school, went to university, enjoyed a 15-year career in communications for French firms, married and had children before successfully training and creating her own business as an Executive and Intercultural Coach.

“Coaching is the art of asking powerful questions, and one of the hardest questions coaching clients ever have to answer is ‘What is it you want in your life?’ Before you can make a career or business plan, it is imperative you step back and think about not just what you want to achieve but also how you want your entire life to look.”

Joanne says she is proud to use her expertise and experience —acquired the ‘hard way’— to ease the transition and transformation of people moving to France, repatriating, and working with international clients on managing multicultural teams. It’s crucial to understand the laws and tax system of whatever country you choose to live in, but it’s particularly important in France, where the welfare state is a central part of the people’s way of life. It’s also helpful for expats to know that even French people find l’administration complex and challenging.

Faten Amamou, Chartered Accountant and Tax Expert | CEO ESCEC International

Faten Amamou is a chartered accountant and founder of Paris-based ESCEC International. With over 20 years of experience in business establishment, registration, accounting, taxation, and social matters, she offers astute advice in English, French or Arabic on how to choose the right work regime and when to change status to accommodate your growth.

“Making the right choice from the start can save significant time, money and headaches down the road as your business evolves.”

As an expert-compable in Paris, she provides localized compliance with French tax laws, legal obligations and payrolls, ensuring they stay on the right side of regulations. She says her understanding of cultural nuances makes the transitions to living and working in Paris easier for foreign workers and entrepreneurs.”

Read Faten Amamou’s advice on Work in France: How to Choose the Right Business Status to Save Time and Money

Anne Ditmeyer, Creative Coach & Workshop facilitator

Anne Ditmeyer is a Paris-based designer turned writer, creative coach and workshop facilitator who is “American by birth and French by hard work”. She agrees that French bureaucracy was challenging when she first arrived, but in hindsight, she says she wouldn’t be doing what she is doing today without these constraints to help push her to think differently and get creative in her work.

“It’s impossible to know everything when starting out in France. Don’t let perfectionism keep you from getting started. I help people trust themselves and their crazy ideas that may not make sense to anyone else (or even themselves) rather than thinking they need a perfect plan.”

Anne believes life rarely unfolds as we expect. Through her creative workshops, like Write Your Own Rules and Mapping Your Path, she loves guiding a global community, giving others the confidence to get lost and explore the world in creative ways. Anne helps connect the dots between mapping, design, and storytelling. She’s even known to make people map on bananas!

Anne Ditmeyer will conduct an interactive workshop on banana mapping on April 5th at UNSTOPPABLE YOU to explain how one can explore new paths toward one’s goals.

Amanda Johnson, Financial Advisor | Partner, The Spectrum IFA Group

Amanda Johnson is a seasoned International Financial Adviser with the Spectrum IFA Group. Originally from the UK, Amanda moved to France in 2006, bringing with her a wealth of experience as a fully qualified financial adviser. Since joining the Spectrum team in 2009, she has been dedicated to helping clients navigate the complexities of financial planning in an international context.

“Don’t keep waiting to invest and be creative in how you invest. Learn good rules on tax returns and understand that a 401 K is not part of investment in France. There are many ways to plan and make your dreams come true.”

Amanda is fully qualified to provide financial advice in France and is proud to assist individuals from all nationalities. Her expertise spans a wide range of areas, including long-term financial planning, investment strategies, retirement planning (including 401(k) management), and inheritance tax planning. She specializes in tax-efficient and tax-compliant investment solutions tailored to the French market.

Jane Mobille, ICF Professional Certified Executive, Career and Life Coach

As a seasoned Executive Coach, Jane Mobille helps expats expand their mindset so that they can excel and lead, whether working with the French or with anyone who comes from a culture different from their own. Jane accompanies managers in leadership roles and professionals undergoing transition, as well as supporting teens and young people to find the confidence to choose their paths.

“Reaching your professional goals as an expat in France may require that you invest in yourself. This can include learning the language, building a network, finding opportunities for people to experience your professional strengths, and figuring out a ‘unique selling proposition’ that you can monetize in France.”

She advises expats to expect that it takes time to land their dream job or make a living wage as an independent and offers advice on ways to achieve your goals in France.

Jane Mobille counts over 3,000 hours coaching executives, managers, teams, and individuals from more than 45 countries. Her clients have benefited from her sensitivity, cross-cultural savvy, and corporate experience to successfully transform their performance, leadership, careers, and lives.

Marie Florence Zampiero Bouquement – Associate Notary, Specialist in International Law, Office Notarial de la Porte de Mars

Marie-Florence Zampiero Bouqement is a bilingual notary specializing in international law, succession planning and taxes for expats in France. She represents the Conseil Supérieur de Notariat de France. the only professional body authorized to speak on behalf of all notaries in France.

She is one of the few notaries in France from over 17,000 peers to be fully certified in international law to advise expats in France and French expats abroad with their personal and professional affairs. Her specialities include helping both individuals and businesses in France plan complex real estate acquisitions, managing their heritage, planning their retirement, and setting up succession.

Her impressive background includes:
• International expert for the Conseil Supérieur du Notariat since 2016, in charge of international organizations.
• Member of the Pôle des Français de l’étranger of the Conseil Supérieur du Notariat since 2023.
• General advisor to the Union International du Notariat Latin (U.I.N.L.)
• Delegate of the Conseil Supérieur du Notariat (C.S.N) for the REIMS Court of Appeal

Nadira Artyk – Executive Branding & Career Coach for Impact-Driven Leaders | Founder, Visionary Voices

Nadira Artyk learned firsthand how difficult it is to navigate a career or business in Paris when she arrived in 2012. She was freshly divorced with two children in tow, 70% fluent in French, and no connections in the professional world.

She immersed herself in countless networking events, facing skepticism about her qualifications in unsupportive corporate environments.

“The path was arduous. Yet, I didn’t let that stop me. I took corporate consulting jobs, endured somewhat toxic work environments, and ultimately realized that the only way forward was to build my own opportunities.”

In 2020, she created Elevate – a coaching and training accelerator to help women not only secure promotions on their terms but also help consultants, founders, and business owners grow their revenue and authority without burning out.

“In France, I’ve seen countless expat women often play small because they don’t know how to position themselves for financial growth – whether that’s in salary negotiations, business pricing, or strategic investments. I help women step out of survival mode and into CEO thinking so that they don’t just work for money but make money work for them.”

Today, Nadira trains leaders, founders, and consultants to build influence, navigate complex career landscapes, and create financial independence because, with the right strategies, tools, and mindset, everything is achievable.

Next Week: Meet the coaches and experts covering “Unstoppable Balance: Thriving in Mind, Body and Spirit” and offering interactive workshops at INSPIRELLE’s half-day conference on Saturday, April 5th, 2025.

Visit the Unstoppable You event website for profiles of the 26 participating coaches and experts.