From employee to owner: Carolyne Côté’s succession story
By Alexa Everett
Kitchen and store employee Marie-Ève Martin, naturopath Jennifer Hains, kitchen and café employee Justine St-Onge, Ayurveda specialist Caroline Grégroire, owner Carolyne Coté with baby Néréa, and naturopaths Marie-Michèle Galarneau and Emmanuelle Faucher
Carolyne Côté had never run a business before, but in 2019, she was handed the keys to one. After 15 years at the helm, Sandrine Guérin, founder of Verveine et cie, was ready to move on, and Carolyne—an employee since 2016—was intrigued by the prospect of carrying this legacy forward. Her passion for supporting healthy living helped her overcome the doubts of first-time ownership.
“At first, I was scared of losing my freedom,” explains Carolyne. “But I had such a passion for herbs and natural products, and things were going really well, so eventually I realized I would be fine.”
To ease Carolyne into the role and quell any fears, her predecessor, Sandrine, offered her the chance to run the Cowansville, Quebec store for one year before making the move permanent.
“Sandrine taught me everything,” says Carolyne, who worked in real estate before a desire for change and an interest in the benefits of plants led her to the shop for hands-on experience. “I had no experience running a store.”
The successful trial run confirmed Carolyne’s decision to take over for good. In 2020, she purchased the store, becoming Verveine et cie’s successor.
A new chapter
Just as the purchasing agreement was being finalized, her new venture was greeted with an unprecedented hurdle: a pandemic.
“In the end, everything went really well,” says Carolyne about starting her new venture during COVID-19. “People still wanted to stay healthy, so they continued buying products.”
To build on this success and usher in a new, post-pandemic chapter for the store, Carolyne began renovations in 2023. She focused on expanding the shop’s square footage, changing the layout, updating the decor, and incorporating a café—a strategic addition aimed at positioning her store as an experience, rather than an errand.
“It helps bring people into the store,” Carolyne says about the café. “They come in to grab a healthy meal in a warm space and just relax. It adds a practical and delicious dimension to our overall wellness offering.”
Guided by designer Marie-France Hamann, Carolyne helped craft her business’ new design and colour palette.
“Marie-France took the time to understand my needs and then presented me with different options suited to the atmosphere I wanted to create,” says Carolyne. “Together, we made choices that perfectly reflect the store’s identity and the experience I wanted to offer our customers.”
Cultivating long-term success
Last May, Verveine et cie celebrated its 20-year anniversary with an in-store event that included special promos, mini-info sessions, and tastings. She attributes the business’s lasting success to customer service and natural health expertise, both of which are offered by her staff that includes three naturopaths who—beyond working on the floor—also offer private consultations.
“People like being well-served, and we focus on giving really good advice,” she says. “Our store represents a place where people feel good and where they can get guidance from our naturopaths on-site.”
Carolyne’s team is also made up of kitchen staff, two students who help with various tasks on the weekends, and an Ayurveda specialist.
“Our Ayurveda specialist Caroline Grégroire also offers private appointments,” explains Carolyne. “She brings a different and highly appreciated holistic approach.”
All of the store’s staff are united by a passion for natural health.
“Each person brings complementary expertise that contributes to the balance and energy of the store,” Carolyne says. “We all support each other in our learning through daily conversations, shared experiences, and collaboration between our different specialties. This helps create a stimulating environment where everyone continues to grow.”
Beyond the personnel, Carolyne says her store’s success can also be attributed to the sense of community it fosters.
“It’s a small neighbourhood store, so people feel a sense of belonging,” she says. “It’s not a big chain; people feel more at home here.”
While this sentiment helps bring customers back, it also comes with challenges. Carolyne continues to face competition from big chains and online retailers who undercut pricing by buying in bulk.
To combat this, Carolyne points to the store’s long-standing loyalty pricing strategy. Verveine et cie offers an annual membership for $15. Once a month, members can take advantage of 20 percent off cosmetics and supplements.
“Big retailers’ pricing is hard to overcome because they can buy in huge volumes,” she says. “Instead, we try to stand out with pricing offers like our monthly members’ day.”
A balancing act
Recently, Carolyne has reduced her schedule to take on another major responsibility: motherhood. But adding the title of “mother” to her list of roles hasn’t slowed her drive.
“Sometimes I’ll bring my baby to work with me in her baby carrier,” she says. “It’s not always easy, but it does feel good to come to work.”
While the natural health industry grapples with increasing governmental regulations, Carolyne hopes to eventually return to work full-time in a sector that’s still thriving.
“As long as regulations don’t slow down the market, it’s a sector that will keep growing,” she says. “People are better informed and are choosing natural products more often. It’s nowhere near stopping.”