Who is Barooders
Barooders is the largest French marketplace dedicated to second-hand outdoor sports equipment. Founded in November 2021 by Edwige Michau de Nicolaï and Geoffroy d'Autichamp, the Annecy-based platform connects individuals and professionals to buy and sell sports gear: cycling, skiing, trail running, kitesurfing, running, hiking, and many others. With over 100,000 items online, 80,000 committed enthusiasts, and 700 brands listed across 14 disciplines, Barooders has established itself as a key player in the circular economy for sports in France.
The startup has completed two successive funding rounds: €1.3 million in early 2022, followed by €2.2 million in September 2022 from iconic French Tech and sports investors (Kima Ventures, Teampact Ventures, as well as professional athletes like Nikola Karabatić, Gaël Fickou, and Julien Marchand).
It is Edwige Michau de Nicolaï, co-founder and CEO, whom Linker supported in structuring and amplifying her LinkedIn presence, turning her profile into a megaphone for Barooders' mission.
The goal of our partnership
As the CEO of a high-growth startup, Edwige’s LinkedIn presence was underutilized relative to the ambition and mission of Barooders. The challenge: to build an authentic and engaging editorial line that reflects her entrepreneurial journey, Barooders' environmental values, and the vision of second-hand gear as a revolution in sports.
The objectives set:
- Establish Edwige as a leading voice on topics like second-hand goods, sports, entrepreneurship, and the circular economy
- Attract investors, brand partners (Patagonia, Garmin, Odlo, INTERSPORT...), and talent to the project
- Generate qualified engagement within a community of athletes, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers
- Solidify Barooders' credibility within the French Tech and sports ecosystem
The 3-pillar Linker playbook
1. Audit and optimization of the LinkedIn profile
- Branding workshop to structure Edwige's positioning: committed entrepreneur, expert in second-hand goods and the circular economy in sports, and impact CEO
- Definition of an editorial line based on 4 pillars: thought leadership (equality, entrepreneurship, environment), posts on Barooders products and milestones, CSR policy and impact, and community content (fundraising, team, events)
- Profile optimization to maximize visibility among priority targets: investors, brand partners, and the committed sports community
- Drafting of 10 posts over the period, covering all defined editorial pillars
- Mix of formats: strong stances (the role of mothers in business, Black Friday vs. circular economy), strategic announcements (Teampact fundraising, mobile app launch, participation in the ISPO trade show), entrepreneurial reflections, and committed CSR posts
- High-viral-potential posts: the anti-Black Friday post "don't buy, sell!" with a striking visual, the announcement of the Teampact partnership with star athletes (148 reactions, 7 comments), and the post on marketplaces as catalysts for the ecological transition (78 reactions, 11 comments)
- Active community management targeting founders, investors, brand partners, and the outdoor/sports community
3. Performance tracking and continuous adjustments
- Identification of the most engaging formats (thought leadership and business announcements > purely informative content)
- Amplification of high-engagement posts through targeted community management
- Editorial adjustments to maximize reach for each publication
The results achieved
Within a few weeks of support, the posts ghostwritten by Linker generated solid engagement on a profile in the audience-building phase:
- The post announcing the partnership with Teampact, involving top-level athletes like Nikola Karabatić and Gaël Fickou, reached 148 reactions and 7 comments, becoming the most engaging post of the period
- The post about our presence at the ISPO trade show generated 104 reactions, illustrating Barooders' growing credibility within the professional sports ecosystem.
- The "Team for the Planet" CSR post sparked 32 comments, a sign of a committed editorial line that resonates with the entrepreneurial community.
Overall, the best-performing formats were business announcements with strong community roots and CSR-focused stances, confirming that authenticity and value-driven engagement are the drivers of an effective LinkedIn presence in the world of sports and sustainable entrepreneurship.
