An article by Samuel Larochelle, published in La Presse on September 9, 2025.

After studying violin, Mélanie Vaugeois obtained an MBA and helped musician Michel Cusson develop his film and circus music market. Drawing on these experiences, in 2002 she co-founded Diverso with her husband Dominique Perron, and began planning business events.

Today, the musician sees her career as that of an orchestra conductor, directing all the players involved in a project so that they are as harmonious as possible. On the agenda: understanding the customer’s needs, choosing the event’s theme, venue, furniture, decor, transportation, suppliers, insurance, contracts, catering, communications, technological integration, compliance with eco-responsible standards, etc.

Put another way, she and her team take the mental load of the event on their shoulders. Customers really appreciate the support we provide before, during and after the event,” explains Mélanie Vaugeois. It allows them to concentrate on their guests and partners. Since we have long-standing customers, we become a bit like family and get to know them well. ”

Over the course of an entire year, his company Diverso organizes some forty events, ranging from fund-raising evenings, conventions and summer celebrations to company anniversaries, end-of-year parties, press conferences and team-building days.

In all cases, the time commitment is considerable. ” A small event can take us around thirty hours, whereas a big one involves hundreds of hours spread over several months. We often book the venue a year in advance and work out the scenario for the coming months. ”

Atypical background
Before becoming an event planner, Ms. Vaugeois had an atypical background. ” In my day, there was no curriculum for learning how to do events. The profession has always existed, but people were trained on the job. ”

After her studies in violin performance, she obtained an MBA with a specialization in finance at HEC Montréal and managed the team surrounding Michel Cusson. ” I loved being in the world of business and the arts. Then I met Dominique, my spouse, partner and co-founder, who suggested I get involved in events. ”

She quickly realized the value of her MBA in managing budgets, marketing, business relations and market research. As did the benefits of her musical career, which gave her a keen artistic curiosity and multiple connections in the industry.

When she hires new talent, she focuses first and foremost on their human qualities.

She also stresses the need to be rigorous, hard-working and flexible. ” There ‘ s no such thing as a typical day at work. The more stable 9 to 5 has always scared me. I like it when things move around and are always different. ”

The busiest periods for his company are autumn (October, November and early December) and spring (mid-April to June). ” These are very intense periods. We try to balance our year so that our employees can go on vacation and maintain a good quality of life. ”