This text is part of the special Francophonie notebook
For a third year in a row, young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 will explore a French-speaking business market outside Quebec thanks to the Immersive Missions in Francophonie (MIF), an initiative of the International Youth Offices of Quebec (LOJIQ). ).
This project, launched on International Women’s Day in 2020, allows young adults to carry out projects in Quebec, Canada and internationally by offering them support and financial support. Immersive missions thus give entrepreneurs the opportunity to take their place in a member territory of the International Organization of La Francophonie, namely, this year, France, Senegal and Canada.
The nine selected candidates participated in training and networking sessions in Quebec City on February 13 and 14. All already have a product or service that has proven itself in Quebec, provided sine qua non to be chosen. These two days allowed them to get to know each other and discuss their realities, both different and common. The program also gives them access to a bank of ten hours of financial advice with regional export promotion organizations before their departure to their chosen destination. Subsequently, some choose to take an exploratory trip to meet key contacts or attend trade shows. Others, more advanced in their marketing process, quickly launch their export project more concretely.
French-speaking markets
The project aims to promote “the ability to develop activities in the French-speaking world and to target other markets,” explains Françoise Thomas, project manager in entrepreneurship and career development at LOJIQ.
For participant Jade Trépanier, France made perfect sense as a destination. The co-founder of the reusable parcel packaging company PickPack wishes to forge links with companies with similar products well established in France. In a previous exploratory project already with LOJIQ, she met the packaging company Opopop while attending the Pollutec trade show in Lyon. “We are very interested in the European market because these are consumers more accustomed to what is reusable, the circular economy, the deposit system,” she lists.
Vanessa Cliche participated last year in MIF. According to the co-founder of the Comont distillery, in the Eastern Townships, “France is interesting, because it is important to be able to diversify our markets, given that in Quebec, it is a controlled market. We have no points of sale other than the SAQ. » She also confirmed consumer tastes and took the pulse of the market and alcohol standards by visiting the Vinexpo show. The company was able to return there this year as an exhibitor.
There is no language barrier during these French-speaking trips. “We have far fewer modifications to make to the packaging. Export contracts in English are much more complicated. I still have some references in France, says Mme Cliche. The world of distillation is an English-speaking world, but French remains at the heart of our business. »
The possibility of financing an exploratory trip to establish a solid foundation before exporting motivates participants to register. “As an SME, it’s rare that we can afford trips like that,” admits Vanessa Cliche.
Preserve the French-speaking soul
For Laurie Gauthier, co-founder of Belov, a baby meal company, the challenge of the French-speaking world was quite different. It chose to expand in Canada, starting with Ontario. Despite the presence of French speakers, the market is primarily English-speaking and operates differently from that of Quebec. “When you are a French-speaking Quebec company, it comes with a lot of challenges to enter the Canadian market which is English-speaking. » Its products are available in several grocery stores also present in Ontario, but it requires additional steps to cross the border. The training helped her “find how to position herself outside of Quebec without distorting herself.”
Jade Trépanier also had to face this challenge of authenticity in her previous expansion in British Columbia. “I am very attached to the French language,” she confides. My bags are printed in French, even in British Columbia. »
Laurie Gauthier sees her immersion in the English-speaking area as a way of “bringing the French-speaking world outside of Quebec”.
Mother and businesswoman
LOJIQ’s second objective with these immersive Missions is to enable women, who may face particular challenges, to continue to advance in their entrepreneurial careers. “There are issues that will become obstacles to growth and development. Marketing is often a tipping point,” maintains Françoise Thomas, who recalls that women still play a central role in the family. “When the business is ripe for marketing abroad, businesswomen often need additional levers,” she adds, regretting the fact that too often, entrepreneurs curb their ambitions when the business grows. and becomes more engaging.
Laurie Gauthier and her partner are two young mothers. “Women are under-represented in entrepreneurship because they often have this dilemma: are we going to be a sufficiently present mother by being an entrepreneur or a sufficiently successful entrepreneur by being a mother? » she asks.
“As part of the MIF, we leave room for discussion between these women entrepreneurs who have their own problems, particularly with regard to the balance between private and professional life,” underlines M.me Thomas. “In addition to the mission itself, which relates to business development,” says Jade Trépanier, “we worked alongside a lot of young women our age. In the end, we had a lot of things in common. »
Vanessa Cliche, for her part, believes that the program allowed her to move forward her export process by a year. Many of the entrepreneurs have participated in more than one LOJIQ project, allowing them several trips, and therefore, the faster development of their business.
“I learned a lot about my market,” says the distiller. There is nothing better than setting foot where you want to do business to ask questions, meet producers like us, and understand their realities. »
With these inclusive missions in the French-speaking world, LOJIQ wishes to highlight women who are progressing in their business, even if they are mothers. One more program in the right direction, according to the participants, who say that the obstacles seem to fall one by one.
“We are making our place, and today, people accept it very well,” concludes Vanessa Cliche.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.