Reason Number 3 - You Are Not French

      You are not French. This should be pretty self-explanatory, but let me drive it home. Only French people have a large enough network of other French people to get the advice they need when running a company in a timely manner, and the cultural heritage to understand how to interpret the advice they are being given. When someone in France says something like: "Why do you want to start up a company in the first place?" - what they really mean is - "That's the worst idea for a company I've ever heard of and if I were you I would keep your day job."  If they say, "I think I know someone who can help you out," what they really mean is, "This is a cool project, and that someone is me."  Or the real important double entente: "I'll help you for free, it won't cost you anything." really means - "How do I get on board and what part of it are you willing to share with me for me to help you?" It may seem counter-intuitive, but if you don't offer the guy 10% of your company, at least, he'll say he'll get back to you after a few phone calls and you'll never hear back again. The French don't start up companies to make money, they start up companies to change the world, and of course everyone knows in France is that that is how you make money. There are some weird rules they all seem to follow:
    1) If someone asks you for help but doesn't offer something in return - politely say you will help but then don't do it.
    2) If someone asks for your help and says they are willing to pay you, wait until they say how much before agreeing. This is really important because if you ask them to give a price they won't know how to do it. It's so rare that anyone in France actually starts up a company that it's probably a novel situation for them.
    3) Criticism is important for the success of a projet. The more you criticize the more you feel like it's a good idea.

     My French wife was looking for information on how to help a person start up a company in the South of France and she was immediately given a spontaneous offer from one of her friends who had quite a bit of experience in the matter: "I can really help you. Let me give you this list I've been compiling of all the people you should definitely not go and see for help." I thought it was hilarious, and my wife did laugh, but she thought it was incredibly useful information.

     You are not French. I rest my case.