Across The Street, Across The Country

If you were lucky enough to be one of the tens of thousands of people in the stands watching the recent Grey Cup game, you may not have noticed the dozen or so DKI logos on toques, hats and jackets in that one section. 

But you certainly wouldn’t have missed the DKI logo on the field during that Canadian classic match. 

Canada’s leader in property restoration is now partnered with Canada’s leader in professional football. And the people boldly and proudly displaying all that DKI garb (along with the jersey  of their favourite CFL team) were arguably the most excited about being there – as fans, but also because they felt a new and special connection to the CFL. 

We hear from some of the DKI people who were there and what this game – and this new relationship – means to them.

And we talk to two DKI members in that group – who are from opposite ends of the country and who were cheering on their respective team on the field. Can you say…wager? They did. And the benefactor is Ronald McDonald House Charities. Mike Howes and Mario Caetano tell us how that epic game inspired an epic bet for worthy cause.   

Music for this episode is Always Be Alright and Kick it Up by Close Kicks 

If you were lucky enough to be one of the tens of thousands of people in the stands watching the recent Grey Cup game, you may not have noticed the dozen or so DKI logos on toques, hats and jackets in that one section. 

But you certainly wouldn’t have missed the DKI logo on the field during that Canadian classic match. 

Canada’s leader in property restoration is now partnered with Canada’s leader in professional football. And the people boldly and proudly displaying all that DKI garb (along with the jersey  of their favourite CFL team) were arguably the most excited about being there – as fans, but also because they felt a new and special connection to the CFL. 

We hear from some of the DKI people who were there and what this game – and this new relationship – means to them.

And we talk to two DKI members in that group – who are from opposite ends of the country and who were cheering on their respective team on the field. Can you say…wager? They did. And the benefactor is Ronald McDonald House Charities. Mike Howes and Mario Caetano tell us how that epic game inspired an epic bet for worthy cause.   

Music for this episode is Always Be Alright and Kick it Up by Close Kicks 

We’ve all seen pictures. The piles of clutter and debris, piled high to the ceiling and covering virtually every inch of floor. The results of hoarding can be, and typically are, horrifying. 

At its extreme, professionals are called in to restore the space. And it takes a special person to not only work in oft-times unsanitary and unsafe condition, but to do so knowing the root cause of hoarding – someone with mental health challenges.

Kyle and Brennan Foley of DKI - York Region are two restoration experts with deep experience with hoarding claims. They share how they deal with these unique jobs – and how they manage, in their own individual ways, the inevitable emotions these restorations evoke. 

Registered psycho-therapist, Elizabeth Hepworth, explains how, and why, someone becomes a hoarder – and how those close to them can identify the problem so that they can act on it. 

Music for this episode is Hard Truth by Close Kicks and Medicine by Cassie Noble

 DKI isn’t just talkin’ the talk when it comes to reducing its environmental footprint. It’s acting on it – with some help from go-green consultant. Carol Aziz. She holds a PHD in environmental engineering and is owner of Achieve Sustainability. She tells us how she’s helping Canada’s leader in property restoration also become a leader in working towards Net Zero.

In football parlance, it’s that quarterback instruction to run fast and far to make that touchdown catch. Well, DKI has already earned that winning touchdown, as a new sponsor of the best darn football league in the world, eh – The CFL. Justin Vandenberg, VP of Corporate Partnerships with the CFL joins us to talk about this new sponsorship, where both parties are perfect teammates.

And Angela Bergeson, Supervisor with DKI’s Remote Estimating Desk, expounds on how her home is defined, largely, by….sounds!

Music for this episode is Coming Up and Kick it Up by Close Kicks.

We dedicate this entire episode to a conversation – (and it moves quickly, cuz it’s super-interesting) – with restoration industry consultant Lukas Szczurowski. It’s a sneak peak, if you will, of what DKI members will hear when the founder and CEO of Sanktum takes the keynote stage at Inspire 2025 in early November.

But don’t worry. We make sure the expert doesn’t divulge TOO much from his decades-long tenure in the sales industry. Just enough to have you wanting more from the specialist with a special – and clear – manner of explaining what he’s learned. 

We do, however, give Lukas a bit of a break between imparting his wisdom – when he enthusiastically participates in our popular regular feature, “How I Define Home.”

Music for this episode is “This Is Everything” “You Made it Home” and “Fix it For You” by Close Kicks. 

Golf’s good. Softball is swell. But when DKI - Sudbury looked for a feel-good fundraiser in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities, they hit the beach - (or maybe they trucked in some sand?). Their now annual volleyball tournament is raising thousands for the charity, which DKI Canada is a big supporter of. Jason Gaudet tells how and why he and Alicia Scott-Lajeunesse – co-owners/operators of DKI - Sudbury – went with this kind of net gain.

The DKI Canada Resilience Cup honours those who’ve overcome big challenges for big rewards. Lisa and Craig Schaeffer earned it not just with hard word and perseverance, but with genuine humility. The owners of DKI – Smithers, DKI – Prince George and DKI - Terrace share the story behind what motivated them and their teams to achieve those goals.

And Lucas Howes of DKI – St. Albert tells us how he defines home.

Music for this episode is Small Town Big Dreams by Close Kicks and Ghost Stories by Looking For Heather. 

Gary Chant is ready for retirement. The Cape Bretoner is capping off a career in restoration that spanned almost four decades. And now he’s ready to pass the torch – in the form of ownership of DKI – Meco – to one of his long-time trusted team members: Troy MacDonald.

Gary joins us to talk about his past lessons and accomplishments – and the ones that are sure to follow. (He also manages to squeeze in some talk about his beloved Montreal Canadiens). 

Jeanne McGregor isn’t ready to retire – as co-owner of DKI – Toronto East. But the respected DKI leader is stepping down from her position with DKI’s Board of Directors. The recipient of the 2025 Evolve Recognition of Service Award tells us  what this chapter in her life was like, and the impact she’s hoping she made during that tenure.

And DKI Business Development Manager, Ira Brenton, tells us how he defines home.

Music for this episode is “Move on Grow,” by Cassie Noble and “Dance with Ya,” by Close Kicks. 

Bryan Pereira wasn’t necessarily unhappy in his previous senior management position in the restoration industry. Indeed, he was beloved by the teams he led. But Bryan longed for a new challenge. And when DKI came calling with an opportunity that would not only meet that yearning, but also make him a top decision-maker - and mentor - with Canada’s leader in property restoration, he knew it was the right move. We sit down, in person, with DKI’s new VP of Business Operations to discuss this new chapter in his career – and life.

DKI -  Windsor-Essex specializes in restoration – but also in empathy, kindness and understanding. It earned them the Evolve 2025 Compassionate Restorer Award. Chris Kelly tells us what led to DKI Canada bestowing this honour, and how he, his colleagues and crew practise self-care in the face of a uniquely difficult type of restoration.

Music for this episode is Run and Hide, You’ll Find Me and This is Everything by Close Kicks. 

His name has come up, regularly, in interviews, since we launched this show more than three years ago. Indeed, virtually all DKI members across Canada have a story about their CEO and how he helps nurture, guide, inspire them – and how he even expressed genuine excitement to bundle up in a fishing hut with one of those members on a frozen Alberta lake in February!

We sit down, in person - (No Zoomin’ here, eh) - with Chris Schmidt to discuss where DKI was, is, and headed. Spoiler alert: The future’s bright, says the CEO who describes himself as an eternal optimist. Chris also expounds on what makes DKI special, and what inspires him in his leadership role – (Spoiler alert #2: it’s the people). 

Music for this episode is “Coming Up,” “The House We Built” and “Always Be Alright” by Close Kicks.

It’s telling that “Wildfire Season” is now part of our everyday language. And this year it arrived in Western Canada earlier than usual. and with a vengeance. 

But Jeff Sereda and Neil Thomas were braced and ready with their crews to come to the aid of those affected in their home provinces. We speak to the owners of DKI - Saskatoon Disaster Services and DKI - Winnipeg, respectively, about how they’re meeting these challenges. Which, in some cases, requires long drives through billowing smoke.

Music for this episode is "Ghost Stories" by Looking for Heather and "Hard Truth" by Close Kicks.