Meet our Wolves’ Den Competitors: Dave Daoust

Posted on Wednesday, March 16th, 2016

dave DaoustDave Daoust has overcome significant obstacles to become an entrepreneur. Soon, he faces a new challenge as he steps into the Wolves’ Den – Algonquin College’s very own Dragon’s Den, which features five student entrepreneurs competing for legal help, seed money, and a mentorship opportunity.

espree, a patent-pending solution, connects advertisers to their target markets by paying members for watching and engaging in advertising that matters to them. Will the Wolves ‘engage’ in what Dave is selling? Let’s learn more about Dave!

How did you come up with the idea for Espree?

The creation of Espree took months to develop. I was spending a lot of time online looking for opportunities for a new business idea and slowly I began to develop two or three ideas that were worth further investigation. Eventually I began to single out the one idea that could be scaled greater than the others and started to look for competitors online. As I continued to find similar business, I continued to make small pivots, improve on some concepts, remove other ideas, and eventually after a lot of time and hard work, came up with the final version of Espree.

Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?

I decided to become an entrepreneur out of necessity. I had lost my job due to my increasing responsibilities for my son who suffers from multiple disabilities. I didn’t like what my future was starting to look like financially speaking, and decided it was important I begin thinking about starting a home based business so that I could continue caring for my son.

What have you learned in your studies, and as an entrepreneur?

I learned to never let research get you down when the outcomes are not in your favor. You cannot let a reality stop your creativity at any time. Your ability to press on is probably what separates a true entrepreneur from someone who finds walls everywhere they look. It is also very important to validate theories before you get too far down any rabbit holes. It is important for new business ideas to remain valid and must be simple to understand and implement. If you have a great idea but cant be explained in a Tweet, it needs more work.

What resources have you tapped into within the College? How are you preparing for the Wolves’ Den?

I have looked to my professors for guidance and networking possibilities every opportunity I could. I have also received legal advice at times as well. The response I received has always been warm and helpful.

Anything else we should know about you?

I think what makes me different from most entrepreneurs is the reality that my success is vital for survival. As a 43 year-old entrepreneur with two children and a full-time college course load, I must maximize lessons learned from mistakes. There isn’t a lot of money to go around. But this has given me an edge that I don’t see much in my younger classmates. This edge is also fueled by the belief that my business solution can actually change peoples lives for the better.

Good luck to Dave and all our Wolves’ Den competitors! Join us March 23 at 11 a.m. in the AC Hub to cheer them on!


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