Entrepreneurship isn’t just learned in the classroom. It’s the fruit of a dream, expertise, an accumulation of day-to-day learning, mistakes and successes, and above all, hard work and a considerable investment of time. A good way to save precious time is to benefit from the experience of those who have already traveled this road.
At Formax, we understand the importance of peer learning and offer a selection of unique entrepreneurial conferences.
Our expert lectures are designed to let you benefit from the knowledge and insights of experienced entrepreneurs who have succeeded in their field. They will share with you their inspiring stories, their mistakes and the lessons they have learned along their entrepreneurial journey.
Discover our entrepreneurial speakers:
Jean Bédard
A chartered accountant by training with a highly developed entrepreneurial streak, Jean Bédard acquired the La Cage aux Sports restaurant chain in 1995, at the age of 31. He then masterfully led the network’s expansion across Quebec, before launching the new La Cage – Brasserie sportive concept in 2015. With his expertise and experience, Jean is an ideal speaker to train and motivate your entrepreneurs.
Guy Bourgeois
An entrepreneur at heart from the age of twenty, Guy Bourgeois bought his father’s dairy products distribution business and increased sales sixfold. At the age of thirty, he and his partners founded a food distribution company and orchestrated the solicitation of over ten thousand customers. In 1992, he sold his company and decided to become speaker, a motivator and trainer, fulfilling a childhood dream of doing what Jean-Marc Chaput had done. And in 2011, to meet the growing demands of his customers, he launched the Formax Speakers Team with his wife and daughter. A professional motivational speaker and renowned sales and customer service trainer, Guy will also inspire any entrepreneur to pursue the road to entrepreneurship.
Nancie Ferron
It was a few minutes’ conversation in a car on a road in Provence that changed the lives of Nancie Ferron and her partner, Danielle Johannette, forever. In 2008, after 20 years in TV, they quit their jobs and founded La Maison Lavande with the ambition of turning it into a Quebec perfumery. Today, Nancie and Daniel run a family business in which their two daughters are also shareholders. A “crazy idea” that became a huge success – nothing could be more inspiring!
Gaétan Frigon
Gaétan Frigon is a highly effective businessman. He constantly influences the destiny of the companies that hire him. He has moved from the food industry, with Metro Richelieu and Steinberg, to the printing industry, with Québecor and Transcontinental, to the world of government corporations, where he was behind the restructuring of the Société des alcools du Québec and Loto-Québec. Wherever he has gone, he has left his mark of success. Even today, at the age of 83, he continues to steer the destiny of his company Publitech. There’s no doubt that his time with you will leave its mark…
Geneviève Grandbois
Geneviève Grandbois developed her entrepreneurial spirit at a very early age; at the age of eight, she was selling self-designed cards to tourists on Montreal’s Prince-Arthur Street. It wasn’t until she was in her early twenties that Geneviève fell in love with chocolate at first sight, and decided to perfect her knowledge by taking advanced courses in Quebec and Belgium. A year later, in 1997, she opened her first chocolate shop, Maison Cakao. In 2002, under her own name, she launched the new range of chocolates of her dreams: Chocolats Geneviève Grandbois. In her talks, she shares the highs and lows of life as an entrepreneur, with her trademark passion and gentleness.
Claude Guévin
Claude Guévin was president of Groupe Lou-Tec inc. from 2012 to 2018. Lou-Tec is the largest network of heavy machinery, equipment and tool rental centers in Eastern Canada. Over the previous 25 years, he also held various positions at Rona, including Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. Recognized for his negotiating skills, Claude has completed more than 30 major acquisitions in Canada, generating sales of $3.5 billion, and led the real estate development and construction of Rona’s superstores across the country. Today, he sits on several boards of directors of major Quebec companies. A gifted communicator and teacher, Claude Guévin has a talent for mobilizing his teams to carry out projects and achieve results.
Isabelle Huot
Isabelle Huot is undoubtedly THE best-known nutrition doctor in Quebec. But what you may not know is that she’s also a brilliant entrepreneur. It was in 2009 that she turned to entrepreneurship. Founder and CEO of Kilo Solution, she now has 10 clinics, a range of ready-to-eat foods, snacks and kitchen tools available in 1,000 outlets across Quebec. In this conference, Isabelle talks about her career path, the difficulties she has encountered and the future she sees for herself!
Louis-François Marcotte
Passionate about cooking since childhood, Louis-François Marcotte gave up his studies in mechanical engineering to train as a chef at the ITHQ. After graduating, the new Chef had as much taste for entrepreneurship as he had talent behind the stove. After managing four restaurants, he embarked on a new adventure in the spring of 2014 with La Tablée des Pionniers, his sugar shack located up north in Saint-Faustin-Lac-Carré. In 2015, Groupe Sportscène appointed him vice-president of catering at La Cage, and in 2019 he introduced a brand-new concept: the CHEZ CHEVAL restaurant will employ young people with autism spectrum disorders. Following this success, he will open a second CHEZ CHEVAL in Ste-Julie in September 2023. Just as he did on television in 2020 and 2022 with AIDE DEMANDÉE (VERO.TV), Louis-François hopes to pass on his passion and knowledge for entrepreneurship and cooking to new restaurateurs and entrepreneurs.
Alex Sereno
Passionate entrepreneur Alex Sereno is the co-founder of Café Barista, a successful Quebec roasting company. Founded in 2004 with his childhood best friend, the company quickly became an industry leader thanks to its forward-thinking vision and successful transition to digital. In addition to his entrepreneurial success, Alex is also a top-level triathlon and swimming coach. He had the opportunity to coach two Quebec athletes on the Canadian Olympic triathlon team in 2012 and 2020. His entrepreneurial background and communicative spirit make him a captivating and inspiring speaker .
Jimmy Vigneux
A graduate in political communications and climate change as well as a professional photographer, Jimmy Vigneux is actively involved in the community to implement actions related to local consumption, sustainable development, citizen mobilization and international cooperation. Concerned by the protection of Quebec’s waterways, it was with this in mind that in 2018 he co-founded Mission 1000 tonnes – then called Mission 10 tonnes – with Lyne Morissette, a doctor specializing in marine ecosystem ecology, and recently accepted the position of general manager of Stratégies Saint-Laurent. With his dynamism and his dream of changing the world, Jimmy will inspire you to make your biggest dreams come true.
Sasha Ghavami
Fascinated by the business of sports, Sasha Ghavami is a self-confessed sports nerd. A member of the Quebec Bar, Sasha combines his two passions, law and sports. Despite his young age, he has managed to carve out a place for himself in the exclusive circle of NFL agents. Age being both an ally and an enemy, Sasha has earned respect by being honest and forthright. With his client and friend, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, they bought Le pain dans les voiles bakery and are currently expanding the network. Sasha and Laurent are part of Quebec’s new generation of entrepreneurs. With his captivating charisma, he’s sure to move you.
Yasmine Abdelfadel
A communications and public affairs manager, Yasmine Abdelfadel has extensive experience in public relations, government affairs and stakeholder management. Having worked as a spokesperson for various provincial ministers, as a communications and government relations manager for the Canadian Bankers Association, as Chief of Staff to the President of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and as Director of Communications for Quebec’s largest SME gas pedal, Yasmine Abdelfadel now makes her experience, expertise and network of contacts available to organizations through her company Imperium Stratégies. Yasmine is a convincing communicator who will motivate you to take action.
