Portrait of a predecessor: Anne-Virginie Schmidt from Miels d’Anicet
For some atypical businesses, finding a successor can be a challenge. Anne-Virginie Schmidt was prepared to spend as much time as it took to find the perfect person for Miels d’Anicet. Today, she takes comfort in knowing that Kaven Davignon will ensure the prosperity of the beekeeping business.
Miels d’Anicet began with Anicet Desrochers’ passion for bees. By nurturing his hives, the beekeeper turned his apiary into the largest producer of queen bees in the country. However, this family business, founded in 2000, wouldn’t be the same without the vision of its co-founder Anne-Virginie Schmidt. It’s thanks to her management and communication skills that Miels d’Anicet has become a true Quebec flagship.
A chartered accountant by trade, Anne-Virginie had been feeling the urge to explore new horizons for some time but wasn’t willing to jeopardize the fruits of two decades of labour. “We wanted Miels d’Anicet to remain an important player in the region’s economic development. The businesswoman in me said to myself: I’m going to continue to carry the company on my shoulders and make it prosper until I find the right person to take over,” she confides.
Taking the time to find a successor
Anne-Virginie knew that it could take several years to find the right person. In addition to being an unconventional agricultural business, Miels d’Anicet has a portfolio of 150 honey-based products, requiring excellent management skills. “It’s also really important to know the area well because our hives are scattered over 100 km in the region,” says the entrepreneur from the Upper Laurentians.
In her strategic planning, Anne-Virginie had given herself three to five years to prepare her successor and one year to hire a general manager who could give her some breathing room. As luck would have it, she found both in Kaven Davignon, a local entrepreneur she had worked with on a board of directors. “He’s a brilliant guy with strong analytical skills. He also loves the land and bees. That’s important in beekeeping – you have to be able to live with the stings!”
Building a relationship of trust
Kaven first learned the ropes of the business while serving as general manager of Miels d’Anicet. Anne-Virginie shared her knowledge of business management with him, while Anicet trained him in beekeeping. Over the years, a strong bond of trust developed between the three, which would prove essential as their adventure unfolded. As is often the case with farm transfers, the original co-owners partially financed the acquisition with a sale price balance equivalent to almost one third of the transaction price. “National Bank was a huge help in putting together a financial package that allowed us to avoid bringing in other partners. This model enabled us to speed up the transfer, since it can take a long time to find financing,” says Anne-Virginie.
Thinking about the future
Unlike Anicet, who remained the head beekeeper and minority shareholder of Miels d’Anicet, Anne-Virginie was ready for a new chapter. Now at the helm of Signé Vivi, she recently published Miels, a recipe book, and has a children’s book coming out in the spring. She also gives lectures, including on business succession, and acts as a strategic consultant in various sectors. Although she no longer has a stake in the farm she co-founded, she’s happy to act as its ambassador. “I’m not going to stop talking about Miels d’Anicet because, in my opinion, they make the best honey in Quebec!” The businesswoman feels that she’s come full circle. “I’m extremely proud to have built this business and sold it to a young person from the Upper Laurentians while it was still thriving!”
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