Running a second-generation company at 30 isn’t just a story of succession. It’s a constant balancing act between inheriting a vision and building your own, between respecting what’s been done and daring to do things differently.
In 2020, Félix Marquis Chevrier and his brother, Maximilien, acquired Ménagez-Vous, a company founded by their mother. Having already served for several years as vice presidents, they officially took over the company’s leadership. And while the transition may seem natural from the outside, it has come with its share of challenges.
Finding Your Place Without Denying the Company’s DNA
Taking over a family business means carrying its identity. But it also means adapting it to a new reality. At Ménagez-Vous, Félix and his brother brought a more strategic and human-centered approach, focused on client experience and business development.
Before they stepped in, Ménagez-Vous already had a strong operational foundation. Team management, on-the-ground rigor, and service quality were well established thanks to their mother, Paule Marquis. However, due to a lack of time or interest, little had been done to promote the brand or grow its visibility. The company remained mostly under the radar, with very few images or content showing its work or expertise.
With Félix and Maximilien, the company shifted toward a clearer visibility and branding strategy. They redesigned the visual identity with a new logo, launched a modernized website, created a business page on social media, and became more active in business and industry events.
Learning to Surround Yourself, Learning to Delegate
One of the key lessons of this entrepreneurial transition is recognizing that you can’t carry everything alone, even with the best intentions. Over the past decade, Ménagez-Vous has grown significantly, making it essential to strengthen the company’s administrative structure and internal processes. Succeeding a founding generation also means accepting that you won’t have all the answers right away. It takes humility and a willingness to listen.
“I’ve come to understand that my role isn’t to be everywhere all the time. It’s to create the right conditions so the right people are in the right places. That’s a strength I’m still developing over time.” — Félix Marquis Chevrier, VP at Ménagez-Vous
👉 Also read: Learning to Delegate: A Lever for Business Growth
A Transition, But Also a Transformation
Félix and Maximilien have been vice presidents for about a decade, but it’s only recently that their mother, Paule, retired after 39 years of service. Together, they built upon that foundation to take the business in a new direction: by structuring the service offering, highlighting technical expertise, and creating closer ties with clients’ real needs.
👉 Also read: Paule Marquis Retires: A Tribute to the Founder of Ménagez-Vous
Between continuity and change, the role of a young second-generation entrepreneur is to move forward with respect, ambition, and humility. And sometimes, it also means breaking the mold of what an “experienced” entrepreneur is supposed to look like.
