Practical Support with a Human Touch

Fractional operations, events, and community leadership for teams doing good work with heart.

About me

I’m a bilingual French-American operations and events specialist with 10+ years of experience at the intersection of education, culture, wellness, and small business leadership.

I began as a part-time teacher at the women-owned education company Coucou French Classes and eventually became its CEO, leading a 50-person team across NYC and Los Angeles. I now partner with mission-driven founders and small teams, especially those focused on care, creativity, and connection.

I bring a warm, human-centered approach to everything I do. In live event settings, I’m often described as “a general”: strategic, steady, and able to direct many moving pieces at once. I blend emotional intelligence with operational rigor, helping teams move forward with just the right balance of structure and heart.

I’m especially passionate about mental health, cultural connection, and women’s empowerment.

How I Can Support Your Team

  • I help small teams move from idea to execution with structure, clarity, and care. Whether you're building something new or refining what already exists, I bring strategic thinking and hands-on support where it's needed most.

    • Strategic planning and founder support

    • Internal process audits

    • Hiring and onboarding

    • Admin and customer service

    Track Record:

    • Directed operations for a 50-person team across two cities, including finance, HR, and marketing.

    • Spearheaded process improvements that increased efficiency across all departments.

    • Managed budgets in close collaboration with advisors, strengthening financial oversight and long-term planning

  • From intimate gatherings to large-scale activations, I design and deliver events that connect, inspire, and flow, from concept to execution.

    • Community and cultural event design

    • Vendor and venue sourcing and coordination

    • Run-of-show planning and day-of logistics

    • Team and volunteer management

    • Mission-aligned programming

    Track Record:

    • Workshops: Hundreds of cultural experiences with brands like Sézane, Diptyque & Murray’s Cheese.

    • Events: Dozens of gatherings for 100+ guests, from concept to execution.

    • Festivals: Managed volunteers & logistics for 120K+-attendee French cultural festival.

  • I represent your mission with warmth and clarity, building trust, partnerships, and momentum through meaningful connection.

    • Community engagement and partnership-building

    • Public speaking, facilitation, and brand representation

    • Advocacy centered on mental health and women’s empowerment

    • Relationship-building with clients, collaborators, and stakeholders

Hear my Story

From Part-Time Teacher to CEO — A snapshot of how I grew into leadership, guided by people-first values.

Let’s chat!

I work best with teams who value kindness, honesty, and follow-through. As a mom, I understand the need for flexible ways of working that leave room for real life.

I’m currently available for:

  • short-term or retainer-based work

  • fractional roles at startups or small teams

  • project-based event or operations support.

Based in Ridgewood, Queens — available for in-person work in NYC, or remotely anywhere.

victoire.lester@gmail.com

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