What exactly does Antoine do for work? ….

People are a little confused, and I can understand why.

Recently, in discussions with some friends and past colleagues, I am realizing that my career path might be leaving some of you a little confused about what I do today and how we might be able to collaborate together (I really like working with friends). So, I thought I would take the time to share with you where I am at today in my career.

Interestingly enough, those who know me from high school and university will probably see where I have landed today, like a full circle. Not interested in knowing where I am at today? No worries, but best to skip this post.

Here goes.

I have 2 primary focuses for the next decade of my career and here is a high-level overview:

1) Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle choice

After returning to the life of an entrepreneur (from a path of not-for-profit and the federal government), I realized to what extent this lifestyle is right for me. It was a relief to have this realization. This led me to want to help others change the way we look and talk about launching a business, help people ask the right questions to make sure that entrepreneurship and their business idea is right for them for long-term success and happiness.

I have developed an approach that helps change the way we look at entrepreneurship, moving it from another job to a lifestyle. It’s about understanding that it’s something we choose to live, not just the new sexy trend, the thing to do. And to do this well, we have to focus on the entrepreneur who is looking at launching the business.

I help people understand the realities of being an entrepreneur, choose the lifestyle, and set the right foundation for success. I also focus on the person who is launching the business, as they are the engine behind the journey – this is the unique conversation. This is how I help people and entrepreneurship centres/programs succeed, as most of the existing support is about setting the right plan, marketing, research, mvp, etc. but not on setting a strong foundation for the individuals.

And this is a glimpse of working with someone who has high Risk and Disruptor talent (Builder Profile 10 assessment).

2) Personal and team development focusing on the positive, not what is missing

As many of you know, I come from a world of competitive sports (soccer & skiing) and these experiences taught me to focus on where I was good, where I had natural talent and where I was able to use my instincts to help me succeed. I understood that these are the areas where you can be at your best and make your greatest impact. I have been using this information to help me with my work and career (sometimes with a little too much honesty).

So, this is what I do – I help people discover what are their natural talents and how they instinctively filter the world. I help them see that this is what makes people great and unique. This is how they can be at their best. This is how they make their best contribution to a team. I accomplish this using a tool that has been around for decades called CliftonStrengths, or Strengthsfinder.

I love delivering workshops and seeing the “aha” moments when people discover their reports and then click with their themes. I love helping people understand that fixing what is missing only avoids having problems, but this does not actually allow us to achieve our best and greatest. I love seeing people who now feel like it is OK to be themselves - to be who they are, not what is missing. These are such powerful moments. They are such impactful realizations. It is such a pleasure to be able to coach people on their journey to be their best selves.

And then, seeing those same people better understand the people they work with, and what makes their colleagues tick. To start to understand that although it may not seem like it, sometimes their colleagues might be saying the same thing as them, just using a different filter to express themselves.

This is what I do now.

This is where my path has taken me, and where I find my energy and joy. Both of my focuses are aimed at helping others gain greater awareness and inspiring them to choose the right path and as a result, to be happy. They are both done through workshops, seminars, presentations and coaching. They are both focused on the individual being themselves, their best selves.

I still manage projects/events through these two areas (development and entrepreneurship) but this is no longer the primary focus - it's now a tool. Managing projects is more about helping create great programs, training opportunities and unique moments.

So, all that to say, here are the people I help:

If they want to focus on themselves and move to the next level,

If they want to better understand how to make their team shine and to support them,

If they want to explore being their own boss,

If they are looking for support in entrepreneurship and the creation of businesses,

If they are considering a pivot in their business or their career,

This is how I help.

I hope this helps clarify what I am doing with the next decades of my life. I hope this helps clarify where I am focusing and what I am trying to achieve. You are seeing this as you are part of my social network and I thought you’d like to better understand me, and what I do each and every day.

Still confused, let me know! If you have any questions, reach out. Think we could work together, PM me. Either way, I’d love to chat with you.

Thanks for reading to the end. I appreciate your time.

Wishing you success, happiness and health for 2021!

Antoine