Startup Community Awards — Chloé Freslon
Highlighting the change-makers in our ecosystem by Yusun Ingoshi
CHLOÉ FRESLON — SCA 2021 DIVERSITY CHAMPION
Chloé Freslon is an entrepreneur with a mission: to transform the workplace into a diverse and inclusive place. She does this through the company she founded, URelles, an equity, diversity and inclusion consulting firm. Chloé is regularly invited to participate in panels and conferences on the issue. She was a tech columnist for Moteur de Recherche on ICI Première Radio-Canada and for the magazines Québec Science and CURIUM for almost 5 years.
She now dedicates her writing to the HEC magazine, Revue Gestion, where she helps Quebec SMEs understand diversity and inclusion. She has been nominated, two years in a row, for the Startup Community Awards, in the “Diversity Champion” category and won the award in 2021. She was also nominated for the RBC Women of Influence Awards in 2020 and 2021.
She was one of the six experts who participated in the very first report on psychological and sexual harassment in IT, in Quebec, produced by TECHNOcompétences. She also acted as an expert consultant in the creation of the pro-diversity movement #ensembleinc. Chloé holds a certificate in diversity and inclusion from Cornell University and is also a certified SIAC professional by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI).
- Why do you think you were nominated?
My work has revolved around equity, diversity, and inclusion for many years. This theme has always resonated strongly with the ecosystem, but since George Floyd’s death in 2020, the topic has taken a much stronger turn. Companies are facing their social responsibility and are looking for solutions. That’s why my company’s mission, URelles, is getting attention and that’s probably why I was nominated.
2. What is a cause that you cherish?
I’ve been interested in the presence (or lack thereof) of diversity in the workplace for several years now. My realization began in 2016, when I realized that the tech industry was (and still is) very homogeneous with few women. This realization pushed me to realize that this issue is not only experienced in our industry and certainly not only with women. This eventually led me to look at existing solutions, eventually founding an equity, diversity and inclusion company that offers solutions to small and medium sized businesses to support them in their efforts to create a more inclusive culture.
3. What do you think is missing in our ecosystem to make us stand out in the world?
[I can’t answer this question because I don’t know about ecosystems other than Montreal].
4. What/Who are you most grateful for in our ecosystem and why?
I love the general mindset that is “relaxed and approachable” that we have in Montreal. You can easily approach the CEO of a company that has raised millions of dollars over coffee at Notman House, for example. People are simple, in the righteous way and mutual aid is ultra present. I have often asked for help in my entrepreneurial journey and often offered it as well. It seems obvious to me that we should all do this. I love our caring ecosystem.
5. What is an important lesson you have learned from a setback you have faced in your journey?
Having a business is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a cliché but it’s true! Obviously, when you are passionate about something, you want to go fast, you want to go far and sometimes you make hasty decisions that should have waited and that should have taken more thought. Instead of wanting a hyper-growth of +300% every year, we can want a growth of +50% and be happy with the outcome.
6. Is there anyone that has made great impact in our ecosystem that you would like us to highlight and possibly reach out to for an interview?
I have only met Ryan El-Cherif in the last year but he has had a great impact on my business and on me. He acts as a mentor and coach. His advice is generous and always very relevant. He doesn’t tell me what to do, he helps me to develop good reflexes and to think for myself. This may seem obvious, but as a woman entrepreneur, this kind of peer-to-peer relationship is all too rare!
