Samuel Lajoie – The practical humanist

Vice-President, Sales, Career Agencies
With a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in applied ethics, Samuel discovered the Career Network in a second phase of his career and hasn’t looked back. Drawing on his listening skills and open-mindedness, he manages the network with a people-centred approach, ensuring that its members can thrive and feel at home there—and advise their clients better, as a result.

After studying and working in Quebec City for several years, Samuel and his spouse decided to settle down in their hometown, Rivière-du-Loup. Taking an interest in the analytical side of the profession, he joined iA as a financial security advisor near the end of 2007. Progressively climbing the ranks of the Career Network, from sales manager to branch manager to regional vice-president, he gained a deep understanding of the network’s inner workings, which led him to his current role as Vice-President, in 2021.

“I’m very proud to have started my family in Bas-du-Fleuve. With my work often taking me all over Quebec, I couldn’t juggle our four schedules without the help of my wife.”

Samuel gets involved in youth and education activities, especially his children’s, both of whom are promising young athletes. Over the nine years he’s spent supporting his daughter, Samuel has become a certified official of the Quebec Swimming Federation. He also coaches his son’s baseball team. Samuel has found it highly enjoyable and instructive to participate in a whole other management dynamic: with kids and parents!

Ever since the sporting days of his youth, Samuel has been striving for more. And this same drive shapes his work life to this day: “I always try to perform to the best of my abilities. At the end of each day, I make sure I’ve done what I aimed to do, and I meticulously note down all my upcoming projects and monitor their evolution.”

These projects are numerous and varied, including virtual and in-person team meetings on topics such as business architecture, compliance, IT security and strategic planning—not to mention attending an evening or weekend event here and there. Gregarious by nature, he enjoys hearing the stories of the people he meets, the agencies he manages and the regions he visits. His excellent memory helps him get to know everyone, and never forget them!

Samuel is proud of the Career Network, which is made up of some 3,000 individuals across Quebec. “The Career Network’s value is in its people. Through my relationships and interests, I’ve learned a lot from different organizations. But of them all, it’s iA’s sense of collaboration and teamwork that’s truly remarkable! Oftentimes, the most experienced individuals in our network spontaneously and generously give the beginners advice, because they recognize how important mentorship was when they were starting out.”

Samuel is constantly nurturing this sense of consideration for others. For him, it’s essential that everyone feels listened to. When people speak to him about their career or their projects, he lets them take centre stage. Combining respect, emotional intelligence and open-mindedness, Samuel welcomes diverse perspectives on how to improve the network or simply make everyone feel good and fulfilled in their work.

Samuel is also proud of the naturally inclusive spirit of the Career Network: “No matter where we come from, we’re all after the same thing: prosperity, security for our family and fulfillment. iA has the unique ability to give people of diverse backgrounds a real chance, no matter where they come from. These people often have an incredible past and amazing qualities, and we provide them with the same tools, care and benefits as someone born in Quebec.”

And this welcoming attitude has borne fruit, as evidenced by the phenomenal recruitment rate of recent years. What’s more, the network is now based on solid training and support programs and high-performance tools. To continue this growth, Samuel goes all-in on staying relevant: “We need to understand how to integrate new technologies like artificial intelligence, all while remembering the value of advising, which is our greatest strength. By staying consistent and relevant, we ensure that our clients see the service we provide as an optimal experience.”

Samuel’s path has been a reflection of the same ambitions we have for our clients. With his empathetic and thoughtful attitude, he’s confident in the future—his, the Career Network’s and, of course, iA Financial Group’s.