Closing words for Entre-preneurs
After 29 interviews with entrepreneurs from multiple industries that gathered over 1200 readers, it is now time to conclude the Entre-preneurs series for the 2020–2021 academic year.
I would like to extend my gratefulness to the 29 entrepreneurs who took the time to meet with me this year. It was an extremely enriching experience. These interviews have shaped and inspired me for the rest of my professional and personal journey.
For this last article, some YEP members wanted to mention specific parts of the articles that inspired them, so here are their comments!
The quote that inspired me the most:
“You don’t have a choice to be passionate, because if you don’t, it’s going to get exhausting. Your business, you think about it all the time, the long days are always there, but with passion, it doesn’t feel like work.” — Julie Poitras-Saulnier of LOOP Mission.
Among all the quotes, this is the one that stood out the most to me because it highlights the importance of passion when embarking on a project, whether it is entrepreneurial or not. It is really important to love what you do and with passion, you can do very beautiful things as Julie demonstrates.
My favorite anecdote/discovery:
I loved the article (as well as the talk at Mercredi Innovation) by Osama Ammar of The Family. I already knew him because I had seen videos of him, but it was great to have him speak at our event. I really like the way he talks about things, it’s relevant and enriching while being fun and enjoyable!
The quote that inspired me the most:
“One week before the sale of Sushi Chef was completed, my main supplier went bankrupt. Overnight, I lost 5 years of work. I had only one customer left: the fishmonger at the Atwater market, Amédée Archambault. I called him and he welcomed me and helped me launch the first branch of Sushi Shop (first named Sushi Atwater). “ — Dominic Bujold
This quote from Dominic Bujold is more than inspiring. It shows the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, but also the strength of contacts. Sushi Shop has since become a worldwide reference in sushi sales, and this proves the strength of motivation in entrepreneurship!
My favorite anecdote/discovery:
Oussama Ammar of The Family. When YEP, HEC Montreal’s entrepreneurship club, was created in 2016, the founders wanted to bring together the best resources to promote entrepreneurship within the school. So naturally, as the 5th President of the association, I loved Oussama’s interview. He gave us a heart-to-heart interview, talking about his failures and his greatest successes. He concluded the interview with a punchy line, but one that shows how much he works to help people: “What would you advise someone whose project is delayed because of the Covid?” “Drop the case and do something else. The Covid could go on for another two years. Everyone who is on hold is making the mistake of losing 2 years of their life. You might as well do something you can do now and do it a 100 percent. My advice is to always live in the present, never in the future.”
The quote that inspired me the most:
“I always wanted to go into business, it was in the plans, but I felt like I really had to have a lot of experience and know everything. I didn’t think I could do it. Then one day, I met David Coté and that was the kick-off for me, I dared to go into business and we decided to start a company together. It was also the good alignment of the mission that made me not afraid. I had been looking for a project for a long time, I really wanted to develop something with a positive impact.” — Julie Poitras-Saulnier of LOOP Mission
My favorite anecdote:
“My dad. I remember when I was 6 years old, I would go to construction sites. My dad would say, ‘I just need 15 minutes’ and then 4 hours later we were still there! As a kid, I didn’t realize how hard it was, I just wanted to play. However, 10 years later, I now understand. You have to work hard and give up a lot, and at some point it pays off. I got those lessons from my dad. It’s that kind of “real world entrepreneur” that you want to follow. If they don’t sell, they die. They don’t go after venture capitalists, they don’t raise money. These traditional entrepreneurs rely on themselves and work very hard to succeed” — Daniel Franco of Turbodega
“The idea is worth nothing until it is operationalized” — Alexandre Taillefer.
It may sound simple at first glance but it’s one of the 1st sentences I heard from YEP when I was in the preparatory year. So I started hearing about entrepreneurship at HEC with that quote and I’m ending it with it too, the loop is closed in a way. Well, although it may be simple, it is often the 1st reason that holds back budding entrepreneurs, and this maxim should be branded in the mind of every creative and entrepreneurial person in order not to have any regrets later on.
My favorite anecdote:
Sandrine Balthazar’s journey, specifically her “impossible to refuse” offer. It appeals to me on 2 points in particular:
- In the business world with HEC, I tell myself that we will all be confronted sooner or later with an offer of this kind, by a big company or the job of our dreams. It’s important to listen to your heart and to give yourself the opportunity to have this kind of offer in your career.
- Even though she worked for a big company for a long time, she never gave up her entrepreneurial spirit and continued after that. This anecdote illustrates that tenacity and passion are essential values for any entrepreneur.
If you want to access the 2020–2021 articles of the Entre-preneurs series, they are available here : YEP — Club d’entrepreneurs de HEC Montréal — Medium. Thank you!
