CREDIT: CBC DRAGONS DEN
Fanshawe student Derek Lamoureux spins his pitch on Dragons’ Den on November 13 at 8 p.m. on CBC.

When second-year Business Accounting student Derek Lamoureux received his first turntable for Christmas at age 16, he never knew where it would lead him.

Just over two years later, he stepped onto the set of one of the most popular television shows in Canada, pitching to some of the richest venture capitalists in the country.

Starting out as DJ LAMCHOPS two years ago, Lamoureux's first gig was a family member's wedding. From there, he deejayed a dance at his high school in Strathroy, and his phone just kept ringing. “It slowly led from biweekly to weekly ... depending on the season. Summer's more busy. Right now, our focus is on schools and weddings.”

He recently expanded his business to LC Productions, which offers DJ services, photography, videography and live music. Lamoureux currently has four employees, and is hiring more as he gets busier. “In two years' time, I'd like to have about 20,” he said. He's currently talking with the Photography and Video departments at Fanshawe to get their students involved. Working for LC Productions would help those students build their portfolios, get experience and work at a student driven startup.

Back in January, Lamoureux auditioned for Dragons' Den in Sarnia, pitching LC Productions to the show's producers. A month later — right around his birthday — he got a call inviting him to go to Toronto to pitch to the Dragons — Kevin O'Leary, Jim Trevling, Arlene Dickinson, David Chilton, and Bruce Croxon — in March.

“There are about 10,000 people who try out; 250 make it to Toronto, and then 120 make it to TV.” Lamoureux is one of those lucky 120.

Lamoureux had a long wait before finding that out, though — he didn't hear that his pitch would air until last month. When he received the email from the producers, “it was like scoring a goal in hockey, like, ‘Yes!'” he exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. “Finally, what I've been waiting for for like six months.”

Being on the show was a “crazy experience,” he recalled, but he wasn't nervous. “I've done a lot of public speaking, so it wasn't a big thing to talk in front of them. I just looked at them as five people, having a conversation with them, telling them what my business was.”

“Most people write and memorize a speech when they go on the show — you can tell,” he said. “I said to myself, ‘I'm not gonna do that. I'm gonna tell it as it is. I know what my business is; I don't need to memorize it or write it down.'” Rather than focus on memorization, he wanted to focus on his performance. “It's all about good TV.”

A performer at heart, Lamoureux knew he'd have to engage the Dragons to get their attention. He did so by displaying his DJ skills, getting the Dragons to get up and dance with him.

“The pitch went very well,” Lamoureux said with a grin. “I wasn't nervous, I was excited ... It went very well, and they liked the idea — that's all I can say.”

Lamoureux has found his training in Fanshawe's Business program to be very helpful in developing business plans. He's also found a great resource in Fanshawe's own BizInc, a business incubator that helps student entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.

“Working with [the advisors] at BizInc, they've definitely helped a tremendous amount with the knowledge they have.” He meets with BizInc advisors biweekly to discuss venues, business plans, goals, target audiences, communication with clients. “It's a great program. If you have an idea, I would definitely take it to them.”

“We're extremely proud and excited for [Derek],” said Brittany Medeiros, marketing, communications and event coordinator for BizInc. “It's an amazing accomplishment for him and we're super supportive of what he's going to do with his company.”

Since opening in 2011 at Western and coming to Fanshawe six months later, BizInc has connected with over 275 students, offering business advice, grant application assistance and mentorship opportunities. As of May, BizInc has more than 40 active startups employing over 60 employees. “We meet students all the time, and our network continues to grow,” Medeiros said.

As a full-time student and a business owner, Lamoureux is always on the go. “It definitely makes for 17- and 18-hour days that I didn't know existed before! It's a lot to manage as one person.” However, he knows hard work is a huge part of being successful. “If you believe in something, do it. Don't let people stop you from doing it. If you work hard enough, and I mean work hard — it's not easy — it pays off in the long run.”

For more information about BizInc, go to bizinc.ca. For more on LC Productions, go to lcproductions.ca.

Watch Lamoureux dance with the Dragons on November 13 at 8 p.m. on CBC. If you miss the episode, you can stream it online at cbc.ca/dragonsden.