ronmental remediation work, moving back to Nova Scotia to work with Dexter Construction, where he stayed for eight years.
His next move is the most straightforward of entrepreneurship stories: “I decided I was ready. So I put in my notice and I did it.”
“It” was founding Monk Renovations in 2009. Home renovations might seem like a strange move for a civil engineer, but Dan notes that his skills were highly transferable. “I started on the tools. I had worked on my own renovation, plus I own rental properties and have worked on those. Being a professional engineer and a Red Seal carpenter is a rare combination in the renovation business. And sales have never been hard for me. I love building relationships with customers.” “Being a professional engineer and a Red Seal carpenter is a rare combination in the renovation business.” In describing his journey to business owner, Dan goes to great lengths to describe how much he values the support of his wife, Angela. “She never questioned anything. She showed complete faith in me. When you have someone relying on you, supporting you and trusting you unconditionally -- it’s really powerful.” The faith was justified. Monk Renovations has grown to 10 employees, and their website is full of testimonials that speak to the quality of both their work and the service. They have been named the 2016 Renovator of the Year, and recently won their second award for the Most Out- standing Reno for a custom kitchen renovation they completed for a family on Cedar Street. PROFESSIONALISM Dan has some strong opinions on the importance of certification, reg- istration and paying taxes. “When I started the business, the first thing I did was register my business with Joint Stocks and got my tax number. Yes, I am a tax collector: I run my business professionally, I charge taxes, I give receipts. I know there are a lot of tradesmen who run one-man shops and will work under the table: my thinking is, these guys have just told you they are okay cheating the government. Don’t be surprised if they end up cheating you.” Dan notes, “It’s not just that taxes pay for medical, roads and schools. No one wants to pay too much tax. It’s the fact that we warranty our work. We are a stable, professional business, committed to our customers and our community.” One of the ways Monk Renovations shows commitment to the profes- sional community is by hiring young workers and developing them. In 2015, Dan Monk got his Red Seal certification in large part so that he could sign off on the experience of apprentices. The company makes a practice of hiring young carpenters -- “when they start, they really don’t know much,” says Dan -- and developing their skills. Which brings us to Dan’s four word manifesto.
He tells a funny story about becoming a civil engineer. “Everyone seemed to know one thing about civil engineers: they build bridges. I’d argue that we learn so much more -- roads, buildings, dams, railways and more – but still, everyone says, ‘so you build bridges?’ Of course, my first job after I get my degree, what am I doing? Building bridges.” That first job was with Atlantic Industries, which he describes as a “great place to work and learn.” Atlantic cultivated the leadership qualities their young engineer showed, putting him in charge of a division in Alberta, where he led road, culvert and pipe building projects. When Dan eventually began to get the itch to learn more, he moved into envi-
“We pay a fair wage and really put a lot into bringing apprentices
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS • APRIL 2016
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