Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jean-François Denault, Owner and CEO of Impacts.Ca, located in Montreal, QC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am an independent marketing consultant specializing in the space of life sciences. As such, I work mostly with companies with medical devices, digital health solutions, and biotech/pharmaceutical companies. I have had the opportunity to work with companies of all sizes, from one-person startups to large multinationals, as well as government agencies, accelerators, and incubators.

Tell us about yourself

I started as a freelance consultant over 20 years ago. From the start, I wanted to work in a space that helps people, and the healthcare space was the one I chose to focus on. I chose to freelance for the opportunities it has given me and the flexibility and freedom to develop new projects and initiatives.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Having been able to write two books on marketing and life sciences (working on a third!) has been a great source of accomplishment for me. Not only were they great experiences to write, but being contacted once in a while by a teacher using it as course material, by a business owner using it for his own work, or winning an award for one of them has been extremely gratifying.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

The road to a stable business flow has been challenging. Having gone through multiple economic crises and the pandemic, having to go through these peaks and valleys in terms of workflow has been very difficult, not only financially but also mentally. I got to keep busy! :) Mentoring, volunteering, and writing articles have all been great ways to keep morale up.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Get out there! There are numerous business associations, chambers of commerce, networks, and so on you can get involved in and get talking. It's not only as a way to generate business (although it can help), but it's also a great way to generate an idea and get out of the isolation solo entrepreneurs sometimes go through.
  2. Being active in a science-heavy space, a big tip I give to entrepreneurs is to think of their business not only in terms of technology but in terms of market. How are you going to make money? Who is going to pay for it? How will you get it to people? Yes, your innovation is great, but a business is built on a duality of technology and commercial strategy.
  3. Take a moment to plan once in a while: it's easy to get swept up in daily emergencies and issues, but you have to allocate some time to planning and the next steps. Set a fixed time each week to work on long-term term projects and initiatives, don't get carried away by the daily hustle.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.impacts.ca/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfdenault/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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