Whereas most youngsters are juggling faculty and sports activities, 13-year-old Rimouski native Olivier Leblanc is already carving out a reputation for himself as a younger entrepreneur — together with his hockey stick wax now reaching skilled gamers.
A younger concept beneficial properties traction
At simply 12 years outdated, Leblanc created his personal hockey stick wax firm, Boli, a product designed to be utilized to the tape on a stick blade. The thought got here unexpectedly one night.
“One night, a bit earlier than Christmas final 12 months, I bought this concept whereas watching movies and scrolling by way of social media, and that’s what impressed me to start out the Boli firm,” mentioned Leblanc.
What adopted was experimentation and trial-and-error.
“At first, I used to be all the time making mixtures. I attempted totally different combos to discover a good recipe, however it was by no means actually to my liking. Then we lastly discovered the suitable recipe,” he mentioned.
Testing rapidly grew to become a bunch effort.
“I’d present it to my associates, then to my dad too, after which we’d all attempt it collectively, and primarily based on their suggestions—whether or not they mentioned, ‘Yeah, that is the one’—I’d determine whether or not to maintain it or tweak it some extra,” Leblanc mentioned.
From storage experiments to retail cabinets
What started as a house experiment has now expanded into sporting items shops throughout Quebec, together with Sports activities Specialists and Sports activities aux Puces Mauricie.
Leblanc says early native assist helped the model achieve momentum.
“I approached Sports activities Specialists in Rimouski and Sports activities aux Puces. They bought concerned in my challenge as a result of it was native they usually supported native initiatives,” he mentioned.
Olivier Leblanc together with his Boli hockey stick wax at Sports activities aux Puces Mauricie, the place the product is now accessible on the market. (Courtesy: Fb/BOLI)
A serious turning level got here in the course of the Memorial Cup, when his product was launched to NHL connections by way of the Bolduc household.
“On the Memorial Cup, Zachary Bolduc and his father Richard—the Bolduc household—got here to see us, and I introduced my challenge, and I informed Richard he may take some wax with him and convey it to the sports activities retailer in Trois-Rivières. Then as soon as on the sports activities retailer, a pal of Michael was there, so he stopped by, and Richard made positive Michael bought our quantity, and that’s how it began,” Leblanc defined.
Reaching the NHL
That chain of connections ultimately led to skilled gamers utilizing his product.
Leblanc confirmed NHL Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Texier of the Montreal Canadiens have used the wax.
Olivier Leblanc (left) with NHL participant Zachary Bolduc, one in all Boli’s ambassadors. (Courtesy: Fb/BOLI)
One second that stood out for him got here throughout a Montreal Canadiens recreation.
“The primary time I went to see the Canadiens this 12 months, I went to the sport in opposition to the Capitals, and I went to provide some wax to the Capitals’ coach, and there’s a rookie participant on the staff who makes use of it. However I’m undecided if he’s utilizing it proper now,” he mentioned.
Balancing faculty and enterprise
Regardless of rising demand, Leblanc stays a full-time pupil and retains faculty as his precedence.
“I focus extra on faculty than my firm. When I’ve an excessive amount of homework within the night, my dad helps make the wax for me, and different occasions I do it myself,” he mentioned.
Customized merchandise and rising demand
Boli now presents a number of variations, together with colour-based waxes and customized staff editions.
Customization has turn out to be a serious a part of the model.
“We will add stickers for tournaments or groups so it appears like their very own product,” he added.
To this point, demand has grown rapidly.
“Round 7,000 models have been bought since this summer season,” he mentioned.
Trying forward
Leblanc is already enthusiastic about increasing past wax and needs to succeed in extra groups in Quebec.
He’s additionally enthusiastic about making different merchandise like tape scissors, water bottles, and even hockey pucks.
His largest lesson has been collaboration.
“Speak to folks—like I did with my mother and father they usually began serving to me. My associates too. I had three associates who got here to assist me throughout a busy interval this summer season,” he mentioned.
What started as a easy concept sparked by social media has grown right into a model already used at hockey’s highest degree — with room to skate even additional.
For Leblanc, the journey is simply starting.
