Luc Poirier

Conjugate avoir and être

Founder and president of the Poirier company, Luc Poirier is a successful businessman, particularly in the real estate sector. He made headlines in 2023 after cashing in $220 million in profits by selling, with partners, land to Northvolt. But who is behind the visionary entrepreneur? What are his dreams? What does he do when he's not working? That's what we wanted to know by meeting him.

WHEN DID YOU GET THE ENTREPRENEURIAL FIBRE?

At 14. I wanted to join hockey, but my mother couldn't afford to pay for my lessons. She was on welfare. So I started selling and trading hockey cards in schoolyards. I sold them to friends and adults too. Then I started my first computer store at 18. It was so successful that I left university a year later to open two more. I then sold them to my brother and went into real estate.

IS IT DIFFICULT FOR AN ENTREPRENEUR TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND PERSONAL LIFE?

You shouldn't be a slave to money. Often, entrepreneurs want to do more to earn more, have a cottage, a big car. I'm not looking to make more money. I could have stopped working a long time ago, but I love what I do. I especially like taking on challenges. When people tell me "it's impossible," it motivates me! I now work eight months a year.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING?

I participate in, among other things, IRONMANs. My goal is to do all the IRONMANs in North and South America. Also, last September, I cycled 1600 km across Quebec with the Grand Tour D'écoles to raise funds for the Christian Vachon Foundation. I try to stay in shape. In the winter, I ski and snowboard with my wife and children. We also love to travel. We went as a family to the Paris Olympics last July.

DO YOU SEE A PARALLEL BETWEEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SPORT?

Yes, in both cases, it's a question of mindset. The endurance sports I practice last 12, 13 or 14 hours. You need a strong mind. You're alone with yourself. I like to surpass myself at work and in sports. I only learned to swim two years ago. I would like to cross a large body of water, like the crossing of Lake St-Jean.

WHAT DOES MONEY MEAN TO YOU?

Freedom. My daughter is hard of hearing. Thanks to our means, we were able to take better care of her. Also, I can choose to work whenever I want. But money has not changed me. My mother always told me: "Remember where you come from!"

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO PASS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN?

My mother stopped working to raise my two brothers and me. She was very present. It was a choice on her part. For her, the important thing was that we were well raised even if we were poor. I also want to be there for my children. If they later have a partner they love and a job they are passionate about, I will be happy.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNGER VERSION OF YOURSELF?

Courage, vision, passion, which is the title of my latest book*. Courage, because there is nothing easy in life. Vision, because you have to act differently from others, see the big trends, be open to the world. I read the news a lot. I soak up what is happening in the world. And passion, because you always have to do everything with passion.

YOU GIVE A LOT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, IS IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED POVERTY?

Yeah, probably. We had Christmas baskets when I was growing up, we would go to church basements to get food. I saw my mom volunteer for all sorts of foundations. Ever since I started making more money, which is about seven years ago, I've been giving back to the community. And it's funny, the more I give, the more it comes back to me. My business has exploded. This year, I gave easily into the seven figures. But I don't just give money. I also give my time. I'm going to take almost 30 days this year to volunteer.

DO YOU STILL HAVE DREAMS?

I try to keep my child's heart. I like learning. I returned to study at HEC in 2020 to get a master's degree. I read a lot. My dream is simple: that my loved ones stay healthy. I have 58 cars. But if I didn't have any more, it wouldn't change anything. I also want to continue doing what I love, developing new projects. My motivation has never been money. I was passionate about computers and that made me open shops. I never said to myself "I want to become a millionaire". Most entrepreneurs want to be free with their time and be their own boss. Money comes after, if you succeed in doing what you do well.

To see his projects, please visit the www.poirier.com.

*Courage, vision, passion: advice from two generations, published in 2019 and co-written with Jacques Lépine (ed. Un monde Différent).