Since his early childhood, Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge has developed in the artistic scene as an actor, animator and director. Over time, he discovered his talent for entrepreneurship. A gambler like his father, he converted his interest in risk-taking into business. In his projects he sometimes experienced successes, sometimes failures, but he sees each of these phases as normal and part of the process.
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Guillaume, this is your third year at the helm of Masked singerswhose proposal once again seems highly spectacular!
Yes, because the primary desire of all team members is to provide the best possible performance with our resources, our decor and our skills. The masked people have the same wish. Of all the projects I have worked on in my life, this is the one I feel the most passion for!
They also return to the animation of If we loved each other with your lover, Emily…
Yes. It’s the classic edition that returns for a third season. It will be delicious again! We saw if we still loved each other with existing couples who wanted to improve their situation. It’s very helpful, but I have to say that there is something unique about the show If We Loved Each Other in its own way. We would be happy to have her with us again. It’s a completely different energy. These are couples who form and get to know each other. The problems and challenges are not the same. Once again the participants are generous. They present themselves as they are. They will make us laugh and cry. It’s really a good season!
Julien Faugere
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Whether we are single or in a relationship, the show makes us think about life as a couple and our expectations…
Yes, because as the saying goes: the more you know, the more you know that you don’t know anything. I believe that we will never have fully explored the relationship between people. Louise (Sigouin) explains the participants’ behavior clearly and logically. And that allows us to understand our own patterns, our strengths and our weaknesses. That’s what I love about this show. It helps me in my life as a couple, my personal life and my relationships in general. By recognizing character traits in others, it helps me get to know myself. That’s what I like.
Let’s talk about the second season of the show Without a plan. What do you have in store for us this time?
We will discover Gaspésie in a completely different way. Instead of visiting it, we will start crazy projects there like the ones Emily and I are used to. We do them with locals. They are friendly, generous and efficient. We are renovating a gas-o-bar, a type of supermarket that we bought to remodel. Emily says straight from the start that she’s not interested! But ultimately she gets involved. We also discuss the history of this building because we found out that it is a historic building. We thought it was just an old garage, but we realized that the building was used for many purposes… I won’t say more. In Gaspé I also had the crazy project of starting a parasailing activity.
And you succeeded!
Yes, but it was just as complicated as trying to get the famous A38 pass from the house that drives you crazy in The 12 Tasks of Asterix! (laughs) We see all the phases of the project and how we managed to launch this activity, which is the first of its kind in Quebec. This approach is very modern. My main goal was to start this company. I’ll see what I do next. Emily said to me: “You and your crazy ideas! Could you calm down a bit?” (laughs) His favorite project is his Madame Émile Gin. She created the recipe herself with the team at the O’Dwyer Gaspé distillery. In the show we see all phases of his development. Meanwhile we went tuna and salmon fishing. We explored Gaspésie with all its beauties!
Julien Faugere
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You are truly an entrepreneur at heart. Do you fully accept this aspect of your personality?
Yes, I accept it and as I get older it is an increasingly strong theme. I’m like a pre-retiree who has only done one job his whole life: acting, animating and directing. I don’t see myself as an artist, but as a “performer”. But what I enjoy most is sometimes starting extraordinary projects. I’m not very keen on starting a business I don’t like just to make money. I founded a skydiving company, an Aerodium, a parasailing project… I want to propose new television concepts. I don’t want to do something that already exists; otherwise it would have to be different. So yes, I’m an entrepreneur, but I’m not a real businessman. Once the project is started, I share it with others, but I can view it whenever I want. I like starting a project, but not running a company.
Her parents were not entrepreneurs in life. Were there people you met growing up who inspired you?
I don’t think there were any entrepreneurs near me… I always liked having projects and implementing them. I have often been wrong. When I was younger I dreamed of racing. I bought a racing car to go to Saint-Eustache, but I never drove it. I took the first steps, but didn’t realize my dream. I don’t mind admitting I was wrong. After I completed my flying course, I bought an airplane and flew a helicopter. I followed this dream to the end. I loved! I dreamed of flying people into an aerodium. I managed to get this project off the ground, but I failed to turn it into a lucrative and viable business. But I did it anyway.
Julien Faugere
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What paralyzes people in general is the fear of making a mistake. This fear doesn’t seem to bother you…
I have the fault of my quality and the quality of my fault: I don’t think too much. I follow my impulses. This means I can make good moves but also make mistakes. You have to be able to endure that. When we make a big mistake and also experience a more difficult time in another area of our life, it can put a huge burden on our shoulders. Despite all this, I generally stick with people who have made very good and very bad moves, rather than those who are thoughtful, calm, strategic and methodical. I’m not like that. My strength is different. I’m moving before I’ve even spoken to business people who could have told me the project will be complicated. If I had thought about it, we wouldn’t be talking about parasailing today…
You are ultimately instinctive…
Yes. I am an instinctive person who accepts being wrong.
Are you one of those who believe that failure is necessary for success?
Actually I don’t think so; I understand it! I’m not saying that all entrepreneurs have to fail, but when I read and research the topic, I see that many of them say that they have had difficulties. If you’re a bit playful, this might happen to you sooner or later. I am a gamer. I turned my father’s illness into something healthier and positive. Instead of giving my money to the government by putting it into slot machines, I give it in the form of taxes. This way I have more fun and share it with others. I’m also better at putting out fires than at discussing a project at the table. That’s also why I prefer directing series like “District 31”, “30 Lives” or “Unit 9” rather than making a film where we have to think and prepare well in advance.
If we accept our own mistakes, are we parents giving our children the right to make mistakes?
Every time I talk to my children, I try to share with them what I think I understand about life, while also making it clear to them that I don’t necessarily have the truth. I talked to two of my sons about school. I told them it was a must. I, who didn’t go to school, told them that if they didn’t go to school, they would have to take a different path. Our society needs a secondary level 5. That is the basis. I want to remind the young people I lecture to in schools that we can make choices, and it is up to us to make joyful choices that allow us to find happiness. Figuring out what you want to do in life is trial and error. If you know in your heart what you want to be, chances are you’ll have it in your head when you grow up. But in the meantime, give yourself the right to try lots of things. You have to try it. So yeah, I try to do that with my kids. That being said, I’m far from a perfect father. I do my best, like everyone else…
Julien Faugere
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You need a courageous life partner who will support you in all your projects with nerves of steel…
I think that in life we need someone who complements us. If I was with someone who had the same outlook on life as me, she would really get on my nerves! Even if Emily were with someone exactly like her, I don’t think she would be any happier. We complement each other, but we absolutely need to understand each other’s philosophy. You have to be yourself and at the same time understand that the other person is not in the same place. Sometimes she looks down at me and asks, ‘Are you serious? Is that in your head?’ When she tells me I’m on the field, it forces me to think. She has to navigate a path through my madness and I have to understand her process. That’s why we manage to come together, even if we are fundamentally different.
Masked singersSunday 7 p.m. on TVA, starting September 17th.
If we loved each otherMonday to Thursday 7:30 p.m. on TVA, starting September 11th.
The second season Without a plan will be presented on the Vrai platform in 2024.