Video available in French only
After getting his MBA with a concentration in computer sciences, Sylvain Trépanier couldn’t find a job that truly met his expectations. In 1986, he accepted a position as floor covering salesman in a local business. In addition to exposing him to the many features of floor covering and interior design, the position also spawned a great passion for sales.
“A few years later, I convinced three of my colleagues that we could start our own business successfully”, says Sylvain Trépanier. “In the end, they chose to follow me on this journey.”
He was only 24 but he had already honed his skills as an entrepreneur. Furthermore, the decoration field was in full bloom. In short, all the ingredients served to confirm his decision.
In 1989, Quadécor appeared in Gatineau’s landscape. Today, this floor covering and window treatment sales and installation business also relies on a whole department dedicated to interior design. Over the past 20 years, Quadécor has managed to shine because of excellent services and the warm reception it provides for its clients. In doing so, it was not only successful in developing its client base in the Outaouais, but also in breaking into Ottawa’s market.
The first commerce was located on boulevard Maloney. Ten years later, in 1999, Sylvain Trépanier had a new facility built on boulevard de la Gappe. For financing, he turned to the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) that granted him a prime-rate loan.
Between 2000 and 2005, his partners chose to retire and the businessman bought their shares.
In 2008, Mr. Trépanier invested into building a mezzanine to set up the Loft de décoration, where a professional decoration service is currently offered. Another $ 100,000 was invested in January 2011, allowing for the complete renovation of the showroom. “It is essential to remain on the leading edge and to be informed about new trends in the field”, explains the entrepreneur.
Today, Quadécor employs 17 people, in addition to dealing with a dozen installers hired as subcontractors. The business has shown tremendous growth, its annual sales having tripled between 1999 and 2011.
From now on, according to Sylvain Trépanier, the challenge is to keep on developing his business in a market that is increasingly competitive, while maintaining its position as a leader in the field.
Development and marketing of Surfagest
In managing his business, Sylvain Trépanier quickly realized that one tool was sorely missing in the floor covering field. “It is a very specific and complex line of business and in spite of that, the managerial components were done by hand. Having been trained in computer sciences, I could not imagine that there was no software that could support these activities”, says the businessman.
As a result, in 1991, he initiated the development of customized software. In 2002, Surfagest is all set to be marketed. A former client, Stéphane Couture, joined him as shareholder in this new venture.
“Stéphane owned a floor covering business”, says Mr. Trépanier. “He was thrilled about this software which he had already bought. Thanks to his many contacts throughout Québec, he is currently responsible for selling the product in that province.”
Surfagest has met with great success. Today, it is the software that is most often used by Québec’s floor covering businesses.
Pratical information
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What made you decide to start up a business?
I simply wanted to be my own boss.
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Why Gatineau?
I was born in Gatineau and I love the region.
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In your opinion, what advantages does Gatineau have over Ottawa?
Since my first language is French, it’s a real plus for me to be established in Gatineau. Also, when I set up my business, it was much easier to purchase the space required for this type of commerce in Gatineau than in Ottawa, where the urban sector is much more crowded.
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What are the advantages of being self-employed?
I have more control over my fate. I make my own decisions and I can react more quickly to emerging opportunities.
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What surprised you the most about the business world?
The inner strength that one discovers when faced with precarious circumstances.
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To what do you attribute your business success?
Constant willingness to better myself. And the fact that we provide ongoing training to our staff is also a value-added asset to the business.
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What were your toughest challenges, and how did you overcome them?
In the beginning of the 1990’s, there was a full-blown recession and the business struggled financially. We incurred huge losses because many of our clients went bankrupt. Our credit cards and margins were full and we had to be extremely persuasive with our creditors. We finally managed to pull through, and we became better entrepreneurs.
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What does it take to succeed in business today?
It takes a lot of time and willpower. You also have to make a lot of sacrifices. Unfortunately, it’s not a mind-set that seems to inspire the younger generation. For example, young people don’t want to work late nights because they choose to prioritize their families. In my opinion, making such adjustments doesn’t necessarily mean we become bad parents.
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What advice would you give someone who is thinking of starting up a business?
You have to be ready to make sacrifices and you need to rely on a solid support network. First and foremost, never stop believing in your own abilities.
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