Required reading before signing anything. This document presents the real risks of the Café Chouchou project without rhetorical softening. The majority of critical risks do not come from the concept or the market — they come from the founders' capacity to carry everything simultaneously, and from a seasonality not yet modelled in the projections. Knowing your risks before you start is the advantage of entrepreneurs who survive.
Risk Matrix & Summary
| ID | Risque | Category |
P | I |
Score | Level |
Risk matrix — Probability × Impact
| P \ I → |
1 Negligible | 2 Minor | 3 Moderate | 4 Major | 5 Catastrophic |
■ Critical ≥15
■ High 9–14
■ Medium 4–8
■ Low ≤3
P = Probability (1=Rare → 5=Almost certain) · I = Impact (1=Negligible → 5=Catastrophic)
Detailed Analysis by Category
All
WHAT SHOULD NOT BE NEGOTIATED
- The resolutory clause in the lease. Without it, the entire financial plan rests on sand. If the landlord refuses, find another space.
- Insurance validation before finalizing play zone designs. A refusal or $12,000/year premium changes the entire model. Call a broker NOW with the precise equipment description.
- An honest conversation about Alex's real capacity during the first months — with the NTS full-time, cafe presence will be limited. The co-founder needs to know exactly what she is taking on.
- Monthly revenue modelling — not annual averages. July and August must appear in projections, not be drowned in an average.
- At least 2 real construction quotes per lot before finalizing the financing budget. Current estimates may be 30–50% below reality.
- Before the PME MTL meeting: verbal Desjardins confirmation on CSBFP feasibility, at least one insurance quote, zoning verification for 7515 Saint-Hubert, identification of an alternative space.
Despite these risks, Café Chouchou remains a solid project with a differentiated concept in an underserved Montreal market. Entrepreneurs who know their risks before starting prepare better than those who discover them along the way. This document is an advantage, not an obstacle.