Christiane Germain returning to Dans l’œil du dragon: "It’s a whole new generation of investors"

Even though she announced her retirement from the show Dans l’oeil du dragon last year, the copresident of Germain Hotels, Christiane Germain, returns to her seat this season for one episode only.

WHY HAVE YOU AGREED TO COME BACK FOR AN EPISODE, EVEN IF YOU HAD RETIRED FROM THE SHOW?

It was a nice opportunity for me that I really could not refuse. It was my pleasure to meet with the new dragons.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS NEW BATCH OF INVESTORS?

It is remarkable. There is a huge generational change. The new dragons are people with wonderful human values and they let them shine when making a deal. When you invest in a company, you must feel that there is a growth potential and a return on investment. Adding to this, the new investors also seek an entrepreneur who shares their values. It really speaks to me, as I have been lucky enough to manage a company according to my own values too.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN AN ENTREPRENEUR WHEN INVESTING IN HIM?

The product and the business model must be strong, but I also need to feel his passion. It is tough to be an entrepreneur: obstacles are sometimes more frequent than victories and it is easy to get distracted. To be able to pursue your objective, you need passion and focus.

WHAT IS YOUR MISSION WHEN YOU ARE IN THE DRAGON SEAT?

The investor/entrepreneur side of the show really appeals to me, even though we both need to be satisfied with the deal. There is also the inspirational side of it. When you want to do business, it is very encouraging to have someone to look up to. It is a proof that you can also do it and it can give you a little push to pursue your dream. Finally, it is an opportunity for me to share my own experience, to give back to others. It is a gesture of recognition.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF DANS L’OEIL DU DRAGON ON THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SCENE IN QUEBEC ACCORDING TO YOU?

Entrepreneurship has gotten stronger over the years. Now, people choose to be entrepreneurs. Many factors made this possible, and I think that the show is one of them, as well as the work made by schools and programs for entrepreneurs. Moreover, we discovered great entrepreneurs from Quebec during the show and it demystified entrepreneurship, it made it more accessible.

YOU DID NOT CLOSE A DEAL ON YOUR BRIEF APPEARANCE THIS SEASON, BUT TWO COMPANIES REALLY APPEALED TO YOU.

Ü Baby decided to go with Dominique Brown’s deal and it’s OK. We cannot win them all! For Citron confit, I had many affinities with them, but I did not think that I was the right person to help them as it is so far from what I do.