Entrepreneurship: Passion as a trigger

It’s the desire I had inside. Also, the people around me who were able to accompany me and who were able to confirm the idea I had in mind.

Entrepreneurship: Passion as a trigger

Marc Plata, Founder of CENTRE RESPIRE since 2020

The steps to turning your passion into your profession?

The idea for a respiratory therapeutic center came gradually from one word: the word “breathe” (“respire” in French), following a burnout in 2014. And from that word, a whole life path has followed, a professional path, since this type of breathing, I first adapted it to myself. And over time, regarding my professional experiences, my life experiences – both good and bad – things changed and from a breath, it became an idea. The idea of being able to transmit this breathing to others. I first used it on myself to be able to come out of the burnout I went through in 2014. I used it on my father who had Parkinson’s disease. I was able to see the effects on myself, on him, on other people, too. And, one thing lead to another. A project formed in my mind, thinking, well, I’ll be able to share this with lots of people. The first idea was to create a therapeutic center for respiratory rehabilitation, which transformed into the Centre Respire, a therapeutic breathing center adapted to all in terms of both health and sports.

What were the obstacles?

Mostly mental obstacles, like starting up, going from employee to a freelance status, which was totally new to me. It’s a status that can be scary, and is still scary, especially in society’s current configuration. Other obstacles include your entourage, who can be scared for us. They might say: “What are you getting into? Are you sure of yourself? Can you afford it?” Because from the outside, it’s an issue of saying you’re freelance, that you don’t know much about the future. People are afraid of the future. Being a salaried employee is much, much safer, because you know that your salary will come in every month.

In terms of things that have boosted me, it’s that desire, the desire I had inside. Also, the people around me who were able to accompany me and who were able to confirm the idea I had in mind. People who supported me and whose support allowed me to go from an idea to a project and a real realization that is now one year old.

How long between the idea and the launch?

It took six years because, as I said, it’s a life journey. In 2014, I had my burnout. It took me two years to really get out of it, to turn myself around through sophrology, which I practiced for two years through a training program to become a sophrologist. Becoming a sophrologist wasn’t really my ambition. At first, it was more for me, for personal development. And one thing led to another. So in 2017, I started doing some sessions “on the side” with my other job, and in 2019, I was laid-off for economic reasons. Basically overnight, I was told: “Thank you, goodbye.” And so, that was also a trigger that made me question myself. And I thought “it’s now or never.”

Keeping cool when it comes to a passion?

Take the time. Take the time, take the time to do things, take the time to listen to yourself, to listen to yourself, not do something because you decided to do it at such and such a time, etc. It’s really about listening to yourself, your feelings, your energy at a given time. And I think that’s really the key. It’s saying: “Do I have the energy to do this?” Because, even if you think a task, an action you have planned will take maybe a week, two days, three days, in reality, it always takes twice or three times as long.