Danny Guillaume, founder and owner of West Coast Video, then Petcetera, takes on a new challenge — Storyeum, an interactive museum to be built underground in Gastown
Lena Sin
Sun
You know you’ve got a great interview when (a) the subject volunteers half the answers before you’ve even asked the questions and (b) the photographer asks the other half for you.
So if I were being completely honest, this profile wouldn’t have my byline on it at all. Most of the work was done by our subject Danny Guillaume and Province photographer Les Baszo, who was so engrossed that he couldn’t help but assume the role of reporter.
But such is the draw of Guillaume, the brainchild behind Storyeum, a $22-million interactive museum experience.
He’s a 42-year-old entrepreneur who calls himself a “farmboy from Saskatchewan,” who waves his arms in excitement when he speaks, bores easily but exudes the kind of curiosity normally reserved for children.
As Baszo put’s it, “he’s infectious.”
Guillaume refers to it as his “gift.”
So if there’s anybody in this city who can make B.C. history interesting, it’s Guillaume, which is exactly what he’s attempting to do with Storyeum, due to open this June. The space, being constructed under Water and Cordova Streets is the equivalent of six hockey rinks. It will be like nine movie sets all glommed together, with live actors retelling the story of B.C. natives, before Capt. Vancouver and the Chinese who built the railroad.
No doubt this will be big, but before we go running to put this man on a pedestal, Guillaume asks that we don’t. Because the way he sees it, he is just “an average Joe whose had extraordinary opportunities.”
So how risky is this?
Other people perceive it that way but for me, I get lots of homework done, do lots of research, do the studying, come up with the plan that makes sense, make sure that it resonates clearly with me, make sure that I love it. You know, I’m really going to enjoy what I’m doing because that’s a real risk eliminator.
What was the trigger for Gastown?
History. It’s the historic area in Vancouver. It needs economic redevelopment, which is a big thing for me. I have a philosophy that the more value you can spin-off to other people into society, the less risk it is for you because people want you to succeed.
Have you ever failed?
At lots of things. I’ve probably failed more than most people. I mean, I fail everyday. I’m not perfect in any way.
You call yourself a farmboy from Saskatchewan, what did you envision yourself doing when you were young?
From how old? Give me an age.
Well, from the time you first started thinking about what you wanted to do.
I’m from a farm 20 miles outside of Moose Jaw, that’s where I was born and raised. And obviously my dad was my greatest hero. Well, not obviously, but he was. He was very strong, honest, had huge integrity, community was front and foremost in his mind and he passed away when I was 12. And that probably had a great impact. Because I really paid attention even more after he died. You know, because I missed him so much and the things I admired were things I wanted in myself. I thought he was a leader . . . I still carry his briefcase today, I have all my life.
So, you wanted to be like your dad.
I think I got the business from him. I think I got the idea that you could do what you wanted to do if you believed in yourself and you have responsibility to be your best to your community . . . that sense of responsibility is a big part of who I am. So that’s entrenched. I think back in Grades 1
and 2 and I went to school with a briefcase. I was the only kid.
Did you end up ever going to business school later on?
No, never studied business. Never took any business classes. It was always kind of natural or innate for me. I studied agriculture because I thought I was going to be a farmer in Saskatoon. I was a farmer for five years.
How did you go from being the founder and owner of West Coast Video to Petcetera to now this?
It’s a good question.
Do you have a short attention span?
Probably. I get bored easily.
How did I go from one to the other? I think partly by accident. A lot of it was my self-confidence and self-esteem. Coming from a farm, I wanted to move to a city. So I went looking for cities to move to and I did lots of research on where cities were going to grow and where there’d be economic development. And I chose Vancouver.
And what was that like?
I was scared moving here. I mean, I was petrified. I never really lived in a city before, not this size. And your confidence. You think everybody’s smarter than you. You start out thinking you really don’t know anything, and you think you’re this goofy, clumsy farm kid and that’s how you feel until you make an accomplishment. So I had to take on a business that was achievable for me.
Hence the video business?
Well, the video-rental business is not particularly challenging. I did a business plan and worked at and got the belief that I’d be good at it and then became good at it. And then I looked for a little more sophistication in business because I made good money and sold to Blockbuster and another independent. I wanted to do something more extraordinary.
Pet food seems to be an odd choice.
I’d never really experienced what 100 per cent effort from me had been because I’d never really had to give absolutely everything flat out and I wanted to know where the wall was. I decided to be the largest retailer in Canada and the pet industry sounded like a big audacious goal and it really got my attention. It was like wow, if I did that, I’d really have to learn. I’d have to become a much bigger person and so that’s how I looked at it.
You seem pretty fearless.
Well, I’d hate to give you that impression. I gained the confidence that I could break through my fears. Because the fear stops you. So when I feel fear, I have to go into it.
Do you have one thing you’re most afraid of?
I don’t get fear where it stops me. I mean, Sunday morning, I’m going to be afraid to read your article. That’s about the level of my fear. It’s usually smaller things.
© The Vancouver Province 2004