In honour of the United Nations’ International Year of Cooperatives, we’ve been spotlighting a number of Québec cooperatives throughout the year. For this mini-interview with L’Atelier Touristique in the Eastern Townships, we interviewed Jessie Jolin, the co-op’s communications and content strategist. Specializing in communications and tourism, L’Atelier Touristique is celebrating its first anniversary on November 26. Happy anniversary!
Why did you choose the cooperative model (and the specific type of cooperative you chose, e.g., solidarity, worker, producer, user, etc.)?
For us, choosing a collective business model—the worker cooperative—was a natural choice from the very beginning of L’Atelier Touristique for many reasons! First of all, the cooperative movement embodies the values of collaboration, solidarity, and fairness. Social economy enterprises form such a rich, generous, and close-knit community, and the team of L’Atelier Touristique identifies strongly with this!
Second, there’s the idea of horizontal governance. We really appreciate making decisions collectively and distributing authority and responsibilities equitably. In doing so, we develop our autonomy and deepen our sense of belonging to our company. It’s very rewarding to work this way. We also wanted to create our own jobs with an environment and working conditions that reflect who we are and that value us.
What has been the biggest challenge in the process of starting and/or running the cooperative?
For a start-up cooperative, or any business for that matter, one of the biggest challenges is, undoubtedly, profitability. Of course, prior budget forecasting is an essential and unavoidable exercise. But once the foundations of the business are laid and things start to “run smoothly,” reality catches up with the forecasts—and they aren’t always a perfect match! Financial stress is, therefore, a considerable challenge. Yet, it’s precisely at this moment that you need to be at your strongest and put in even more effort while staying focused on the company’s vision.
What is the best advice you received or the advice you would give someone else who is considering starting a cooperative?
The best advice? Believe strongly in your project and put in the necessary effort! Surround yourself with the right people, take advantage of every opportunity to network and raise your profile, meet with partners and stakeholders in your community, and make good use of all available resources. Recently, an advisor from the Coopérative de développement régional du Québec told us that you shouldn’t give up before you’ve passed the three-year mark, as these three years are often the most difficult. Her advice: persevere!
What are you most proud of about your cooperative?
It is a great source of pride to see an idea transformed into a project and to see that project become a reality! We are proud to have established a cooperative that reflects our values and continues to grow, fueled by our passion for tourism and communications and by our efforts to promote it. In a year, we have already accomplished a great deal and are proud to have earned the trust of many stakeholders in the tourism and cooperative sectors. As members of the Memphrémagog Chamber of Commerce, the Pôle d’entrepreneuriat collectif de l’Estrie, and Réseau COOP, we are actively involved in our community because we believe in the strength of this model and want to contribute to its development. Since starting out, we have received several prestigious awards, including the Réseau d’investissement social du Québec’s Coup de Coeur award and the Réseau COOP Prix révolution Big Bang, presented to a newly launched cooperative. We were also a local winner in the OSEntreprendre challenge. In short, we are encouraged to continue our efforts and our involvement!
The theme of this year is Cooperatives Build a Better World, and we believe this change starts in our communities. How does your cooperative make your community a better place to be?
First and foremost, it benefits us, the three members of the cooperative, by providing us with work that aligns with our values, contributes to our well-being, and fosters our personal growth. Our cooperative also allows all tourism businesses and organizations to benefit from an ethical, transparent communications agency that listens to its clients’ needs and objectives. We work to showcase all the treasures that make up the vast tourism experience in Québec (and beyond!)—and, by extension, the people who create these treasures—in the most creative, effective, and responsible way possible. Furthermore, our approach helps value people and the efforts they put into their work, increasing a sense of pride within the community.
Our approach also encourages networking and collaboration between businesses, a practice that has the potential to strengthen community ties. We also believe that a better world includes sustainable and responsible tourism, which must be built on responsible and sustainable communications. Encouraging regional businesses, focusing on the circular economy, valuing local communities, ensuring an educational role to raise awareness, representing reality without stereotypes or exaggerations—these are all actions that L’Atelier Touristique wants to prioritize as it carries out its work in tourism promotion.
Curious to learn more?
To learn more about L’Atelier Touristique, please check out their website, their LinkedIn page, and their Facebook page.
