About your questions, I am sorry I can't go into the specifics but I don't want to damage our brand. I would be more transparent if the situation was desperate but we are not there yet (that's what I want to avoid).
Here is what I can say : - our product is a complex (pc/win) software. - it requires some investment but not much (domain expertise is too strong a word). - most customers can find alternatives even if much more costly - our own market could grow (especially under a focused marketing push). - our company culture is quite informal - I suppose we could accept outside direction. Not sure, though, I never thought about it.
Don't hesitate to contact me if you want details.
Are you in Paris? There are a number of groups you can work with to get assistance and bounce ideas. La Cantine is a great starting point - a group of French tech entrepreneurs that adopt a more pro-active approach.
I am a mentor at Le Camping www.lecamping.org and would be happy to discuss some ideas and introduce you to other people that may be able to help.
I understand that you do not want to put too much detail on the forum. Contact me at jhlewisjr the usual gmail. I will be meeting with some companies tomorrow and Wednesday and could meet with you either of those days.
Good Luck - JHL