Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Strategy & Leadership
Most commencement speeches encourage graduates to dream bigger, move faster, or pursue the next opportunity. At the HEC Paris Graduation Ceremony 2026, Victor Lugger and Tigrane Seydoux took a different approach.
Returning to HEC Paris, where their own entrepreneurial journey began more than twenty years ago, the co-founders of Big Mamma reflected on the experiences that shaped them, not only as entrepreneurs, but as friends and business partners. From personal loss and failed ventures to building Big Mamma Group and launching Sunday, they showed how every major turning point in their careers was ultimately defined by the people they chose to trust.
More than a story about entrepreneurship, their address became a reflection on what makes a meaningful life. Their message invited graduates to rethink ambition itself: success is not built by chasing the perfect opportunity, but by cultivating relationships rooted in trust, shared values and mutual commitment. In the end, they argued, the strongest careers, and the strongest lives, begin with the same question: not what do you want to build, but who do you want to build it with?
- The most important decisions in life are about who, not what.
- Success begins by surrounding yourself with people who share your values.
- Trust and alignment are stronger foundations than the perfect business idea.
- Great partnerships are built through generosity, not scorekeeping.
- Invest in relationships that help everyone grow.
- When challenges arise, fight for the relationship rather than walking away.
Geopolitics & Public Affairs
