Meet Dominique Laporte-Marginean | Expat expert

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dominique Laporte-Marginean and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dominique, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I have been an expat for a long part of my life. It all started when I was 2 years old, on and off. I felt different as a child because of the different cultures I grew up in and things didn’t change as I became an adult. One day I realized I was not alone, there were many of us, living a life abroad and having roots in many countries. I decided to help others make the best of it and live their best life, by optimizing their experience and by feeling understood by their pairs.

What should our readers know about your business?
The last time I left Quebec (Canada) to move to the USA, I had to give up my lawyer career and reinvent myself in a new field. I came to realize what made the most sense was to bring my passion for expat life to the service of others who would be passionate as I am about living a different life. I started by creating a Facebook group of women from all over the world, then I wrote a book for parents that have Third culture kids, I started a podcast (Prochaine destination), I created a program for future expats and I ended up also offering coaching sessions to help future expats optimize their experience. Along the way, I am proud to say that I made people connect through their experiences and feel more normal about it. It’s not always easy because people are not used to sharing about their different way of living, but once someone does, it normalizes many situations.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I moved to Peachtree City in 2020 without ever going to Georgia. I was shocked by how green the area is and, most of all, by the golf cart life. Since I haven’t grown up here, I regularly have visits and the opportunity to show them this beautiful area. Of course, we go on golf cart rides, paddle board on the lake, and go for hikes. I bring my visitors to some of my favorite restaurants (Positano Pizza (Peachtree City), The Beirut (Peachtree City), The Garden Room (Atlanta), and The Select (Atlanta)) and we listen to music at Drake Field Park in Peachtree City at Sunset and sounds nights. We also definitely make a stop at The Avenue (Peachtree City) for some shopping and then at Curious Pig for drinks.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Book: Third culture kids by Ruth E. Van Reken, Michael V. Pollock and David C. Pollock
Mentorship: Rachel Hollis through her podcast and Véronique Ouellet through her structure
Technical support and love: Martin Mercier
Inspiration: FB group “Québécoises expat”

Website: https://www.subscribepage.com/g3b6z6