Are you a flexipreneur? Flexipreneurship demystified

Have you heard of flexipreneurship? This type of entrepreneurship which, as its name suggests, is based on flexibility by combining several occupations, has been present for many years and tends to gain more and more momentum. Yet we are only just beginning to give it the place it deserves.

 

“A flexipreneur is a person who is currently carrying out or intends to carry out entrepreneurial activities in parallel with another occupation (employment, family care, etc.) which brings them extra income in the form of self-employment or other form of business. Flexipreneurs are therefore part-time, hybrid or atypical entrepreneurs, i.e. they combine several occupations at the same time. For them, the entrepreneurial project does not represent a full-time occupation. Also included as flexipreneurs are people with a seasonal entrepreneurial project.”

Source : SADC Shawinigan

Born from a study conducted between 2018 and 2021 by the SADC Shawinigan, the concepts of flexipreneur and flexipreneurship are however far from being marginal.

Indeed, in 2021, according to data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 82.7% of emerging women entrepreneurs and 80.5% of men, would combine their entrepreneurial activities with a job.

Concerned by the issues and challenges faced by many of these part-time entrepreneurs, several SADCs and CAEs in Quebec have paved the way for assistance programs that reflect their reality.

Many flexipreneurs are women and the results of the study show that despite strong efforts for growth, businesses owned by women show a slower growth rate than those owned by men. What could be causing this phenomenon?

According to what has been observed, women tend to favor a “small steps” approach. They would also need more support than men for the growth of their project.

However, the existing support is mainly focused on a “classic” business model, centered on risk taking and the amount of hours of work. This lack of resources focused on their real needs would be at the origin of the impostor syndrome which prevents many flexipreneurs from moving forward as they would like.

At the time of the study, just over half of flexipreneurs said they wanted to carry on business full time in the next few years. The SADCs and CAEs in Quebec are therefore tending to integrate more and more measures to provide a framework and help them achieve their objectives.

Using our services means:

• Flexible financial suppoort
• Support at each important step
• Neutral help that will guide you to the expert resources that correspond to your reality.
• Access to training and a vast network of expertise

Are you a flexipreneur and want to take your project even further? Find your SADC or your CAE and ask for advice without delay!