Career Arc Stories, A Conversation with Francesca Vuillemin

Written By Leang Chung

When I met Francesca Vuillemin for the first time, I felt an instant connection with her. There was a positive energy that radiated from inside her and a gentleness about the way she responded to change or surprises. I was not surprised to learn that her beautiful spirit and outlook on life is derived from her upbringing as the daughter of an opera singer and violinist, her experience traveling the world, and her ability to use astrology as a tool to achieve a meaningful life. Francesca’s pivots allowed her to carve out a unique career path that includes being an international model, publicist, producer, marketing strategist, business development expert, and philanthropist. Always integrating her passion and knowledge of astrology into all aspects of her professional and personal life. Inspiring those around her to optimize one of the most important resources we often overlook… the energy around us.

Did you choose your career, or did it choose you?

In retrospect, I found my career through astrology which led me to being able to make a clear decision that this was my vocational path. Even in the early days when I was modeling internationally or when I would do PR for event planning and launches I would always incorporate astrology. The one thing I remember telling close friends was that I would want to take a practical approach to empower others and never wear crushed velvet! Lol! I do believe that life is predestined, but we fulfill our destiny when we listen to our instinct and the signs in front of us. Being a highly sensitive person, astrology was instrumental in helping me understand how to manage my own challenges. Knowing the planetary positions gives you a general sense of the energetic forecast so that you can be more intentional in what you chose to do at any given time. I believe that there is a time for everything, so understanding how and when to direct your energy is essential to living a fulfilling life.

How did your personal experience or upbringing influence your professional career?

Being exposed to so much of the world at a young age through traveling with my parents and alone at a young age very much influenced my career choices. The experience of living in different countries with my opera singer mother and violinist father developed my ability to adapt to different languages mentalities. Looking back, it was a combination of watching artists create but also my curiosity about Carl G. Jung and astrologer Liz Greene who would often be topics of conversation at dinner parties.

You're always able to see the bright side of things. Is that what opened so many opportunities for you?

When you're positive, every aspect of your life benefits. Seeing the bright side puts you in a better mindset so you can make better decisions. When you approach life from a negative standpoint you can remain stagnant by fearing the unknown. I was a very nervous kid with crazy anxiety and a low self-esteem. When I realized that if I could calm my nerves irrespective of how scary things were it build up my confidence and resilience to setbacks. I truly believe that whatever we are faced with in life that we are ready for it with our past experiences serving to groom us, but we only come to this realization with hindsight.

What was a game changing move you made that transformed your career?

Prioritizing health and wellness through a clean diet helped me become more in tune with my body’s rhythm so that my energy is evenly sustained. This led to a boosted vitality and being less prone to being distracted because of lapses in concentration that would have me reach for my phone. I needed to make serious changes with setting healthy boundaries which included prioritizing self-care and saying ‘no’. I’m an empath and my nature is to want to do everything and please everyone, which can leave you vulnerable to burnout. As an astrologer, the work I do requires me to be focused while also being in a flow state to help pinpoint the most relevant information to communicate. I believe the biggest challenge for all of us a human race will be to make a conscious effort use technology as a tool and not as a crutch.

A lot of people struggle with creating healthy boundaries. How can you get comfortable with creating boundaries if you're someone who has struggled with it for a long time?

I love this question! For me it is a daily practice to set boundaries with various situations that present themselves.

The biggest opportunity came in creating boundaries when I got COVID in December 2020 on my birthday. Being a philosophically minded person, I looked to see where the lesson I needed to learn could be. I believe that COVID came as a result of me not having healthy boundaries that led to overworking and overextending myself to please others. It was the somatic intelligence of my body that helped me redirect the nurturing energy that I was giving all to others rather than taking care of my own needs.

With time and practice, I am now able to catch myself from falling back into one of my bad habits of jumping out of the shower to answer the phone. I was more concerned with being at the beck and call of someone else’s needs rather than my own. Now, when I hear the phone ring, I let myself enjoy the moment of doing something for myself and then call them back when it suits me!

What was the best career advice you ever received?

It doesn't matter where you are in life, you have to strive to be precise and show up with enthusiasm. I have found this advice immensely helpful with the projects I work on requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Showing up immediately makes you a reliable team player and/or leader and then when you add enthusiasm you become an MVP!

What role does networking play in your career success?

Networking and meeting amazing humans has been integral to my career success. I believe that building genuine connections happens when you open yourself up to meet others from different sectors helping to broaden your outlook. As we saw from the pandemic, we are not our jobs and things can change REALLY fast. I’m also a big believer in connecting others because there is enough room for everyone at the table and we can all use a helping hand.

This approach is a welcomed contrast to the traditional way of networking where the exchange can feel super transactional and that never sits well with me.

I have always felt happy for the success of others and have seen firsthand just how much more productive workplaces can be when there is a supportive environment.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

People will appreciate your uniqueness because we're all one of a kind. Don’t be so hard on yourself but be best version of yourself.

I think we have different iterations of who we are, but just be yourself. Be unique. I hear stories from my friends with young kids and it's so shocking to me how much the system pits these young minds against one another. Instead of looking at children from an individual point of view they are already trying to put them in a box and encourage competitive behavior. The only way to overcome the current challenges will be for us to be unique so that we can work together interdependently.

Your personal brand in 10 words or less.

Empowering my clients, through astrology, to have a meaningful life.