She wants to get rid of the spools ready for washing

Michelle Wong is one of the young entrepreneurs we double down on seeing succeed in their mission.

First, there is her infectious enthusiasm, but above all the solution she publishes addresses a real environmental problem, with an economic argument.

Because of the pandemic, we are starting to consume a lot of prepackaged meals, in disposable containers. In March 2020, at the time of the Great Lockdown, Michelle worked for ServiceLab Canada, selling cleaning products and renting dishwashers to restaurants.

With the dining halls closed, business nearly came to a standstill. Then Service Lab began selling ready-to-eat containers. This is where Michelle and an idea hit her.

environmental awakening

“As soon as he passed through our warehouse, I imagined the sheer volume that would end up in the trash. There was definitely a mountain of waste somewhere and that didn’t make any sense,” thought those who, by their own admission, had not actually been aware of the environmental issue before. .

Michelle already had a foothold in the restaurant network, as she imagined she could turn things around and do better.

So I started looking for reusable containers to replace the disposable ones. It had to be solid and end up costing less to use durability than demise. Without an economic argument, the environment easily gets ahead, you know it as well as I do.

In November 2020, Michel founded BOPAQ. It also developed a web application to enable tracking of containers registered to a consumer’s account.

The credit is free for the consumer when the containers are returned to the collection points. Then it gets washed up by Bo’s sister company, LavaBo.

The service started at the end of 2021.

Reuse is better than recycling

“If you adopt BO, you reduce your costs. That’s what I want!” says the young entrepreneur, who has signed a partnership with her employer ServiceLab to distribute the containers — they can use 1,000 times in a dishwasher.

“My dream is to normalize reuse so people think throwing it away is pointless,” she says.

BOPAQ will not be profitable tomorrow morning. She knows that. However, Michel hit it big by securing $650,000 in funding from PME MTL Ouest-de-l’Île and BDC just before the holidays. Great gratitude.

Partnership with the employer

Michelle already employs more than 15 people, but she has kept her job at Service Lab. It’s been a busy few weeks, but nothing can take away his smile.

“I work 60 to 80 hours a week. Some like to cook or garden, I grow BOPAQ!” says the one for whom her young company is both a job and a hobby.

The boss understands: as long as the work is done well, everything is fine. And then, because both companies are targeting the same customers, there are synergies. Michel also began to develop the status of a retirement home: every gesture counted, everywhere. Grocery stores with prepared foods are also in his sights.

For the woman with a 9-to-5 allergy, Michelle Wong knew how to pull it off really well. But it’s not his only way to accept life differently. Being the head of an innovative startup that combines ecology and technology at the age of 34 also means taking a path that few women still dare to explore.

bobak

• Founding year: 2021
• Founder: Michelle Wong
• In a place Head office : Quebec
• Field of activity: Recovery
• Field of activity: 16

Profile of Michelle Wong

• job : Founder
• age : 34 years
• education: Commerce, Concordia University