Spotlight: Francis Gosselin of FG8

The entrepreneur talks about how the digital world shapes the real world.

Entrepreneur Francis Gosselin of FG8

Tell us about yourself and your role within your company.

I’m the president and founder of FG8, a management consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, change management and economic research. I founded FG8 in March 2015.

I had previously launched and operated several companies, in fields as diverse as home improvement, video editing and graphic design, events management and creativity consulting. FG8 is kind of a logical next step, in that we advise and provide business intelligence for the benefit of entrepreneurs, executives and thought leaders around the world.

What is the most rewarding part about being an entrepreneur? What keeps you passionate and driven to succeed?

The most rewarding part for me is definitely the quality of the individuals that I work with, both internally within the team and externally with the clients. I have always been a team player and although I am the president, I take great pride in being a member of such a great team.

"I’ve been dedicated to making others successful, which also keeps me passionate about my job."

The growth of FG8 can only happen if individual consultants grow—by taking on more responsibilities, working in more complex environments and providing ever more valuable advice and intelligence to clients.

The digital landscape is changing rapidly, with more and more Canadians using digital marketing tools to drive more leads and increase sales. For you, what are some key concepts or strategies that you suggest for small business owners?

Many people tend to think of digital as something different from the real world, another environment entirely. FG8 was created with the belief that the digital world is not separate from the real, but in fact inhabits it and shapes it. The key concept for us is coherence: to first know what you stand for, what your identity is, who you are talking to, when and how. Then, you can make sure that every touch point and every communication opportunity that you seize is organized along these lines.

Although we are a consulting firm—not a marketing company—we have a thorough and comprehensive communication strategy that includes more than a dozen channels that push and listen to clients and partners, and helps us generate leads and look beyond. To do so, internal communication is also key. Whatever tool you use (we use Slack) needs to be fully embedded in the processes and routines of everyone within the company; it should even, to a certain extent, be open to clients. We’ve been fighting hard against this ever-spreading disease called E-MAIL, and have been winning several fights recently.

What advice do you have for aspiring and prospering business owners when it comes to taking their business to the next level?

One, develop a comprehensive sales framework, including a communication strategy, a client-acquisition strategy that includes a good CRM, and a clear and strong brand strategy. These are not only documents: they should actively guide what you do and how you do it.

The second thing I’ve learned is to invest more time, energy and resources in both lead generation and in managing the sales pipeline. Although a company our size does not have the means to hire a full-time salesperson, we have divided the work so that everyone in the company is conscious of the sales efforts being made, of the importance of new business for the continued growth of the firm.