At 15, Nicolas Bouchard bought his first house. He founded DuProprio at 21 and retired at 39, a year ahead of schedule.
“I should have just told myself that by the time I’m 40, I’ll be financially free. Because I work all the time! What inspires me is being together with other entrepreneurs. I’m one of those men who has to work to keep from dying,” says the man, who is now committed to helping other entrepreneurs grow.
Nicolas is the guy who gives his time and experience while imagining that his achievements were just opportunities seized while he was able to be brilliantly innovative. He is humble even if his track record is impressive.
In recent years he has built La Ruche, a non-profit organization specializing in crowdfunding and helping companies to start up. La Ruche had a presence in five Quebec regions after taking office in 2019 and now has a presence in 13, and its revenue has increased by 230%. More than 80% of campaigns reached their goal in 2022 thanks to the support of the team.
Nicolas has been an ambassador for the organization since its creation in 2009 by Jean-Sébastien Noël. As he left management, Nicolas raised his hand. He wanted to step in for six months and stayed for three years. He has been CEO since last summer.
“I set fire to La Ruche! Afterwards, someone had to organize the teams well,” says the entrepreneur, who has the fiber of a builder but not that of a manager.
Limitless
Nicolas Bouchard sees the possibilities and makes things happen without erecting barriers. He is like his father who was a lumberjack before becoming a broker who ended his career ranked first in the world for the number of transactions completed at Remax.
Thanks to his father’s contacts, Nicolas found himself working on construction sites, laying wooden floors and running his first small business. After five years and a trip abroad, he returned to work with his father and photographed the houses he was putting up for sale to post on a website. And when he took the photos, he saw all the posters in the residential areas that were for sale directly from the owner.
“Half of the transactions were completed without an agent using hardware store signs. I saw the opportunity to give birth to DuProprio. We organized an unorganized market. But I feel like a scammer when people tell me it’s innovative…” he says.
And yet! He wanted to work with his brother, sister and the team he was building at the time to come up with a practical solution to make selling without an agent easier. Even better, a company that is revered by its customers because 99% were willing to recommend DuProprio, delighted with customer service.
Sell and reinvent yourself
When Nicolas sold in 2015, the company was across the country and its founder felt ready to build a log cabin in the woods.
“But I was afraid of the void, afraid of being forgotten. The fear of losing touch is very strong when it’s over, and I experienced a kind of depression,” said the one who also accompanied his mother through the illness at the time.
Nicolas had a wife, children, a house by the river with no neighbors: key elements of his happiness, everything he dreamed of. But he also needed to feel useful again, which he hadn’t counted on.
We ended up coming to him for advice and investments and today Nicolas is a partner in around fifteen companies. Beyond the money, he supports them to grow.
The hyperactive in him is constantly seeking a balance between business, family, friends and travel.
“I’m very privileged, but I often forget to breathe through my nose!”
The Beehive
- Founding year: 2009
- Founder: Jean-Sebastien Noël
- Seat of the head office: Quebec
- Field of activity : help for companies
- Number of employees : 50
Profile of Nicolas Bouchard
- Work : Chairman of the Board of Directors of La Ruche
- Age : 47 years
- Education: secondary studies
