Benoit Gagnon

Meeting with a seasoned businessman

We know him well as a radio and television host, but Benoît Gagnon is also a seasoned businessman. Involved in several businesses and acting as a real estate investor, he works seven days a week. But he doesn't complain about it, quite the contrary! Because he does things he loves. We met him around a table at the Joséphine restaurant in Montreal to talk about his career as an entrepreneur.

WHERE DOES THIS TASTE FOR BUSINESS COME FROM?

I don't come from a family of entrepreneurs. My father was a police officer with the Sûreté du Québec and my mother took care of my brother and me for a long time before working as a director in a major polling firm. But around me, I had friends whose parents were business people. In the summer, they went to Europe, and at Christmas, they went on a cruise or to Disney while we stayed home. I said to myself that their life looked like fun! But of course, at the time, I only saw the good side of entrepreneurship. As I grew up, I continued to be drawn to the business field, and I believed that if I was surrounded by the right people, I could succeed. I then launched myself with friends into creating bars, restaurants and production companies. I gained experience, I made mistakes, some good shots too. It started like that.

TODAY, YOU ARE INVOLVED IN TWO COMPANIES SPECIALIZED IN THE FIELD OF GAMING, TRYANGLE GAMING AND PLAYJEUX STUDIOS. WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Tryangle Gaming offers online and casino games. This company has been around for thirteen years, and this is the first year we're going to make money with it [smiles]. It now benefits from cutting-edge technologies developed by PlayJeux Studios, a company in which I am also involved. Specializing in the creation and uploading of games for casinos, this company offers a 360-degree experience. This means that you can play on a phone, on television, online or even on site at the casino.

WITH FRIENDS AND YOUR BROTHER, YOU ARE ALSO CO-OWNER OF THE AMIRAL BRASSERIE, WHICH PRODUCES INCLUDING GIN ALE…

We have nine beers on the market. We are the first to have created a beer, Gin Ale, which has gin aromatics. There's no gin in it, but it's made with the same spices, which gives it an incredible flavor and smell. It is still our best seller today, and it is distributed in more than 1000 points of sale in Quebec. Soon we will attempt a breakthrough in the United States.

YOU HAVE RECENTLY BEEN A SHAREHOLDER IN EAU ALTITUDE. WHY ARE YOU ENGAGED IN THIS PROJECT?

This is the first premium canned spring water in Quebec. It is an excellent alternative for those who want to drink natural spring water while being environmentally friendly since there is no plastic packaging.

FOR A FEW YEARS, YOU HAVE ALSO BEEN A REAL ESTATE INVESTOR. WHAT ATTRACTS YOU TO THIS ENVIRONMENT?

I have always been interested in real estate. It's a complex area, and the market is more difficult than before, but I'm lucky to have experienced people around me who protect me from bad decisions. Because in this industry, you can lose everything if you don't act intelligently. I have a family, I don't want to take unnecessary risks. In business, I strongly believe in the concept of team.

DID YOU GO INTO BUSINESS TO ADDRESS THE UNPREDICTABLE SIDE OF THE MEDIA WORLD?

It's true that on radio and television, we are always sitting in an ejection seat. But I've been working there for thirty-four years and it's never stopped me, otherwise I would have lived in fear. The last results of my show were very good, but I never take anything for granted. I continue to work very hard. I also maintain the special relationship I have with my audience, because it's like in a couple's relationship, you have to talk to each other for it to work. For example, when someone asks me a question on social media, I take the time to answer them. I think it's the least we can do. As I have 70 subscribers, that can be quite a few messages [laughs]!

WHAT PARALLEL DO YOU DRAW BETWEEN YOUR WORK ON RADIO AND BUSINESS?

Working live, on TV or radio, without a safety net, it's exhilarating. In business, it's the same thing. You can have a great concept and a good product, but until you test it in the market, you don't know what the audience's response will be. I like this dizziness, I like having the female dog! This is probably also why I am passionate about car racing!

You can find Benoît Gagnon on Rouge FM from Monday to Thursday from 13 p.m. to 15:55 p.m. then from 18 p.m. to 19:30 p.m., and Fridays from 16 p.m. to 19:30 p.m. Benoît is also at the helm of Survivor Québec in overtime ! Sunday at 19:30 p.m. on Noovo.