Sylvain Joannette has two official businesses: Les Productions Numériques Artes and Artes Media and has been in business for over 15 years. Amongst many ongoing ventures, Sylvain has two very important projects underway. Virtual-Hall (which he is Partner in development), is a virtual commercial center where consumers, professionals and merchants will be able to connect and do business together in a secure and fun environment. His other project is the newest version of The Orion Project which will offer many different options and upgrades for his current and future clients.
Here is what Sylvain had to say…
Question: When did you start your business?
Answer: I have been self employed in various different businesses since 1995. My current business has been in existence since 2008.
Question: What motivated you to start your business?
Answer: I’m always in search of new challenges. Working has an employee didn’t satisfy me and didn’t challenge me enough. Having a lot of expertise in my field, I wanted to share my knowledge with people and wanted to be able to help them achieve their own goals. Also, in 2004, my wife Nathalie was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). To be able to provide her with the help she needed, I knew that the best and most flexible solution would be to work from home.
Question: What is your main service/product or expertise?
Answer: My specialty is to create personalized online software for entrepreneurs and businesses. Most of the time, already made software is created with a general concept in mind and includes basic tools to satisfy the masses. This is why I created The Orion Project, a customized professional web Content Management System (CMS).
Orion has for the most part all of the tools you will find in any CMS package such as blogs, newsletter generator, page creator, etc. The difference is that you can also order additional tools that are totally particular to your company. As an example, if you need a tool related specifically to the Real Estate industry, we will take the time to discuss your precise needs, develop it and make it available through The Orion Project. The software can be adapted in any way you wish. This means that you don't have to use multiple software to accomplish your goals…everything is available in one single place and only have one company to contact for support or service. Having been in the multimedia field for more than 20 years, we can also develop any custom graphics base on your specifications.
Question: Who is your target market?
Answer: Any kind of small, medium and large businesses who are looking to maximize their online visibility with customized tools.
Question: What is the one thing you wish you would have known when you first started out?
Answer: WOW…a lot of things :-) but the main one would be that you have to be really careful with people you partner up with. Most of the time, they don’t have the same vision has yours and it creates conflicts and can end up in disaster. This is one of the most important things I’ve learned.
Question: How do you define success?
Answer: Being recognized has a professional company who can deliver what consumers want and need. This is what we’re trying to accomplish with our software “The Orion Project”.
Question: How do you use technology and the internet for your business?
Answer: The Internet is our main line of work. Today, almost anything can be done with the internet. Most of the time, our clients have great ideas, but they don’t know how to realize it. Technology gives us the ability to take those ideas and make them become reality.
Question: What has been your biggest hurdle?
Answer: These days, our main challenge is to convince people (especially in Canada) to use their credit cards securely on the web to make their purchases. This is why we want to expose our software all around the globe. We’re also trying to educate people on how to use the web safely and feel comfortable with online transactions.
Question: What is your main source for new clients?
Answer: Networking, word of mouth and references, visibility on the internet and all the social networks such as Facebook.
Question: Fast forward five years…what do you see?
Answer: The Orion Project will be one of the most recommended software to manage content on the web. :-)
- Visit Sylvain’s websites Artes Media : http://www.artesmedia.ca and Project Orion : http://www.orioncms.ca
- Find Sylvain Joannette on Facebook
- You can register as a consumer and/or business at Virtual-Hall and 5% of every business registration will go toward the enormous cost of Nathalie Roy's operation to cure her from her disease.
- Learn more about Venous Multiple Sclerosis
