Throughout her journey, Brigitte Coutu has almost never left anything to chance. She has put a lot of energy and passion into building what would become RICARDO Media. Thanks to her quiet strength and clear vision, she built a business that has proven to be a favourite in the hearts of Quebecers. Now, she’s starting to delegate some strategic functions while planning for succession.
Brigitte, the Valiant
Even when she was young, Brigitte was always hardworking. She loved operating the large cash register to receive payment from clients at the Coutu depanneur, a kind of general store owned by her parents in Joliette. This desire to go above and beyond, doubled with the rigour of her work ethic, has always been instilled in her. “It’s part of my values to work hard. It has been for a long time,” she explains.
She trained with nutritionist Hélène Laurendeau, a well-known presence in the media, who inspired her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition at Université de Montréal. Brigitte learned from the nutritionist that we eat ingredients, not nutrients. So knowing how to cook is fundamental to ensuring a healthy diet.
Then there was a decisive encounter with Ricardo, a chef, commentator and television host. A man with a thousand ideas who has been her companion for the past three decades and with whom she had three daughters. They united their passions to build this great project that became RICARDO Media.
Businesswoman Is Tattooed on Her Heart
Brigitte loves steering her boat as she sees fit. But unlike most people who want to start their own business, she never really had a business plan, or at least it came “late,” once the television show she developed with Ricardo was bought by Radio-Canada. That show lasted 21 years and has recently been followed by the spin-off La cuisine d’Isabelle et Ricardo.
Her authenticity has been guiding Brigitte from the beginning, as well as her instinct. She always trusts it when the time comes to make decisions. “It’s important to listen to how you feel and, above all, to stay yourself. When I don’t feel it, I don’t do it.”
With the success of RICARDO Media and the place it occupies in the lifestyle of Quebecers, it could be said that she has a knack for anything to do with business decisions. However, she points out that this success was made possible through essential teamwork.
“As a businesswoman, you need to know how to surround yourself with talented people who get things done.” — Brigitte
To her community spirit are added values like empathy, kindness and respect, a recipe that she applies every day. “People skills are just as essential as know-how.”
Great Pride
The success of RICARDO Media is undeniable. More than 20 years on, Brigitte’s greatest pride is that the company has remained relevant and that it’s still part of people’s daily lives. “Through my encounters with consumers, I’ve heard moving stories of people who learned how to cook through our website, by reading our magazine or watching our TV show. We realized how much we could change people’s lives through our recipes. I feel that we’re making a small difference and that means a lot to me.”
Business Succession
The transfer of management was a major concern for Brigitte. “It’s such an important step to ensure the company’s longevity and it’s preparing for the long term.” In Mireille Arteau, she saw the (best) person to handle the company’s general management. “I wanted to get away from operations. With Mireille, we have continuity,” she says, “and she does it in her own way, with her own management style.”
Mireille had been working for four years as Vice-President of Operations for RICARDO Media when she was named General Manager. She was already very familiar with the business structure of all the company’s sectors. What sets her apart is that she excels in both operational and strategic actions. “She has a highly structured work organization, but with a family and collaborative mentality. Mireille embodies her role perfectly.”
Family succession is also being prepared with Béatrice, Brigitte and Ricardo’s eldest child. A passing of the torch that’s taking place quietly and naturally. “She wants my seat,” Brigitte teases. “We never imposed anything; she’s the one who developed an interest in our business. At the age of 16, she was already working in our boutiques, then she spent a summer in Toronto in our sales office when she was a student. She’s part of the food product development team and attends important meetings to understand what happens behind the scenes.”
She recently started working for our partner, Sobeys, honing her skills and developing her sense of leadership so that she can come back to RICARDO in the near future in a management position. “She’s growing,” Brigitte adds, “slowly climbing the ladder, and she challenges us. After all, she’s part of the new generation!”
Mireille, the Activator
From her MBA in Marketing at Université Laval to her position as Product Manager at L’Oréal, where she learned the importance of a strong brand, to her time spent at Rona, where she acquired a solid background in management as Group Manager and Marketing Director, Mireille arrived at RICARDO Media as Commercial Director. She quickly excelled at her job, participating in the retail expansion and launch of food products in grocery stores, before becoming Vice-President of Operations, then General Manager of the company in January 2022.
This appointment catapulted her into a beautiful new adventure. “The transition went smoothly,” remembers Mireille. “It happened at the right moment and I felt I was in the right place. I was well surrounded and where I belonged. RICARDO Media is a company on a human scale, with a very talented team that accepted me quickly in my new functions. I work with inspiring people and I have a lot of latitude in terms of management. Here, everyone is good, relevant and welcome at the table.”
“I’m lucky to combine my passion for business and people with my love of cooking and well-being in a company whose mission and values mirror my own.” — Mireille
Her daily life is punctuated with meetings and she carries out operations to deliver the strategic plan. “I’m an activator and I manage issues of all kinds to move projects forward. Meetings constitute 80% of my work. And as we have a lot of activities in various spheres, including media, retail and food services, it’s as if there were six SMEs in one. You need to know where you’re going and deliver the company’s intentions well. It takes an ability to make decisions and communicate efficiently to direct actions.”
She takes part in developing employees’ full potential by building on the team’s strength and surrounding herself with the best. “I’m a little like a conductor, and each person plays his or her own instrument. I trust people, I’m transparent when I speak and I have a lot of empathy. You have to listen to analyze and make adjustments. I have the best of both worlds: I’m responsible for strategic plans, but also for supervising and coaching employees.”
The Strength of a Brand
During her years at RICARDO Media, Mireille has learned the importance of bringing the brand to life both externally for customers and internally for the employees, who are its best ambassadors.
In this way, she creates a powerful value proposition that stands out for all the brand’s products, so that customers have a memorable experience and strengthen their commitment and loyalty to the brand. “With a constant desire to innovate and contribute to the growth of the company, I put all my energy into mobilizing our teams and partners so that they can evolve in a context of continuous change and achieve the ambitions of the organization successfully.”
Staying focused on the mission, maintaining a strong, distinctive brand, as well as having a great management culture is a recipe that works at RICARDO Media. And added to this are a passion for cooking and people.
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