As a young man, Édouard Garneau seemed destined to follow in his father’s footsteps. First a cyclist’s route and then a manager’s route at Louis Garneau.
Then one day, he had had enough of the races and this moment was decisive in the rest of his journey: it led to the founding of Connec Outdoors in 2018.
“A friend introduced me to hunting migratory birds and I felt very proud bringing a bird for supper. Since then, I spend all my weekends in the woods,” says the young 30-year-old entrepreneur, who feels all his anxieties ease as soon as he invites himself into nature.
From his new found love for hunting and fishing came the idea of designing clothes better suited for these activities. Soft, technical clothing that breathes, stays dry in a variety of conditions, then stays quiet and odorless.
First a division of Louis Garneau, Connec Outdoors was able to count on solid expertise.
“With my brother and my sister, we always said that we would take over the family business one day. But we realized that it’s more difficult than we thought to work as a family. We were not able to agree on certain things, ”he admits.
fly with one’s own wings
In the major restructuring that saved Louis Garneau from bankruptcy in 2020, Connec separated from the parent company to strike out on its own.
Édouard was able to keep an employee and eventually repatriate the team with which he wanted to grow his business.
From his father, he says he learned the need to see the periphery and take his eyes off the operations to focus on the objectives.
“I also learned that it is better not to go too fast. Winning one goal per season is enough. And we must not try to please everyone, because we would deviate from our DNA, ”he thinks.
dream big
Édouard did his university studies in Vermont, in business administration, with a concentration in finance.
When he was at Louis Garneau, he worked in sales in the United States. This experience made him dream of conquering the American market with Connec Outdoors from 2024. Measuring up to competition from the giants is a challenge he tackles with confidence.
“We have the know-how to compete with the big guys, even if we are small. It doesn’t intimidate me. It’s not my goal to reach their scale, but I want to meet the needs of more and more enthusiasts,” he says.
Édouard believes he inherited his father’s creative and go-getter side, but also his mother’s poised and attentive character.
As a hunter, he certainly honed his patience and perseverance, qualities that are also very useful to a business leader.
Could we imagine seeing him return to Garneau when his father retires?
“I don’t know if I see myself going back… I really like what I do,” he reflects.
Édouard has rediscovered the pleasure of working with his designer sister, but for the moment, he and his father each have their own team.
But the road of an entrepreneur is never a straight line. Its destination is never quite known either. We’ll see where it leads.
♦ Connec Outdoors, the company of Louis Garneau’s son, outfits hunters and anglers.
A lot of
Entrepreneurship is…?
“The freedom to express one’s creativity. »
What are your inspirations?
“The coaches throughout my career, who made me grow. I learn from the experience of others, I know how to listen. »
If you could change one thing in the world, it would be…?
“I would eliminate starvation. But my achievable goal: to help people disconnect from the stresses of society by helping to reconnect them with nature. »