Is there a "good time" for getting into business? The answer is "no". There is no magic moment for starting a business. In general, it is a mixture of circumstances, luck and a lot of work.
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The next question, if you are a parent of young children, is: Should I get into business now? Because if there is a time when everything does not seem to line up for starting a business, it's when you have your hands full of diapers!

Surprisingly, from our own experience as entrepreneurs-parents, it's not easier or more difficult to get into business with or without children. It's all about adapting. The human being adapts according to his environment. Without children, we work like crazy 12 to 15 hours a day for our startup. With children, we work less, but perhaps more effectively, because we learn to juggle all the challenges of being parents.

We learned several lessons from our creation of Bouge Petit. When we started the business, our youngest was only a few weeks old and our oldest one and a half years old. We certainly had our hands full! But our new project, the creation of Bouge Petit, has brought us a beneficial side to our family life. Having a project, in parallel to caring for the children, made each day a stimulating one. It was not just a matter of diapers!

We would go so far as to say: is there not a better time to go into business than when you become parents? For example, during maternity leave, this gives an opportunity to start a small business. A hobby or passion can become the subject of a business plan. A few hours a day well used can lead away.

Warning: everything is not pink and it is difficult to manage family and business. You have to surround yourself with people of trust and become an expert in managing your schedule. It is also necessary to determine your level of risk, because success is never guaranteed in advance. But you still have to get out of your comfort zone to get into business.

Now that several months have passed since the opening of Bouge Petit, we are confident that becoming parents and entrepreneurs is not only a dream, but can become a reality for many. Life already changes with a child, so why not take advantage of it to change your professional life too? You must remain realistic, but you must know how to be audacious. This mix can take you far!

Follow our "Founders' Posts" to find out more about our experience as entrepreneurs in Quebec. They are published on our blog and shared on social media. Thank you for your interest!

Benjamin & Paula
Founders

Parents of two young children of 3 years and 1 and a half, we have been very busy for more than a year. You can see on the photo the result of our work: our café and physical activity center Bouge Petit. This is a first post to share our experience as entrepreneurs. Our goal is simple: to inspire others, including parents, in entrepreneurship.

Bouge Petit is the result of two things: a continuity of our business expertise and our new needs as parents. This is our first experience with a physical business (Brick-and-mortar). Bouge Petit is born out of our desire to offer a safe, stimulating, beautiful, creative and friendly environment for toddlers and their parents.

Since the opening of Bouge Petit, we have adapted to better meet the needs of our customers. Our concept has been refined and has evolved. We believe that what is important when starting a business is to be able to adjust its business model. The paper-based model is never the final model.

Certainly, the most important quality of an entrepreneur is to be willing to take risks. This risk is increased tenfold when it comes to a physical business, where you have to pay rent, employees, taxes, supplies, food, permits and so on. According to the "Taux de survie des nouvelles entreprises au Québec" study of the Ministry of Economic Development, one in four companies does not reach the second year of existence. This is understandable because new businesses are less competitive at the outset. We salute all those entrepreneurs who take the risk each day of opening a retail business, restaurant or other business of this type.

Today, with social media, it is even more important to stand out from the start, as few companies have a second chance. You have to know how to communicate with customers. Integrity in business is essential for the successful development of a business. Customers know how to recognize a company that works hard to deliver quality service.
There is much to be said. Entrepreneurship is a passion for us and we will be happy to share more with you on a regular basis. It is difficult, particularly in Quebec, to get into business, but we believe that this opportunity is present for all. Starting your business can become a reality for those who are willing to put work, energy and passion into it. We hope that the lessons learned from our own experiences with Bouge Petit will inspire you to start your business and make you choose to become parents entrepreneurs!

Other "Founders’ Post" will be written according to our experiences. They will be published on our blog and shared on social media. Thank you for your interest!

Paula & Benjamin
​Founders

​Une version française est disponible.