Isabelle Havasy, Mechanical business management, Portrait of the automotive mechanic industry
LOUISE VINET, A FULFILLED ENTREPRENEUR
(Article published in L’Automobile magazine, June 2023)
By Isabelle Havasy
Louise Vinet and Jean Duchesneau are co-owners of Centre Beaumont pneus et mécanique on Jean-Talon Street West. Married for 40 years, they have dedicated just as many years to work side by side.
Ms. Vinet proudly recounts her “great entrepreneurial adventure” in the automotive industry, where, she says, “everyone can find their place and be happy.” Before making the leap into this industry, “we each had our own field,” says Ms. Vinet. “I was a real estate agent, with a background in accounting, and Jean was a policeman. But we wanted to have a business, to build something.” Their immersion in this world began when they teamed up with a friend who owned a garage, and they’ve been immersed in this “beautiful field” ever since.
Putting Employees and Customers First
“Our passion is our customers, and above all our employees. On average, they have some twenty years’ service, but some have been with us for almost four decades!” Over the years, the couple have forged close ties with both their staff and their customers. “It’s rewarding to offer good service and develop a loyal and satisfied clientele. That’s why we’ve always enjoyed working for our company.”
While Mr. Duchesneau mainly manages everything to do with operations and human resources, Ms. Vinet oversees administration and accounting. “That was my field, my strength. That’s why I naturally took charge of that department.” Although each member of the team tackles the tasks in which he or she excels, “We make decisions together,” adds Ms. Vinet.
United by Common Interests
In recent years, Ms. Vinet has been working much less in the field, but she continues to take an interest in everything that goes on in the workshop. The topic occupies a central place in their conversations. “For a couple, it’s wonderful to have the same passion, the same goal.” These shared interests have made it easier for them to get through the many years when the duo worked tirelessly day, evening and weekend. Today, “we work a lot less. We do it for pleasure, out of love for our employees and our customers. We carry on because we still love it, for the same reasons that drove us in the first place.”
After selling off a number of workshops to keep only the one in Town of Mount Royal five years ago, “we thought about stopping and retiring. But our employees weren’t ready to retire. We didn’t feel like stopping altogether either.” Ms. Vinet explains that thanks to their team of “very professional, efficient and trustworthy employees,” the co-owners now enjoy greater freedom. Although the business continues to occupy an important place in their lives, they now devote their free time to other activities, including volunteering.
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