Valentine Gatard

The future of work and self-employment intersect in this conversation with Valentine Gitard, a Paris-based researcher who has spent nearly 15 years working independently while studying workplace transformation. For experienced independent professionals considering how agency and narrative shape their working lives, this episode maps the shift from prescribed work to self-directed practice. Valentine explains why French workers no longer want to be managers, how different definitions of the word 'collaboration' caused a team conflict she observed firsthand, and why the concept of human agency matters as AI automates routine tasks. She shares her own experience vibe coding an agency assessment app on Lovable connected to Supabase, and her decision to pause a PhD at La Sorbonne to write a book that more people would actually read.

Valentine Gatard has been an employee for only nine months in her entire life. Based in Paris, she works as a coach, speaker, and podcast host, helping companies and independent professionals rethink their relationship with work. Valentine explains how jazz improvisation shapes her approach to coaching, why freelancing and portfolio careers are reshaping professional identity, and how crafting your own work narrative matters more than following conventional career templates.