Marie-Claire Chartrand
Owner | Lead Consultant
Do what you’re good at and what you know. I had heard this many times. I wanted to move on from my government job as a Care Coordinator and do something that allowed me more freedom in my schedule and how I worked with clients. I mulled it over for years and realized that pretty much every time I encountered someone and they asked me what I did, they would start telling me their story of how they didn’t know what to do for their mom or dad or aging loved one. I realized that I had a wealth of knowledge and expertise that few others had and that I could really make a difference in people’s lives. So I set out to figure out how to package up that expertise and transform it into a business. That’s how Greywave Senior Care Consulting was born.
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What are you most proud of professionally? And who or why?
That I had the vision, tenacity and grit to found, build and grow my own business. I am a social worker who became a solopreneur with no business experience. I had to learn to do everything from being my own tech support, to answering the phone, bookkeeping, social media and marketing. I owe a lot of thanks to the Centre for Women and Business and to a long list of friends that I hit up for help.
I am also proud that I have been a role model to my two teenage daughters who watched me do this. I know they are proud of me and that they have learned that hard work and tenacity can pay off.
What’s your vision for Atlantic Canada in 10 years? What’s our biggest opportunity now?
I am frightened by what I witness in the healthcare sector. I worry for the patients and I worry for colleagues who are trying to hold the pieces together and maintain quality care. We all know that the aging population is growing. We are not going a great job of caring for our older folks. Sadly, I don’t see it getting better. I feel like my work is helping make the best of the situation and resources we have. I often say, I am in the business of “making lemonade with the healthcare system”.
What was your greatest stage of growth? What made it a shift for you?
My growth was slow and hard earned. My biggest challenge was getting exposure and creating awareness of my unique services. My prospective clients are not on social media. I am a word of mouth referral business. In order to get exposure, I got in front of people any way I could. I met with anyone who worked with the same population. I provided free public talks at libraries and churches and lunch and learns for businesses. I did radio spots and wrote expert opinion pieces. Every satisfied client told their friends and eventually a critical mass of folks knew about Greywave and a steady stream of referrals started coming in.
What’s your favourite or most read book or podcast?
I don't know if I should be ashamed or proud about this, but I haven't read one book on business or listened to one podcast. I have so much good advice and ideas to act on that there isn’t enough time or energy to create anymore. When I do read, it’s mostly novels and preferably with strong female characters.
What’s your deepest learning from this past year? How did/will you apply it?
Make a plan and get things done. Earlier this year, I did a one hour visioning exercise over Zoom with Nora Perry from the Centre for Women in Business. I sat down afterwards with post it notes and bristol boards and laid out where I wanted to be and what I needed to do to get there. I keep working on one thing at a time and making my way through each item. I feel like Dory in Finding Nemo: “just keep swimming”. And the next thing you know, you’ve done it.
Who’s inspired you, directly or indirectly? How have they inspired you?
I always look to women who have struggled with various situations in their lives and have overcome adversity or have fought for the rights of others. When things get tough and I feel like I am pushing against adversity, I have a few quotes I refer to that give me perspective and keep me going. Nellie McClung : “Never retract, never explain, never apologize – get the thing done and let them howl!” and Lady Julian of Norwich: “‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well'”.
What would you have done differently?
I don’t live with many regrets. I know I do the best I can every day and stick closely to my values. Maybe I could have stressed a bit less about whether or not the business would work out. Trust it a bit more. But I know that would have been difficult when my livelihood depended on it.
What were your priorities and how did they help you overcome some of the struggles you’ve faced?
To do it right. To provide an exceptional service that clients found valuable and helpful. I wanted to make caring for their loved one less stressful and that they would feel they were providing the best care possible. When you know your values, decisions are easier to make. You just do the right thing.
How have you recovered from fractured professional relationships? What uncomfortable truths have you learned about yourself in those experiences?
I can’t say that I have fractured professional relationships. In my work, relationships are everything. I connect my clients to resources in the community. It’s one of the things I love most about what I do. I foster and develop these relationships with community service providers and businesses. I am heartwarmed that so many really just want to make people’s lives better and provide a great service.
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Care navigator, social worker, mediator, mom