Helping You Get Started as a Freelancer

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Marie Deschene, Founder of ada - Académie des Autonomes, located in Montréal, QC, Canada.

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

ada is an online business proposing help to self-employers. We give them answers with our toolbox or with coaching from wherever they are. We also give them the opportunity to break their loneliness with our Facebook group and workshops. Our customers stop spending hours on the Internet to find answers; they just have to go on our website or in the group to have help.

Our customers are those who want freedom and wonder where to start. They have to think about everything, and they feel alone. They like to choose for themselves, but also to work with others. They can do that with ada.

Tell us about yourself

I started this company because I wanted other workers not to feel lost like I used to. As self-employer, we have to take all the decisions for our business; sometimes, we just don't know which to take. So, I wanted to create a safe space to share issues with similar workers. Now, we can use the collective brain to go through our problems. I really enjoy seeing the impact that our work makes on our customers. I can see that they are growing and enjoy coming to our events to connect with other self-employers.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Help self-employed workers develop themselves and create links between them.

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

Financial management is definitively the hardest thing for me. Sometimes it's to choose to slow down some projects because of the money that I decide to use for something more important.

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

Be truly yourself. It's not necessarily easy, but it will sort into your future collaborations and clients.
Listen to your instinct. It's telling you something.
Keep your mind open. So you will be able to hear what your customers or collaborators are telling you to improve your business and yourself.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://academie-des-autonomes.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AcademieDesAutonomes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/academie.des.autonomes/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/académie-des-autonomes/

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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