By the time he reached the top rung of the ladder at Fredal Solutions, Étienne Fredette had had the opportunity to touch on every aspect of the family business that had been founded by his father, Alain Fredette, in the 1970s. As a student, he delivered office furniture. He also worked as a warehouse technician. “When an employee wants to discuss a specific situation related to his/her job, I immediately understand what it’s about because I have been in his/her shoes,” explains Mr. Fredette.
This second generation business sells office supplies, furnishings and photocopiers to the commercial, institutional and government sectors in the Gatineau-Ottawa area: everything from simple pencils to printers, including office carpeting and a whole range of supplies. Étienne Fredette studied political science at the Univeristy of Ottawa, then business administration at the École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) in Montréal. He continued his studies in political economy at the Institut national d’études politiques de Paris. He got his first job at Pitney Bowes in Montréal, as a sales representative. His job involved selling postage stamp machines. He was soon noticed. He was named recruit of the year and promptly promoted several times. He kept going, without the slightest intention of taking over the family business. “I knew that I wanted to be in business, but my goal was to start my own,” he states.
But when his father told him that he wanted to sell the family business, Étienne Fredette thought again and returned to the nest. In the fall of 2002, he took the title of Director of Business Development at Fredal Solutions, and a few years later took over the reins of the business.
Proving himself
Alain Fredette started his business in the basement of the family home in 1978 when his son Étienne was only two years old. At the time, he was repairing typewriters. The business has expanded enormously since then. From the first office on boulevard Gréber in Gatineau in the 1980s, Fredal Solutions moved to a 15,000 square foot building in the industrial park in the Gatineau sector in the 1990s. The business recently moved to a 33,000 square foot building in the industrial park in the Hull sector.
“As the founder’s son, I really had to prove myself in the company,” reports Mr. Fredette. “You have to understand that several people who had been with Fredal for a number of years had seen me in diapers! I had to prove that I had what it took to keep the business growing, and to do it without completely changing the formula.”
He had many opportunities to show his stuff. In 2005, he set up a team of experienced salespeople to develop the photocopier market within the government. Based in a new office in Ottawa, the team performed so well that by 2008, Sharp, a photocopier manufacturer, acquired the sales department. “The Fredal office in Ottawa is still in operation, but we no longer sell photocopiers because of a non-competition clause.”
In 2009, the businessman had a transactional Web site developed, displaying more than 15,000 office items. Anything purchased online is delivered the next day. Étienne Fredette also initiated the business’ move to the industrial park in the Hull sector, thereby doubling the building’s surface area.
As the business grew, Étienne Fredette was always able to rely on the services of Emploi Québec for hiring staff or for its training and internship program. Fredal also turned to Service Intégration Travail Outaouais (SITO) to hire interns. One of the SITO programs involved helping immigrants quickly integrate into the labour market.
The last few years have been particularly busy at Fredal Solutions. Thus, Étienne Fredette is planning to fine-tune the services his company currently provides before launching into new projects.
Pratical information
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What made you decide to start up this business?
The main reason I became an entrepreneur is because I grew up in a family business environment. I always knew that I would someday run a business. However, I did not at first think that I would take over Fredal. In my mind, it was like asking me to adopt a teenager, when what I wanted was my own baby. Obviously, my thoughts on the matter have changed.
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Why Gatineau?
It’s a beautiful region from both the environmental and cultural standpoints. The economic community is also very strong in the region thanks to the federal public service. Because of this economic stability, a business can do very well in this region.
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In your opinion, what advantages does Gatineau have over Ottawa?
Construction and rental costs are more affordable for a business on the Quebec side than on the Ontario side.
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What are the advantages of working for yourself?
As an entrepreneur, I do what I want, which makes me very happy. As well, I create my own job security, which is all the more gratifying.
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What surprised you the most about the business world?
When I graduated from the École des Hautes Études Commerciales in Montréal I thought I knew it all. But I soon realized that there are lots of things that cannot be learned from books. It is astounding to realize just how important field experience is.
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To what do you attribute your business success?
I am very demanding of myself and within the business. I lead by example. I am always the first one at the office, and the last one to leave. I try to create a pleasant work environment and a harmonious team. Given the strong presence of the federal public service in the region, my employees could easily find work there and get excellent working conditions. By focusing on the well-being of the employees, we keep the turnover very low.
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What were your toughest challenges, and how did you overcome them?
I went through a difficult financial period when I had to mortgage my home to invest in the business. I was very disturbed by the situation, but I had to believe that my projects would work. This was a calculated risk, and in the end everything turned out as planned.
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What does it take to succeed in business today?
You have to show people that you deserve their trust. You also have to lead by example.
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What advice would you give someone who is thinking of starting up a business?
Many entrepreneurs have a business plan…in their heads. I strongly advise putting it in writing and discussing it with experts so you can hear what they have to say. Finally, in any business project, you need patience.
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How did Développement économique – CLD Gatineau contribute?
In 2003, DE – CLDG lent me $50,000 and I received a grant from the government of Quebec for a project in the company.
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