Daring to succed

The exceptional, winding path of a man who is inseparable from the empire he built

Combining a tobacconist, newstand, food mart, beer shop and general store, the convenience store has undergone many trans­formations over the last 35 years, ever since a man decided to turn it into his life's business. That man is Alain Bouchard. Strangely, few people know his name, even in Quebec, where he lives. He is, however, one of Canada's wealthiest entrepreneurs, as well as one of the most peer-honoured businessmen in the world.
    Starting as a volunteer clerk in his brother's business before doing all the tasks related to this often thankless work, Alain Bouchard is truly a self-made man who climbed through the professional ranks. Today, the multinational Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. empire that he founded encompasses Circle K, comprises 12,000 stores and over 100,000 employees. It posts revenues of almost US $35 billion.
    What is the recipe for this kind of success? What values drive this entrepreneur and his loyal collaborators? This book provides an unprecedented look into an extraordinary business and a man who put it all on the line to win.  

Currently Radio-Canada's ombudsman, Guy Gendron was a television journalist for over 35 years, notably in Toronto, Ottawa, Washington and Paris. The two-time winner of the Judith-Jasmin prize and twice named recipient of the Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec–Bank of America Merrill Lynch Economic and Financial Journalism Awards of Excellence also taught journalism at Université du Québec à Montréal. He wrote Brian Mulroney's political biography in 2014.