One of Canada’s most inspiring entrepreneurs, Andréanne Marquis, was first discovered through Occupation Double, a very popular reality show in Quebec a few years ago. Since then, she has not only won over her many Instagram followers, but she has also launched an amazing online store: Womance. It’s impossible not to notice the spirit, passion and intelligence behind this young woman, and that’s why we selected her as our latest #WomenInspringWomen subject.
Are you more of a morning person or a night owl?
Definitely a morning person!
What’s the item do you love most in your wardrobe?
Loose and comfortable pants.
Where do you go for drinks?
Cinderella in Quebec City.
What are your favourite places to shop?
Galeries de la Capitale in Quebec City or online at Womance, obviously.
Who is your female role model?
Christiane Germain (Founder of the Le Germain hotel chain).
High heels or flats?
Flats
What makes you smile?
Womance. She is demanding, but she has allowed me to become the woman I am today and I am increasingly proud of her.
What do you think is the biggest challenge women still face in 2019?
To be taken ‘seriously’. I think a large majority of people do not think we can be as successful as a man.
What place would you like to visit on your next trip?
Italy.
Do you have a mantra or life motto?
I always say to the girls in the office, “We don’t save lives.” We don’t have to be so serious; it’s all about the fun!
What’s the item that never leaves your purse?
My Collin lip balm.
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What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I’m not a big fan of social media. I forget to post and be present. Sometimes my team always says to me: It’s been 5 days since you died socially. Post something!
What would you like to do more often?
To see my family.
What advice would you give to women today?
To allow yourself to be who you are. That it is possible to not be like everyone else and that is fine. Spending a lifetime trying to be what our Instagram feed asks us to be is long and boring.
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What advice would you give to those who dream of starting a business?
To let their instincts and naivety guide them. Personally, it helped me a lot to accept that I had all the skills that I needed to move forward even though I was young and I did not have years of experience in retail. You also have to be humble and not hesitate to use the different platforms and tools that are available to you, like Indeed. It’s super important to surround yourself with the right people to grow your business and at first I didn’t know anything about human resources. That’s why I advise women entrepreneurs to use the tools available to them, so they can invest their time elsewhere in their company, as I did with Womance.
How did you get the idea to create Womance? What motivated you, inspired you in the first place?
The idea was pretty simple. In 2015, influencer marketing did not exist. Companies were always willing to give us a lot of clothes to wear on social media, but they never wanted to pay us. It was not a custom thing. So, I thought, I’m going to buy the clothes, wear them and sell them! Simple idea at the base that proved much more complicated!
