Vicky Boudreau joined Zú in February 2023. Since then, Vicky, who was already an entrepreneur, has developed an entirely new business model that led her to launch Heylist, an influencer marketing platform that connects brands and agencies to nano-influencers.

 

1. Why rely on nano-influencers? What makes nano-influencers so effective in a marketing strategy, and how have they contributed to Heylist’s success?

With their smaller, but often highly engaged audiences, nano-influencers offer an authentic, personal connection with their subscribers. Their influence is based on the trust they’ve built up with their communities, which often consist of their entourage, family and friends. These close relationships enable brands to benefit from superb content and recommendations perceived as more sincere and credible.For Heylist, nano-influencers have played a crucial role in enabling us to target a growing and previously underserved market segment. Their ability to generate high engagement at low cost quickly proved their value to our customers, both brands and agencies. What’s more, their direct and honest feedback helps us fine-tune the platform to meet their needs even better.


2. What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received from your mentors, and how do you apply it in your career?

Even though I’m guided by strong intuition, it’s important to always listen carefully to end-users and remain agile. By actively listening to feedback and remaining flexible, you can quickly adjust your strategy in line with real market needs, rather than embarking on developments based solely on internal assumptions.The way in which mentors have had the biggest impact on my career is in the discipline imposed on me during the incubation program, where I reported to them on a weekly basis. I had to learn to say no to distractions and focus on the essentials to get Heylist off the ground. I’d already been in business for 18 years and was well organized, but I had to relearn how to manage my diary to be able to move into high gear.


3. How do you see Heylist’s future in an ever-changing technological landscape?

Heylist’s future lies in our ability to anticipate technological developments and integrate new trends, while remaining true to our core mission of democratizing influencer marketing. We plan to exploit advances in artificial intelligence and data analysis to offer even more personalized and effective solutions to our customers and influencers alike.We will also focus on continuous improvement of our platform to ensure that it remains at the cutting edge of technology and capable of responding to emerging needs as new social networks gain in popularity. By remaining agile and open to innovation, we hope not only to maintain our market position, but also to create new opportunities for our users.

 

4. What was the biggest challenge in launching Heylist, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge was to demonstrate the value of our solution in a saturated market with well-established players. To achieve this, we relied on an outstanding user experience that was both pleasant and accessible to prove the effectiveness of our product. We also chose to focus on the niche of nano-influencers and make them our first ambassadors in order to increase our visibility.At the same time, and in particular with the hiring of two data scientists, we have invested in research and development to ensure that our offering clearly stands out from that of our competitors, while responding precisely to the needs of our target audience.


5. What advice would you give to those looking to not only launch a business, but also develop a new technological solution? What are the pitfalls to avoid and the opportunities to seize?

First of all, I’d advise them to start with a thorough understanding of their target market and the specific needs of their users. Even if you start with a strong, intuitive idea, it’s crucial to validate that idea with real users before you fully launch. This will ensure that your solution really does meet a need, and avoid the pitfalls of developing a product that doesn’t find its market, which can lead to great losses of time and money.When it comes to opportunities, it’s essential to surround yourself with the right people. In Quebec, there are a multitude of valuable resources, such as incubators like Zú, Québec Tech, PME Montreal and various entrepreneurial support programs. Don’t underestimate the value of these networks: talking about your project, getting advice and feedback from experts and peers can greatly contribute to your success. One of my greatest surprises over the past two years has been the strength of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, which is there to support and help innovators turn their ideas into real businesses.

 

Our sincere thanks go to Vicky’s dedicated mentors: Elisabeth Laett, Richard Laberge and Caroline Côté.

The incubation program is based on the Venture Mentoring Services methodology developed by MIT, which establishes a rigorous framework for group mentoring that is conflict-free, impartial and confidential.

Video by Jimmy Hamelin