SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE APRIL 2016
Monk Renovations
By Charlene Boyce D an Monk’s vision sounds simple. Founding his company in 2009, he has built Monk Renovations from the ground up, one job and one relationship at a time. Talking to him, you quickly learn that “relationships” are one of the four keywords that sum up Dan’s work philosophy. Professionalism, trust, relationships and passion are the ingredients of Monk Renovations’ success recipe. HISTORY Dan Monk grew up in East Ship Harbour, a tiny fishing village on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, the child of a heavy equipment operator and a stay-at-home Mom. Dan got his first taste of construction helping his father build the family home, and got his first paying job in construction when he was 15--pouring concrete foundation by hand. He literally learned construction and building hands-on. When he went to Saint Francis Xavier University and later Dalhousie (TUNS) to become a civil engineer, he knew his life was going to be tied to building. He also knew he wanted to do it right. 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 cultivat- ed the leadership qualities their young engineer showed, putting him in charge of their Alberta operations, where he led projects in bridges and culvert construction for transportation, mining and forestry industries. When Dan eventually began to get the itch to learn more, he moved into environmental remediation projects, moving back to Nova Scotia to work with Dexter Construction, where he stayed for eight years. Dan describes his experience with Dexter as “learning business and construction in a fast-paced and exciting environment.”
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.”
2
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS • APRIL 2016
3
APRIL 2016 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS
port of his wife, Angela. “She never questioned anything. She showed complete faith in me. When you have some- one relying on you, supporting you and trusting you un- conditionally -- 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 com- pleted for a family on Cedar Street, Halifax. “When people in Halifax think about renovations, I want them to think Monk Renovations.” Could Monk Renovations be a dynasty? Dan’s two chil- dren have shown relevant interests. Daniel attends Saint Mary’s University for engineering, while Ceiledh, in grade 11 at Charles P. Allen High, plans to get her Bachelor of Commerce degree. Like their father, both excel in sports (rugby and hockey respectively plus both fly light aircraft), academics and community involvement. Dan says, “May- be one day they will put their heads together and achieve great things, maybe even run the company… hint, hint.” PROFESSIONALISM Dan has some strong opinions on the importance of working honestly, above board and paying taxes. “When I started the business, the first thing I did was incorporate and register my business with Joint Stocks and get my tax number. Yes, I am a “tax collector”: I run my business pro- fessionally, I charge taxes, I give receipts. I know there are a lot of “fly by night” contractors who 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 health care, 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 professional community is by hiring young work- ers and developing them. In 2015, Dan Monk got his In- ter-provincial Red Seal certification in carpentry in large “They are a big part of why I am doing what I do, to be an example.” Which brings us to Dan’s four word manifesto.
“It” was founding Monk Renovations in 2009. Home ren- ovations might seem like a strange move for a civil engi- neer, but Dan notes that his skills were highly transferable. “I started on the tools, I had worked on my own reno- vation, plus I own rental properties and have worked on those. Being a professional engineer and a Red Seal car- penter is a rare combination in the renovation business. And sales have never been hard for me. I love building relationships with customers.”
In describing his journey to business owner, Dan goes to great lengths to describe how much he values the sup-
part so that he could oversee and approve the experience of apprentices. The company makes a practice of hiring young carpenters. “When they start, they really can be very green to the construction and renovation industry,” says Dan. “Devel- oping their skills takes commitment from the employer.” “We pay a fair wage and really put a lot into bringing ap- prentices along,” Dan says. “Of course, what often hap- pens is that once they get really good, they move out West to pursue the opportunities there.” He laughs rue- fully. “You kind of have to approach it altruistically. Hope- fully they return.” Dan recently hired a graduate of NSCC’s Engineering and Ar- chitectural Design program, who was brought on first as an intern. “Customers like to see the visual of what something is going to look like - plus he’s learning and developing into a solid estimator and project manager. It was a good hire.” TRUST Dan knows that in today’s world, contractors don’t receive a lot of trust. “Everyone has a horror story. Everyone’s seen Mike Holmes, they know what terrible service looks like.” To show how the company builds trust, Dan refers to customer feedback.
Another relationship that has helped his business: his friendship with real estate agent, television and radio host Vanessa Romans. The two met in 2008, when Dan was about to incorporate his business. Vanessa was flip- ping a house and needed the hardwood floors redone. Dan came in, to fix work botched by a previous contractor, and actually ended up redoing the floors and windows to allow Vanessa to flip the house on schedule. The two have been friends ever since, with Vanessa bringing Dan in as an expert to speak on her radio show. “Being a professional engineer and a Red Seal carpenter is a rare combination in the renovation business.” Dan tends his relationships with the overall industry as well. He is a director on the board of the NS Home Build- ers Association and is co-chair of the Renovators Council, a member of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and Di- rector of the Hammonds Plains Business Association. PASSION You only have to speak to Dan Monk for a few minutes be- fore his passion for his work comes through. He believes
“We ask if customers would re-hire us, and if so, why. The top three answers? 1. You showed up when you said you would. 2. You did the work you quoted on and promised to do. 3. You charged what you said you would. People want to do work with a company they can trust.” Dan says that customers expect quality. The difference comes in how the service is delivered. Monk respects that renovations can be a challenging experience for homeown- ers, and commits to work at minimizing the inconvenience. RELATIONSHIPS Building trust is the first step in creating the solid relation- ships that Dan values. Relationships are the reason cus- tomers return, and why they give referrals, as he notes. And Monk’s relationships with suppliers and vendors are of paramount importance. Dan names some of the sup- pliers and contacts he values: Kent, Payzant, Quest Kitch- ens, Tower Interiors, Taylor Flooring, Evergreen Electric, to name just a few. “I’ve seen jobs where I was two tiles short - I called up Michele at Taylor, and she took tiles from a sample board to help me out or flew in products from a supplier to meet a deadline. That kind of service is based on a good rela- tionship. Taylor has been great to work with.”
strongly not only in what he does, but in the way he does it. He talks with energy about the value of building trust so that your relationships with customers are strong and long term. He has no interest in competing to just be the cheapest bidder: “it’s easy for a guy with a truck and a hammer to come in with a cheap price. But at what cost? What’s his warranty? What about insurance? What about experience and knowledge? Every- one knows it’s less expensive to get it done right the first time than to get it redone.” He talks about the challenges of be- ing a successful business owner in this region, where success is often greeted with suspicion. “As Maritimers, we have a reputation for often pulling each other down rather than helping each other up. I believe this is a key factor holding back prosperity in Maritime Canada. We are nice people as long as no- body gets too far ahead. Anyone who
achieves success or wealth is often dismissed as some- one who must have done something underhanded, or simply lucky. One of my favorite quotes is, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” “We have to celebrate success. As the saying goes, “A rising tide floats all boats.” I believe we have so much opportunity to grow as a region and province.”
Small Loan, Big Impact CUA’s Microloan Program offers loans between $1,000-$5,000 so that you can start or grow your business in Halifax.
many thanks to our advertisers
www.blackstarwealth.com
Monk Renovations PO Box 48003 Bedford, Nova Scotia (902) 497-0011 • info@monkreno.com
www.wbli.ca
www.monkreno.com
www.blackburnlaw.ca
www.taylorflooring.com
www.cua.com
as spotlighted in the APRIL 2016 issue of SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
www.spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker