We recently connected with Samuel Manar and have shared our conversation below.

Samuel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

I”m french of course I take vacations! Vacation is mandatory or I would loose my Frenchness.

Maintaining the business during my absence requires careful planning. What I’ve done to make this happen is built a trusted team, delegate responsibilities and establish clear processes for everyone to understand what to do when I’m not around.
Time is the key we are all looking for as entrepreneurs. It allows us to think, be creative and enjoy life. To me, the most important factor for this is “Your System.” Create it, be patient and time will come.

When I’m on vacation, it fuels my mind to be inspired. Whether it’s creating new products for my customers, being a better manager to my employees and most importantly allowing me to rest and learn new things it’s my way of fulfilling my 2 passions: baking and traveling. I normally close twice a year (summer & end of year) and yes it’s very French way. The purpose of this not just for me but also for my employees to take vacation as well. I always encourage them to take time off throughout the year because rest is very important to be at your best personally and professionally.

In 2023, I was fortunate to explore Tahiti and the beautiful country of Brazil. I say this because, at the beginning of my business I worked long day (18 hours a day 7 days a week) and didn’t take vacations but I also knew where I wanted to go with my work life balance. Nothing is ever impossible!

One last advice…trust your costumers, when your product or services are at it’s best, they will be waiting for you!

Samuel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Samuel, and my professional journey began as a banker in Paris to a baker in Los Angeles. Ferrandi School provided me with a solid foundation for crafting exceptional bread and pastry however, the most important skill I learned was Patience! I had to wait to be in a position to show what I was capable of doing. I bring this up because we allow can relate to things taking time and us struggling to be patient.

In 2015, I made the decision to move to Los Angeles. These early years here, I gained valuable experience working along some of the best chefs at Spago with Wolfgang Puck and Della Gossett. My time at Bottega Louie, was learning how to create and manage a team and run a business. After these 2 experience, I took a bold step in 2018 and launched my own business, Des Croissant Paris.

Today, I’m proud to share that my venture has flourished across Los Angeles. I wake up everyday ready to share my vision of what a French bakery means to me as well as preserving my roots with France and Martinique. What makes me different from other bakeries here? We have a strong foundation beginning with our ingredients. Quality flour, butter and chocolate from France. Next is key employees. It’s important for me to have a few French employees to support my vision of my brand and educating others of our French culture. And lastly it’s delivering the authentic flavors and experience to our customers in Los Angeles by bringing them to Paris when they visit our bakery or take a bit of one of our products.

While I have other projects coming along this year, I prioritize maintaining the success of Des Croissant Paris. It’s essential to balance ambition with a realistic understanding of the industry’s dynamics.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

It’s evident that our success is rooted in fulfilling a genuine need for quality in our marketplace. A mix of tradition and new is what I continue to provide. The commitment to quality, engagement within the local community, and the French culture contribute to our strong presence across Los Angeles.

I live a very French lifestyle in sunny LA. I’m always doing something French and our customers seem to love that I talk with an accent, educate them on ways to pronounce things in French, and sharing any new things I’ve been doing. I recently had one of my 1st customers from a farmer market visit me at the bakery and we sharing stories about how we met and it’s truly rewarding to see the growth in the business with so many loyal customers!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Books are so intriguing for me. When I see a bookstore, I always have to walk in and browse. So much knowledge in a small space and within those pages. I’ve read many different types of books. From the business side, my top pick would be “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. The book teaches how the power of smalls actions, when practiced consistently can lead to powerful changes.

When you’re a baker, you have early mornings and night shift. This is my time! I put on my AirPods and when not listening to music I’m listening to podcasts. My top 2 are focused on business and finance, you should check them out: valuetaiment and impact theory

Being an entrepreneur, you have to be well versed in not only what you are doing but continuously engaged on other topics completely different than what you do. That’s how you remain relevant in this fast paced environment we live in and open to opportunities that come.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.descroissantsparis.com
• Instagram: @descroissantsparis

Image Credits
William Rouse @williamerouse Leandro Moura @lecomoura