Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Francis Gendron, Founder of Solution ERA, located in Montreal, QC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Solution ERA is the academy for ethical, resilient, and abundant solutions. It's an online training center to help create the life, the habitat, and the professional projects that inspire you.
Courses are available in three faculties: Inspiring Life, Ecological Habitat, and Conscious Business, to help you manifest your goals in ways in which everybody wins: yourself, your partners, people around you, and the planet.
Tell us about yourself
Founder of Solution ERA and the first graduate of the Earthship Academy (Michael Reynolds), I'm a promoter of solutions for a durable and ethical future, public speaker, teacher, and most of all, a philosopher: a real lover of wisdom and deep, satisfying happiness and meaning.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Solution ERA in itself is a pretty big accomplishment to me. More than 100k followers on Facebook, an engaged, passionate community, and hundreds of ecological projects (houses and renovations) realized within it. But my most recent accomplishment is Oasis Eastman, a shining example of a building of the future. Entirely autonomous energetically, made of natural materials, and promoting coliving, a way to save resources and gain comfort through sharing space, in collaboration with Spa Eastman. A huge project of 4 innovative buildings, partially funded by the government of Quebec.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being responsible for other humans. When things go south, I worry for my team. I am deeply concerned for their economic security and well-being, their happiness in their work, and helping them create their dream lifestyle. Balancing profitability and ethics, a need to do things well for people and the environment is also a challenge.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Educate yourself, and never stop. Read, take classes, participate in masterminds and entrepreneurs reunions, and never stop learning about how to make your business better.
- Go lean. Simplify and optimize as you go. You'll save time, money, and a lot of headaches. Take time to choose tools and processes that can scale up and sustain you as you grow.
- Communicate. Never let small conflicts and frictions fester. Spend time with your team and offer people a safe space to talk to you.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://solutionera.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solutionera/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solution.era/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/solution-era/
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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