Meet Julie Wevers of Pardon My French in Litchfield Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Wevers.

Julie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in beautiful Brussels, Belgium and lived in Europe most of my life. I spent years climbing the corporate ladder working on different management positions for companies like Maison Laduree, L’Oreal and BNP Paribas in Brussels, Paris, Los Angeles, and New York. Two years ago, I was in the process of moving permanently to Santa Barbara, CA when I got a last-minute job offer here in Scottsdale and decided to give it a try!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Moving country, let alone continent is never easy. When I arrived in Arizona, I didn’t know anyone. Not one single soul. Everything was so different and I missed my family and friends dearly. It took me a few weeks to get situated, find a nice place to live and make new friends. Now, two years later, I’m engaged to a wonderful man, my family is visiting me often and I love Arizona!

Pardon My French – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m an Etiquette & Protocol Coach! A What?! You’ll say?

Have you ever wonder what knife to use at a formal dinner? What’s the proper way to hold your teacup? How are you supposed to introduce two persons at a party? Should you hold your wine glass by the stem or by the bowl? What’s the real deal with the napkin? How should you ask for the check after dinner at a restaurant? What’s the right way to eat oysters? Think about the kind of training Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton did before becoming part of the Royal family.

My business is called Pardon My French (I’m a born french speaker, after all!) and we just launched our new individual and group programs.

I train adults, young adults, teenagers & kids things that you don’t ever learn in school, such as how to navigate social & business etiquette, dining etiquette, traveling abroad, job interviews… By making them feel confident, comfortable and adequate in any setting, regardless of age or status.

Attending finishing school and etiquette classes is very popular in Europe, on the East Coast, and in the South. It is less common, here in the west but there is a huge demand.

Etiquette is merely a set of guidelines for politeness and good manners.

Learning, playing and sometimes even twisting Etiquette & Protocol through different finishing schools was always an important part of my life. This is how I decided to create a career around my passion! I deeply believe that a focus on formality and glamour, coupled with a polished behavioral repertoire will prepare you for an appropriate entrée into the world.

Some people might argue that etiquette is stuffy, uptight, boring, and let’s be honest… Just straight out of Downtown Abbey. That the rules for good behavior are rigid, old-fashioned and only for the wealthy. My mission is to change that by helping educate people on manners, social graces, and appropriate etiquette in a super fun, trendy and current way!

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My career has definitely been atypical and I’ve done a lot of different things for large and small companies. I always had an entrepreneurial spirit though, and I knew that creating my own business was just a matter of time.

I feel incredibly happy and blessed to be able to share something I’m so passionate about with the world. It’s definitely a humbling experience.

Suggest a story: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.