Our graduates from the 2024 cohort of the EMBA McGill-HEC Montreal share their visions of success and their perspective on the Executive MBA program.
Dominique Voyer
EMBA 2024
Pharmacist Owner
Entrepreneur
How do you define success?
It is particularly interesting to see not only how they responded in today’s current social and political environment but how their definition has evolved over time. Just like the CEOs that I interviewed, my definition of success has evolved. Looking back in old journals, I found a definition of success that I had written which included the notions of being excited to wake up and go to work everyday, to have financial ease, to be able do something that I love that provides me with challenges and problems to solve. Upon completion of my paper, I realized that my old definition was not entirely in line with my values.
My new definition now includes the importance of having a positive outlook, of making sure that all voices are heard and that my values are in line with the objectives of my work. I strongly believe that if we create an environment where our employees have the opportunity to shine and be at their “best”, the rest will fall into place; the financial results and growth will be the natural result.
In your opinion, what is your greatest success to date? Can you share an experience or a project that represents a true success story in your career?
My greatest success was creating professional relationships with the Cree communities in the James Bay as well as the Nunavik Health Board.
The story began on a cold November evening when I walked over to the Northern Module, a residence where the patients of the Inuit community would stay while receiving medical care in Montreal and spoke with the receptionist Sharon. From this one friendly encounter came several relationships that have grown over the past decade. While building these relationships, I had my franchiser telling me that I was wasting my time, that this type of business does not fit into the franchise mould and that they would not support me. Despite the criticism and lack of support, I kept on.
I have learned many lessons from this success with the most significant being to trust your instincts and to not stop because you no longer fit the mould that someone else is so desperately trying to keep you in.
Looking ahead, what impact would you like to have?
It is now time to close this chapter of my professional life and open another. I am fully committed to working with the Inuit and Cree communities to improve their living conditions and accessibility to health care. I look forward to finding a new way to champion this cause.
How would you describe your EMBA experience to a potential candidate?
To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.
This is what my EMBA experience has given me. I came into the program with almost 20 years of entrepreneur experience and I realized from the start that I had so much to learn. Your blind sports and biases have a way of keeping you in the dark and the EMBA program allows you to remove your blinders and help you realize some of the many things that you don’t know. I also learned the importance of listening more than speaking and remaining truly curious to new ideas, concepts and points of view.
I would strongly encourage anyone who is currently thinking to themselves “this can’t be all that I have to give/learn/do” to embark on the EMBA journey. You won’t regret it.
