Across The Street, Across The Country

Ryan, Matt and Kyle Douglas weren’t quite satisfied with just one DKI outlet – carrying on a legacy that was built by the Douglas patriarch, Cris, who is also a DKI founder. So the bros headed 80 Ks north east from their Oshawa location to expand their DKI - CRCS in Peterborough. They share their story of expansion, from the site of their new venture – days before its official opening. 

Gary Chant and his crews with DKI - Meco Construction were still dealing with claims from Hurricane Fiona – when Cape Breton and much of Atlantic Canada got hit with crippling snowfalls. We reach him in his truck to describe the effects of this latest weather disaster.

Rack ‘em up, Lucas Howes and Kevin Morris. We check in with the two DKI pool experts – (well, they’re experts at raising funds for a worthy cause, at least) - from a billiard hall in Lloydminster. 

And we’ve got another instalment of “What home means to me,” courtesy of DKI Canada’s Rob McPherson.

Music for this episode is “Medicine” by Cassie Noble, and a new, acoustic version of “The House We Built” by Close Kicks. 

Some DKI business owners thrive, even rely on, that high-energy, never-stop, Go Go Go personality. 

And then there’s Jason Gaudet. 

DKI - ER Global’s owner/operator does get the job done – always with precision and deft attention to detail. But there’s a very easy-going, calm, confident and thoughtful manner to Jason that belies his age and his dedication to an industry predicated on the hectic and frenzied. 

We travel to Sudbury to meet with Jason to learn what drew him to property restoration work – and, specifically, DKI. He’ll even weigh in on whether Sudbury is in Northern Ontario or the  Near North!

Music for this episode is “Ghost Stories” by Looking For Heather and “Run and Hide” by Close Kicks. 

Accepting a promotion comes with rewards. But it usually also comes with more responsibility, more challenges, more stress - and less time away from the job. Sure, staying put may be the safer and easier option. Unless you thrive on that challenge –and you’ve given a lot of thought to making the leap. DKI’s David Goetz and Peter Hickey did just that, recently, assuming bigger roles with Canada’s leader in property restoration. They share with us what went into their respective decisions and why they’re excited about what they can bring to their new positions.

We also check in with Kate Horton, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada about reaching a major fundraising milestone with the help of DKI Canada. 

Theme music for this episode is “You’ll Find Me” by Close Kicks and “Build A Home” by Cassie Noble. 

Whew! For sure, the past year was, in so many ways, so much better than 2022, right! It was also a great year for Canada’s leader in property restoration. But it still presented challenges – which DKI always met. The past 12 months also brought a lot of wonderful successes and touching stories. We revisit some of these highlights via last year’s episodes – a kind of time capsule into the lives of the people of DKI and those they helped in 2023.

Theme music for this special year-end episode is “Move On, Grow” by Cassie Noble and “Made it Home” by Close Kicks. 

Most of us kick back on Christmas morning. But when DKI’s Members kick back on their special day with family, they do so with their boots on. Because when you’re Canada’s leader in property restoration, you know that a call to an emergency can come at any time. And it does, Often. We bring you three stories where DKI members – Ryan Douglas of DKI-CRCS, Ryan L’Heureux of DKI-RCCN and Kate and Daryl Richard of DKI  Canada Corporate - had to put a special time in their lives on hold to attend to emergency calls. And sometimes those calls mean keeping that holiday turkey in the oven. 

Music for this episode – Christmas music, in fact! – is “Time of the Year” and “How Many Sleeps Till Christmas” by Close Kicks.

Rick Rimkey didn’t just set out to demolish a house that was completely lost to fire and rebuild a new one on the same site. The president of DKI R&F Construction in Orillia wanted the family to experience, first-hand, the evolution of its new incarnation. And in the process, he also helped the family get closure.

How does that expression go? “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” We talk to an endurance athlete-come-motivational speaker and author who shares his philosophy and tips on how to work together for a common goal – whether that’s climbing Mount Everest or cleaning out a flooded basement.

Music for this episode is Coming Up and Always Be Alright by Close Kicks. 

The people of DKI, despite all having a shared passion to help people, all have their own unique back stories. And Dan Fitzpatrick of DKI RCC Red Deer has an especially compelling back story – one in which Ronald McDonald House played a major role. Recently, Dan and his family decided to share that story via a professionally-produced video. He tells us what led to this decision to go public.

Kaelen Hepworth and Ryan Power have a unique story, too. The couple has learned to balance their very different roles with DKI – each at a different level on the hierarchal structure - with their home life. 

Theme music for this episode is “Medicine” and “Brave” by Cassie Noble

David Hepworth had a successful career as an independent general contractor east of Toronto. But when opportunity knocked – many kilometres north – he answered. We make the trek to North Bay to hear David’s story – and learn what drove him to assume the helm of DKI TRC, at this later stage of his working life (while foregoing a less snowy climate!).
If you’re looking to hire good people – (and who isn’t right now?) - we’ve got some great tips, courtesy of an expert in the field of recruiting.
We also have a new instalment of “What Home Means To Ne,” featuring Jason Gaudet of DKI ER Global.
Theme song for this episode is Build a Home from Cassie Noble, with additional music by Close Kicks. 

It’s more than just starting a new business from scratch.  
When you take over an existing and successful enterprise – whose long time owner/operators were beloved by staff, clients, suppliers and the community – it can be a steep hill to climb. 

But Kev Algar is making that climb - with a calm and poised confidence.

The new face of DKI Pro Pacific on Vancouver Island is continuing the legacy built by Gladys and Roy Abrams  - while also cultivating his own.
We visit and chat with Kev at his Parksville, B.C. location about this unique transition. Theme music for this episode is Long Way From Home and Never Going To Give This Up by Close Kicks.

Being Canada’s leader in property restoration means serving more than just those living in large centres across the country. Disasters, after all, don’t follow geographic boundaries. They can affect anyone, anywhere no matter how large or small – or remote – their community is. 

We speak with Derek Thomas of DKI-AT Restoration in Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Craig Schaeffer, of DKI-Elite Restoration, serving Northern, BC. 

They may be from opposite ends of the country, but both share the benefits – and challenges, which they meet – of coming to the aid of their respective communities. 

Theme music for this episode is Always Be Alright and Small Town, Big Dreams by Close Kicks Featuring Louwop