Take a look at our brand new newsletter, the King's Corner!
KING’S CORNER
204-633-9010
DECEMBER 2020
WWW.KINGSSERVICES.COM
FINDING KING’S How One Decision Changed My Life
Before I became the owner of King’s Services, I was an accountant by trade. I graduated from the University of Manitoba with a business degree and was involved in the banking business for a number of years. I worked for KPMG Chartered Accountants and later worked for RoyNat Capital for three years. It was there that I learned how to buy and sell businesses by helping companies finance purchases. This eventually led to me buying a business of my own. The entrepreneurial side of me is something I inherited from my dad, who owned his own business for 40 years. He worked in what some would call a “machine” shop: It was a tool, dye, and welding shop. As a kid, I occasionally worked with him, and that experience gave me insight into the good, the bad, and the ugly of owning a business. Dad always wanted me to attend university because he never had the opportunity to when he was my age. He felt it would be beneficial for my sister and me to attend university to further our education. As I was pursuing my degree, I talked to my dad about potentially going into business with him, but there were a couple things that prevented me. The timing never quite worked out, and my skill set never fit his type of business. Dad has a very “engineering” type of mind, and that’s not the way my mindset works. I’m better at numbers, marketing, and strategy. I just didn’t have the technical background that his business needed.
Yet, even though I didn’t join forces with my dad, business was still something I was interested in. Out of the blue, an opportunity was presented to me to pursue that interest. I was working with a business broker in his office, helping him finance a deal he was making. On a whim, I asked him what he had for sale, and he showed me King’s Septic and Portable Toilet Service. He gave me the information so I could look through it and consider this purchase. Around that same time, I was going away with my wife to visit my sister in California. We got on the airplane, and, once we were in the air, I turned to her and showed her King’s and asked her what she thought about me buying this business. She looked at me like I’d gone totally crazy, but she did eventually agree to support me in this endeavor. Six months later, after negotiating the deal and getting all the details smoothed out, I was the proud business owner of King’s. In the 16 years since I’ve owned the business, we’ve been able to grow tremendously. When I first bought the company in 2004, we had only eight employees, five trucks, and a small office and shop on Highway 6 near Grosse Isle. Today, we have 44 employees, 30 vehicles, and a new office and shop in Headingley. We want to thank our employees who have been a tremendous asset in the growth of the company. Due to our expansion in the number of services we provide, we even decided to change the name from King’s
Septic and Portable Toilet Service to King’s Services in 2018. When I bought the company, we only specialized in portable toilet and septic services. Now, we do plumbing, drain cleaning, luxury toilet rentals, temporary fencing, septic field, and tank installs: We’ve added quite a lot! We’ve even reached a point where we seem to add another service every year, depending on our clients’ needs. All of us at King’s are customer-focused, and, when we hear people asking for something, we do our best to take into account that need and integrate it into the business. Our No. 1 goal is to service our clients at the highest level. At King’s, we are extremely thankful to have such supportive and loyal customers. You have allowed us to experience immense growth, and we couldn’t have done it without you. We wish everyone a safe and healthy holiday season, and we hope you enjoy our first edition of King’s Corner. –Steven
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BUGGING OUT: COMMON PEST CONTROL WARNING SIGNS HOMEOWNERS MISS
Pests can be a problem during any time of the year, but they can be especially problematic during the winter months when they’re more likely to seek the warmth of the indoors. Stay alert and catch those pests before they become a real problem during your next holiday party! Look for these four common warning signs: No. 1: Check for dead bugs or pest droppings indoors. If you’ve discovered dead bugs or pest droppings on window ledges or in your basement, do some research to figure out what they are. If the dead bugs and/or droppings are from the same species, chances are that they live on your property. No. 2: Look for holes, gnaw marks, grease marks, or trails. Rats and mice tend to travel along the same paths and often leave evidence of their infestation through dark grease marks, urine trails, gnawed items, and prints in dusty paths into small holes. Don’t forget that evidence can be outdoors too. Pests can burrow in garbage or even piles of leaves near the property. No. 3: Pay attention to weird scents and sounds. Because we’re accustomed to the smell of our own home, we can identify odd and gross scents. Experts say that mice tend to have a musty urine smell, while rats often smell like ammonia. Any scent of garbage is a bad sign as well, because if it isn’t caused by a pest, it can attract them. Lastly, don’t dismiss odd sounds, like the patter of rodents or even large insects. You may hear scratching on the walls, gnawing, squeaking, or scurrying.
It can seem pretty mundane to change out your windows, on top of all your other expenses! However, there’s a real reward to doing so. We’ve mentioned energy-efficient (EE) windows before, but this time we take a deeper dive into just how a window can improve your family’s comfort and resources. Wait, what’s wrong with older windows? So long as your window doesn’t have cracks or broken glass, there’s nothing wrong necessarily. It’s just that older windows aren’t designed to perform an important function: keep hot or cold air in. Why is this? First, older frames are normally made of aluminum. This is problematic because air can more easily pass from one side to the other. You want frames made of materials like vinyl or fiberglass, which are poor conductors of heat and therefore better insulators. Also, most older windows have single-pane glass, which is terrible for keeping heat inside your house (your cool air, too). Lastly, your windows might not have been properly installed by experts who understand how to minimize your utility bill. Why energy-efficient (EE) windows are magic. You might’ve guessed by now that EE windows are designed to insulate your home better, but how do you install insulation in glass? Inert gas. Placing argon or krypton in between glass panes, for example, can improve your home insulation and protect your furniture and photos from sun damage. With vinyl or fiberglass frames and two, or even three, glass panes, EE windows are designed better in every way — all while saving you hundreds a year. The U.S. Department of Energy predicts that replacing your single-pane windows with EE ones can save you anywhere between $126–$465 annually. Also, according to the Glass Doctor, most homeowners report a 60%–75% reduction in exterior noise once insulated EE windows are installed. We love EE windows because they’re a win for everyone. Bump up the value of your home today and save money on your utility bill — and help the planet while you’re at it! Why Energy-Saving Windows Work Like Magic SAVE ON YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL, ADD TO YOUR COMFORT
No. 4: Check for signs of nesting. Some pests, like termites, will build homes with natural materials like mud. You can detect termite activity through sagging wood or mud tubes created along the surface of your doors or walls. However, mice and rats may take things from your home to create their nest, including shreds from furniture and other fabric, insulation, pillow stuffing, or anything else they can find. To protect your family’s health, don’t miss these common pest signs!
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BE THE HOST WITH THE MOST At This Year’s Virtual Holiday Party This year, you’ve probably celebrated Halloween and Thanksgiving a little differently in order to keep your gatherings safe. But ‘tis the season for holiday parties, so if your annual get-together is one you just can’t go without, consider creating the perfect virtual party this year. Keep invites classic. Just because your partygoers won’t be attending in person doesn’t mean they should be any less excited when their invitation arrives! Create a fun and festive invite and send it to your guests in the mail, complete with date, time, attire, and exact instructions for how to access your virtual party. This physical reminder will keep your event top of mind and bring some familiarity to the process. Overdo your atmosphere. Just as you would decorate and set up before guests arrive in person, you should do the same for your virtual party if you want to create a truly festive spirit. Because people will see you and your home through a camera, you should ramp things up a bit. Pick a corner of your home where you can hang plenty of lights and decorations, crank up some tunes, dress in your holiday best, and have a glass of eggnog and some classic hors d’oeuvres nearby. Treat your virtual party like a real party, and it’ll be one to remember. Get in the spirit of giving. Sometimes, a lull in conversation during a video call can feel agonizingly awkward. But this is a party, and you want to keep festivities lively, so avoid potential lapses by providing plenty of things to do. Games are always a great option, and
if you want to keep with the spirit of holiday parties, send your guests party favors before the party that they can open during the call. Mail wrapped gifts with strict instructions to wait until the party. Fun food items, gag gifts, and ugly Christmas sweaters make for great conversation starters, and taking turns opening gifts on camera gets everyone involved. There’s no reason to cancel the holiday party you’ve been looking forward to hosting all year. Virtual parties present an opportunity to get creative, start new traditions, and provide loved ones with the holiday cheer they’ve been needing.
FESTIVE APPLE CIDER
TAKE A BREAK
Inspired by BoulderLocavore.com
Ingredients
• 1 lemon • 1 gallon pure apple cider • 1 large orange, thinly sliced crosswise • 2 tsp whole cloves
• 2 tsp allspice berries • 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced • 2 tbsp honey • 3 cinnamon sticks
Directions
1. Using a paring knife, shave the lemon peel off in curls. Reserve the curls and save the lemon for use in a different recipe. 2. In a large slow cooker, combine the lemon peel with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 3–4 hours. 3. If desired, use a sieve to strain the spices. Serve and enjoy!
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49 HEADINGLEY ST. HEADINGLEY, MANITOBA R4H 0A8 204-633-9010 WWW.KINGSSERVICES.COM
PLUMBING • DRAIN CLEANING • SEPTIC SERVICES TEMPORARY FENCING • PORTABLE TOILETS INSIDE
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An Accountant Turned Septic Expert
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Why Energy-Saving Windows Work Like Magic Common Pest Control Warning Signs Homeowners Miss How to Throw the Perfect Virtual Holiday Party Festive Apple Cider
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What Christmas Trees Look Like Worldwide
WHAT CHRISTMAS TREES LOOK LIKE WORLDWIDE
Whether it’s floating on the canal or pictured in lights on a mountainside, the tradition of the Christmas tree is beloved worldwide, and its iterations might surprise you! For example, the Galeries Lafayette in Paris (similar to Macy’s in the U.S.) does a dazzling Christmas tree display in their main store. In 2019, they did an incredible upside-down Christmas tree that hung from the ceiling and had a light show every hour. In Rio de Janeiro, they have the world’s largest floating Christmas tree, which is over 85 meters tall and weighs 542 tons! It was revealed with a huge firework show and floated over the gorgeous Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon.
In Gubbio, Italy, they can see their city’s official “tree” from a hundred miles away — because it’s a massive light fixture along a mountainside. Every year, it’s switched on by a notable figure. In 2014, it was turned on by the Pope, and, last year, it was switched on from space! We hope you enjoyed discovering these international traditions as much as we did. Merry Christmas!
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204-633-9010
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