Quentin Joie, Managing Partner of Menuiserie Joie

In 2017, after a Bachelor’s degree in Woodworking (Mont-de-Marsan), Quentin Joie enrolled in the Master's in Business Administration at the Business Management Institute (IAE) in Pau. It was a springboard for taking over Menuiserie Joie (16 employees), founded in 1933 by his great-grandfather. 

Why this choice?  

I’ve spent a lot of time in our family business from a young age. For both my brother and myself, there was no doubt we would one day take over the business. This was what guided my choice of studies. After completing a Vocational Baccalaureate in Joinery and Fittings, I chose a very practical pathway with a BTS (Higher Technician’s Certificate) in Fittings Design followed by a Degree in Woodworking. By the end of my studies, which I carried out almost entirely on a work-study programme with a placement as Business Manager at Menuiserie Joie, I had acquired sound technical knowledge, but I wasn’t ready to manage a company. I needed training in management, accounting, economics, tax and law… Encouraged by my father, I looked for a course that would enable me to learn these skills quickly. During my Bachelor’s degree, one of my teachers had mentioned the Master’s in Business Administration at the IAE in Pau. I made an appointment with the course director, who was interested by my atypical background – from the field to business management - and perfectly understood my aims and where I was coming from. 

What memories do you have of your year at UPPA’s IAE? 

The people in my class (2018) came from a wide range of backgrounds. Coming from a specialist field, I found the interaction with the other students very enriching, particularly during group work on accounting and management, where everyone brought different experiences to the table. There was some debate but it was very constructive. I also remember the teaching from company directors who presented concrete cases that complemented the university’s theoretical approach. It’s still useful to this day! I learnt a lot during the year, which was also a work-study programme, with one week on campus and three weeks in the company each month.

How did you apply what you learned?

After graduating in 2018, I continued to learn within the company: first as Exterior Joinery Project Manager: sales meetings, quotes, worksite preparation, etc., then as Managing Partner when my parents decided to take a step back from the business. Today I'm Managing Director and my brother Gaëtan is Chairman. Our respective studies - a Master's degree in Business Administration at the IAE in Pau for me, and a Vocational Degree in Building and Construction and the Takeover and Creation of SMEs in the Building and Public Works Sector at Lycée Cantau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) for him - gave us a fresh perspective on management tools and business organisation. We launched a number of projects to improve performance and boost sales, including digitisation, new accounting software and improved scheduling. The UPPA course made me realise that technology alone is not enough to be a good business manager. You also need to be able to handle the figures! 

What words do you spontaneously associate with UPPA? 

Conviviality, exchanges, quality of teaching. 

What advice would you give to a young person starting a course at UPPA?

I would like to encourage young people graduating from a Vocational Degree. Most of them think they’ll never be able to do a Master’s, that it’s not for them… We need to remove these obstacles and tell them that the Master’s in Business Administration at the IAE in Pau is perfectly achievable. I'm proof of that! It’s also a fantastic springboard for those who wish to take over or create a new company. 

Want to find out more?  

Menuiserie Joie - https://menuiseriejoie.com

VERBATIM / Gaëtan Joie, Chairman of Menuiserie Joie

“Like my brother, I planned to take over the family business and I chose courses that would allow me to do so. I enrolled in the Vocational Degree in Building and Construction - Management, Takeover and Creation of SMEs in the Building and Public Works sector at UPPA, which gave me a solid foundation of knowledge. Today, our roles are complementary: Quentin’s the operational one, while I’m more at ease with the management and administrative side of things”.