Nathalie Gerard
"What I like about Winnipeg is that you can find anything you might want or expect in a large place." Positive attitudes, quality of life
Winnipeg offers French entrepreneur a balanced lifestyle
When Nathalie Gerard came from France to visit a friend in Winnipeg a year ago, she knew immediately that she wanted to live here. Gerard, who had just graduated from business college, now runs a French language communications consultancy. Before arriving, however, she knew virtually nothing about Winnipeg or Manitoba.
Gerard says she was greeted so warmly by everyone she met in Manitoba that she knew it was the kind of place where she wanted to live. When she talked to the Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Communities about her idea for a consulting business, the response she received was overwhelmingly positive.
"That positive attitude surprised me most about Manitoba," she says. "How encouraging and optimistic people were when I told them my idea for my business. When I mentioned my idea in France, everyone was so negative, nobody thought I could do it. Here, everybody was so excited for me, so encouraging. I could hardly believe it. I became so motivated, and they seemed so motivated to help me. It was very nice."
As well as a successful business, Gerard has discovered a lifestyle that suits her perfectly. "What I like about Winnipeg is that you can find everything you might want or expect in a larger place. As well, you are close to rural life, to the country. You have everything right here. It offers a high quality of life."
|
