A craftswoman in an impasse: in Tarn, Karine fights to preserve her carpentry business

For several days, an online prize pool has been circulating on social networks to support the business of Karine Moinet, founder of Karine carpentry, a small, well-known structure in Boisenton in Tarn. This initiative, born out of necessity, is also the last resort to save the company that Karine has carried at arm's length since its creation in 2005. After 19 years of efforts and sacrifices, the craftswoman hopes to raise the funds necessary to lighten its burdens and envisage a more stable future.

Karine's story is that of a determined woman. At 53, she recounts her atypical journey with emotion. She always worked to provide for her family, doing odd jobs until a true passion for woodworking emerged. At the age of 30, Karine decided to resume her studies and take up carpentry, a field where women are still rare. After several internships to perfect her learning, she took the plunge and created her business, putting all her savings and energy into this project. To start, she had to invest nearly €100,000 to equip herself: purchase of machines, handling equipment, a truck, and a workshop. With tailor-made production and personalized attention to each client, Karine carpentry has quickly become a recognized name in southern Tarn.

Financial challenges

However, the last few years have been particularly trying for Karine, who fell into depression. Since the pandemic, financial difficulties have accumulated. Her bank abruptly withdrew her overdraft authorization, without notice, which forced her to monitor her accounts closely, day after day, to avoid any financial incident. “For five years I have had to constantly juggle money coming in and going out to maintain a minimum of cash flow,” she explains. The situation has become all the more complex as its suppliers have also suspended their insurance, forcing it to now pay for materials on order, a hard blow to its cash flow.

To try to maintain her activity, Karine had to give up a salary for several months and make significant concessions in her personal life. For each project, she must ask for higher deposits, a process that is difficult to get accepted, but has become essential to cover the initial costs of the projects. “The average is 30 to 40% deposit, but I had to go to 50% to ensure the start of each project,” she confides.

A last resort: the kitty

Today, faced with ever heavier charges, between credits and fixed costs, Karine is considering several solutions: change of status to reduce costs, or even filing for bankruptcy or dismissal. But all these options involve additional costs that she cannot afford. It was therefore with a mixture of concern and hope that she decided to launch this online fundraiser, a way of soliciting support from her community. “We considered this solution after careful consideration and with a certain dismay, but this aid could allow us to change our status, reduce our charges, and even buy a new truck to replace ours, which is more than 15 years old. “, explains Karine, who for 4 years has been able to count on the help of her sister Séverine to manage all the administrative part.

Beyond the financial aspect, the business manager wants to find a balance in her life and envisage a long-term future for her business. “The most important thing for us is to secure the future of carpentry and to work in peaceful conditions,” she concludes with hope. This prize pool is therefore much more than a request for help: it is an invitation to support a local company, anchored in its territory, which has been able to make the wood vibrate to the rhythm of its customers' desires.