- Story by Tess van Straaten Photography by Don Denton

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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Blaise McDonald grew up with MAC Renovations. He started helping his dad out on job sites around Victoria when he was just 12 years old, but never thought he香蕉视频直播檇 actually go into the family business.

香蕉视频直播淎s a teenager, almost all my friends had dug a ditch for MAC Renovations,香蕉视频直播� says Blaise, who is now co-owner and operations manager. 香蕉视频直播淏ut when I graduated high school, I wanted to do a business degree.香蕉视频直播�

Blaise soon found that wasn香蕉视频直播檛 his calling, either, and he went to work for his uncle who runs an electrical company. He did an apprenticeship and was then hired at the Dockyard, working as an electrician on industrial marine and navy ships.

香蕉视频直播淚 ended up working on the submarine project for five years, and I worked on a super yacht build in Hong Kong,香蕉视频直播� the 38-year-old says.

It was work he loved, but a serious wakeboarding accident on Shawnigan Lake a decade ago brought it to a crushing end 香蕉视频直播� literally.

香蕉视频直播淚 snapped my leg and was off work about six months because I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 climb down into the engine room,香蕉视频直播� Blaise explains. 香蕉视频直播淚 dislocated my knee, tore all ligaments and was on crutches.香蕉视频直播�

His dad, MAC Reno founder Ed McDonald 香蕉视频直播� better known as 香蕉视频直播淏ig Mac香蕉视频直播� to friends 香蕉视频直播� asked Blaise to come into the office and watch the phones for a week. And it was a game-changer.

香蕉视频直播淚 realized it was an interesting business,香蕉视频直播� says Blaise. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檇 only ever worked on the tool end of it so I learned a lot.香蕉视频直播�

After returning to the Dockyard, but to an office this time since he still couldn香蕉视频直播檛 climb into the ships, Blaise soon realized he needed to do something else. He tried sales and then decided to do a Bachelor degree in construction management at the B.C. Institute of Technology.

香蕉视频直播淚 fast-tracked the program, right through summer and on breaks, and I香蕉视频直播檇 come to the (MAC) office and work on stuff,香蕉视频直播� Blaise recalls. 香蕉视频直播淭hen in 2011, I came back on as operations manager.香蕉视频直播�

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Blaise hasn香蕉视频直播檛 looked back, helping to drive the company to new levels of success. The size of the business has tripled in just the last eight years, which is no easy feat.

香蕉视频直播淚t was a 香蕉视频直播楤HAG香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� a big, hairy, audacious goal,香蕉视频直播� laughs Blaise. 香蕉视频直播淚t seems so lofty but when you sit down every three months and look at it, re-focus and ask yourself what you need to get there, you can do it.香蕉视频直播�

He admits it was a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but by regularly re-focussing and re-evaluating, they were able to achieve their goal about two years ahead of schedule. Blaise says a big part of that was being in the right place at the right time with the right tools.

香蕉视频直播淲e had two places, a warehouse and an office, and it was really hard to manage both,香蕉视频直播� he explains. 香蕉视频直播淚n our office, we had almost 40 people working and being dispatched out of 1,000 square feet. It was crowded and people got grumpy. It was terrible香蕉视频直播�

But finding the right space in Greater Victoria, with parking, and close to major roads to easily reach all 13 municipalities, was no easy task. In the end, it took about three years to find the right location and it involved a major renovation.

香蕉视频直播淭here were a few more problems with the building when we opened it up and we had to take it right to the ground,香蕉视频直播� says Blaise. 香蕉视频直播淥nce you get into it, you just don香蕉视频直播檛 know. It香蕉视频直播檚 hard to see what someone香蕉视频直播檚 done in the ground.香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 a renovation lesson Blaise knows all too well. You always have to have a contingency and, he says, the biggest mistake people make is not taking the adequate time to plan.

香蕉视频直播淵ou need to take the time at the front to go through the design and know what the specifications are,香蕉视频直播� Blaise advises. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of reno problems come from not planning properly and it also affects pricing. People always say 香蕉视频直播榞et three prices,香蕉视频直播� but unless you have very detailed specifications, someone is just giving you a best guess and you香蕉视频直播檙e not comparing apples to apples. A better approach is to interview three companies, do your research, and work with who you are most comfortable with.香蕉视频直播�

Blaise says the most rewarding part of his work is the people. He gets a lot of personal satisfaction from the impact they make on their clients香蕉视频直播� homes and lives. But he says the most challenging part of the job is also the people.

香蕉视频直播淥ur business isn香蕉视频直播檛 a factory in a field 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 customer service,香蕉视频直播� explains Blaise. 香蕉视频直播淵ou go from building things to managing things to building people and it took a long time to figure that out.香蕉视频直播�

That also includes building the right team and recruiting and retaining the right people. In such a tight labour market, Blaise says the biggest challenge facing the industry is manpower.

香蕉视频直播淎 few years ago, I香蕉视频直播檇 post an ad on Craigslist for a carpenter and I香蕉视频直播檇 get 70 applications,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淣ow we香蕉视频直播檒l run ads on several different platforms and maybe get a couple of responses a month.香蕉视频直播�

Over the years, Blaise says he香蕉视频直播檚 learned a lot 香蕉视频直播� and he admits he香蕉视频直播檚 made a lot of mistakes. But he says the biggest lesson has been communication, and the need for face-to-face conversations to avoid misunderstandings.

香蕉视频直播淲ith email, when there香蕉视频直播檚 emotion in it, it may not be what the person is trying to say and you might be reading into something that isn香蕉视频直播檛 there,香蕉视频直播� Blaise explains. 香蕉视频直播淚f I香蕉视频直播檓 having difficulty writing it, that香蕉视频直播檚 usually a sign. There are some things that should just be discussed, not even over the phone, but face-to-face.香蕉视频直播�

Blaise says the best advice he香蕉视频直播檚 received is to treat every interaction like you can learn something 香蕉视频直播� from conversations with employees to calls from customers who might not be the right fit.

香蕉视频直播淚f you香蕉视频直播檙e not approaching every situation with an open mind, you香蕉视频直播檙e selling yourself short,香蕉视频直播� Blaise says. 香蕉视频直播淵ou香蕉视频直播檙e not giving yourself the chance to learn something or gather information.香蕉视频直播�

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As MAC Renovations gets ready to celebrate 40 years in business next year, Blaise says they香蕉视频直播檙e focussed on oiling the machine and finding efficiencies.

And if it hadn香蕉视频直播檛 have been for that wakeboarding accident?

香蕉视频直播淟ife deals you a hand and it changes the course,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淪ometimes what feels like a bad thing can actually turn into something better 香蕉视频直播� it just comes down to how you approach it. It opened a door I didn香蕉视频直播檛 even consider.香蕉视频直播�