Latest / Coffee In The Park with Jennifer and Cam / A Coffee with Reina VanGenderen from VanGenderen Canada Inc.

Transcript

A Coffee with Reina VanGenderen from VanGenderen Canada Inc. · Coffee In The Park with Jennifer and Cam

• 0:13
  Well, good morning, everybody, and welcome to another edition of the ABA Coffee In The Park.
• 0:18
  My name is Cam Milliken, and I'm here with my co-host extraordinaire, the amazing Jennifer Herrick, the executive director of the Acheson Business Association.
• 0:27
  Good morning, Jennifer.
• 0:28
  Good morning, Cam, how are you today?
• 0:29
  Oh, I'm doing great.
• 0:30
  The sun is shining, it's warm outside.
• 0:33
  What a beautiful day.
• 0:34
  It sure is.
• 0:35
  Yep, the weather just feels wonderful, and it's probably gonna stay till, well, hopefully till April.
• 0:39
  But I doubt it, but hey, what a great day today.
• 0:43
  Absolutely.
• 0:43
  Hey, tell us about some important people.
• 0:45
  Well, we would like to thank our gold corporate sponsors, which include the MyShak Group of Companies, Genics, and of course, Parkland County.
• 0:52
  Without these individual businesses, we wouldn't be able to do what we do, so thank you very much to all of them.
• 0:57
  Thank you is right.
• 0:59
  We appreciate it, and we want to let you know that we are coming to you from the Wall Coffee Roasters in the heart of beautiful Downtown Acheson.
• 1:08
  That's right.
• 1:09
  So if you hear some noises in the background, maybe some coffee-whirring things going on, children screaming, that kind of stuff, it's because we're doing this right in the coffee shop.
• 1:17
  And Cam, you know what?
• 1:18
  People should get down here.
• 1:19
  I know.
• 1:20
  Well, not only for the regular coffee, but for those special holiday drinks.
• 1:23
  That's right.
• 1:23
  Michael has some excellent Christmas drinks that are absolutely amazing.
• 1:28
  He does.
• 1:28
  Plus, I'm going to say, I think that Michael's coffee would be something really awesome to use in some stocking stuffers.
• 1:34
  100% great stocking stuffer gifts.
• 1:36
  Coffee, gift cards, all that kind of stuff.
• 1:38
  So hey, just something for you to think about, but come on down to the wall, Coffee Roasters in the heart of beautiful downtown Acheson.
• 1:45
  And Jennifer, any announcements we want to make before we get started today?
• 1:48
  Well, we have our Christmas campaign.
• 1:51
  Yes.
• 1:52
  So for over 19 years, the business community has been collecting new unwrapped toys and food in support of the Christmas hamper program for the tri-region community.
• 2:02
  For the kids.
• 2:03
  For the kids.
• 2:04
  And the collection day is this Friday at Western Star Trucks North.
• 2:08
  Oh, I am so excited about this because we collect like hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of toys to give to kids who don't get much at Christmas.
• 2:16
  The business community really comes together for this and it's fantastic.
• 2:19
  So tell us a little bit about what it's going to look like on Friday.
• 2:22
  So on Friday, starting at 1 p.m., you can stop by Western Star Trucks North to donate either a new unwrapped toy, gift cards or food.
• 2:33
  We have a Festival of Trees Cam, so people can walk through the beautiful Festival of Trees.
• 2:37
  This is the first.
• 2:38
  In fact, our guest this year has a tree in the Festival of Trees.
• 2:42
  So we'll talk a little bit about that.
• 2:45
  And then we're going to do a little fun networking event starting at 5 p.m.
• 2:48
  to celebrate the holiday season, at which time we're going to live auction off some of those trees.
• 2:54
  That's going to be phenomenal.
• 2:55
  So if you haven't got your Christmas tree yet, maybe you've been lagging behind a little bit.
• 2:59
  And you know what, I was at Michael's on the weekend, picking up our Christmas tree for Genics.
• 3:03
  And you know what, they didn't have any Christmas trees left.
• 3:05
  I know, they're going fast.
• 3:06
  I know.
• 3:07
  So if you're one of those people who have waited too long, you need to come on Friday and bid on a tree and take it home.
• 3:13
  That's right.
• 3:13
  It'll be all decorated everything.
• 3:15
  It's perfect.
• 3:16
  And we are auctioning off one more thing that I think is absolutely incredible.
• 3:21
  Well, I sure hope it is.
• 3:22
  So Cam, you and I are auctioning off lunch with us.
• 3:26
  With you and me.
• 3:27
  Yeah, the podcast hosts.
• 3:28
  You can bid on having lunch with Jennifer and Cam.
• 3:31
  That's right.
• 3:31
  Five course.
• 3:32
  Five course meal.
• 3:33
  One of them is all you can eat.
• 3:34
  It's going to be phenomenal.
• 3:35
  It will.
• 3:36
  And so, hey, all the money goes to the kids.
• 3:38
  All the money.
• 3:39
  I personally think we're worth a lot of money.
• 3:41
  I hope everybody else does too, so that we can raise a bucket load of money for the kids.
• 3:45
  Even if they don't, Cam, be charitable.
• 3:47
  Yeah, that's right.
• 3:47
  Just be charitable.
• 3:48
  And feel sorry for us.
• 3:49
  And you know what?
• 3:50
  When we have lunch with you, you can ask us anything you want.
• 3:53
  That's right.
• 3:54
  Almost.
• 3:54
  But anything you want.
• 3:55
  It'll be great.
• 3:56
  It'll be fun.
• 3:57
  And if you live close enough, we'll pick you up.
• 3:59
  Maybe.
• 3:59
  But if you live far away, you're on your own.
• 4:00
  But anyway, nonetheless, hey, listen, just it's going to be a great day on Friday.
• 4:04
  So let's get into it today because I'm really excited about our guest.
• 4:07
  Jennifer, introduce our guest.
• 4:09
  So Cam, our guest is another fantastic.
• 4:12
  Here we go with the word again, Achesonite.
• 4:14
  Yes, Achesonite.
• 4:15
  Yes.
• 4:15
  Yes.
• 4:16
  So I am so pleased that she has agreed to come on.
• 4:21
  So I'd like to introduce Reina VanGenderen, the owner of VanGenderen Canada.
• 4:25
  Right on.
• 4:26
  Reina, welcome.
• 4:27
  Welcome.
• 4:28
  Thank you so much for having me.
• 4:29
  Yeah, good to have you.
• 4:30
  We're excited that you're here.
• 4:31
  We sure are.
• 4:32
  So let's kick it off.
• 4:34
  Tell us a little bit about yourself.
• 4:36
  Where did you grow up because it wasn't in Canada?
• 4:38
  No, I grew up in the Netherlands or Holland, and I lived there till I was in my thirties.
• 4:47
  Wow, in Holland?
• 4:49
  Yes.
• 4:50
  The place of dikes and windmills.
• 4:52
  You got those?
• 4:53
  Okay, so before we...
• 4:54
  And wooden shoes.
• 4:55
  And wooden shoes and tulips.
• 4:56
  I forgot about the wooden, and tulips.
• 4:58
  You guys have a lot going for you.
• 5:00
  That's unbelievable.
• 5:02
  Okay, before we go any further, I'm going to ask is...
• 5:04
  I don't...
• 5:05
  Why are you laughing?
• 5:06
  You know what I'm going to ask.
• 5:07
  Is this story true about the little boy who stuck his finger in the dike so that Holland didn't get flooded?
• 5:14
  Yes, that story is absolutely true.
• 5:16
  Come on! See, that blows me away.
• 5:18
  It wasn't a little boy though, but it was somebody.
• 5:20
  But it was somebody stuck their finger in the dike.
• 5:23
  Unbelievable.
• 5:23
  Until help came, yeah.
• 5:24
  All right, because those of us who are a little bit older, we read that story when we were kids, and now I know that's true.
• 5:29
  Anyway, that's just kind of a side note.
• 5:31
  So tell us a little bit about growing up in Holland.
• 5:33
  What was that like?
• 5:36
  For me, it was normal, because that was all I knew.
• 5:39
  And yeah, I just...
• 5:42
  When I compare it to Canada, it's not that different.
• 5:45
  You know, we had even snow.
• 5:48
  But back then, the winters were a bit more severe.
• 5:52
  So we had snow.
• 5:54
  We had like ice.
• 5:55
  We could skate on rivers and canals.
• 5:58
  On the canals?
• 5:59
  Yeah, that's right.
• 6:00
  Yeah.
• 6:00
  So we did that.
• 6:02
  How many people live in Holland?
• 6:04
  A lot.
• 6:06
  A lot on a very small...
• 6:09
  That's the best answer yet.
• 6:11
  You know what?
• 6:11
  Canada is so spread out.
• 6:13
  Yeah, I mean, we are.
• 6:14
  That's why I asked.
• 6:14
  And Alberta is spread out.
• 6:16
  Yeah.
• 6:16
  Let's say it this way.
• 6:18
  There's about 18 million people living in a 40th of Alberta.
• 6:23
  Really?
• 6:24
  Yes.
• 6:24
  40th.
• 6:25
  So is it crowded?
• 6:26
  Is it...
• 6:27
  Yeah.
• 6:27
  Yeah, very crowded.
• 6:28
  Yeah.
• 6:28
  Wow.
• 6:29
  Very organized.
• 6:30
  That's incredible.
• 6:30
  Very organized.
• 6:31
  Yeah.
• 6:32
  Wow.
• 6:33
  So what did your parents do growing up?
• 6:35
  What did your mom and dad do?
• 6:37
  My dad was a police officer.
• 6:38
  Okay.
• 6:39
  Yeah.
• 6:39
  Okay.
• 6:40
  In Holland.
• 6:41
  Yes.
• 6:41
  Yeah.
• 6:41
  And my mom was growing up, she helped her parents in a dairy store.
• 6:48
  Okay.
• 6:48
  They had a...
• 6:51
  Like they were the milkman that came to the door.
• 6:55
  And she helped with that.
• 6:56
  Yeah.
• 6:56
  Wow.
• 6:57
  Yeah.
• 6:57
  You don't have that anymore.
• 6:58
  They don't come to the door no more.
• 6:59
  But anyways, that's pretty cool.
• 7:01
  Yeah.
• 7:01
  That's really awesome.
• 7:02
  Yeah.
• 7:02
  And did you have siblings, brothers and sisters?
• 7:05
  I have three, and they are still alive.
• 7:07
  And where are you in the order?
• 7:09
  I'm the youngest.
• 7:09
  You're the youngest.
• 7:10
  So you had spoiled.
• 7:11
  Oh, you're the spoiled child.
• 7:14
  They can.
• 7:15
  No, I say that because everybody knows I'm an only child and I got spoiled.
• 7:18
  And I think the spoiled people need to stick together because people get mad at it.
• 7:22
  But listen, we deserve to be spoiled.
• 7:24
  Anyway, so you're the spoiled one.
• 7:26
  So are they all still over in Holland?
• 7:29
  Yeah.
• 7:30
  Like my husband and my family are all in Holland.
• 7:34
  So you went to high school there, and then you did post-secondary in the Netherlands.
• 7:40
  And what did you decide to do?
• 7:42
  I decided to become an elementary school teacher.
• 7:45
  Yeah.
• 7:46
  Wow.
• 7:46
  Which I did until I switched to Cranes.
• 7:51
  OK. Teacher to Cranes.
• 7:54
  We'll get into that in just a second.
• 7:56
  You taught, what grade?
• 7:57
  Mostly grade three.
• 7:58
  Grade three.
• 7:59
  OK.
• 7:59
  Good.
• 8:00
  Yeah.
• 8:00
  Grade three.
• 8:00
  And that was good.
• 8:01
  You liked that?
• 8:02
  That was all right?
• 8:02
  Those little grade threers?
• 8:04
  Yeah.
• 8:05
  The kids were fun.
• 8:06
  The kids were fun.
• 8:07
  So that begs the question then.
• 8:10
  How did you get from well, grade three teaching to Cranes?
• 8:15
  And in Canada.
• 8:16
  In Canada.
• 8:17
  So give us a little bit of the journey there.
• 8:19
  That's quite the story.
• 8:21
  Yeah.
• 8:21
  Yeah.
• 8:22
  So we have to start with meeting my husband, whose life and breath was Cranes.
• 8:27
  Right.
• 8:28
  Back then, he was part of a family company in the Netherlands.
• 8:33
  And we met, we dated, we got married, and I was growing into the crane business with him.
• 8:42
  And then we had never taken a trip, like a summer trip.
• 8:50
  We always allowed ourselves to go ski one week every winter, and that was it.
• 8:56
  And then we decided we wanted to go on a trip, and it became Canada.
• 9:00
  Okay.
• 9:01
  So we went, visited Canada in the year 2000.
• 9:05
  Where did you come to?
• 9:07
  We flew to Calgary and did a little RV trip to Vancouver Island.
• 9:13
  Oh, yeah.
• 9:14
  And yeah, beautiful.
• 9:16
  We fell actually in love with the country, and with the people, and with the space.
• 9:21
  Yeah.
• 9:21
  Yeah.
• 9:22
  Yeah.
• 9:22
  So we're a little more wide open.
• 9:24
  Yeah.
• 9:24
  Yeah.
• 9:25
  So, and then we decided to apply for a visa.
• 9:32
  We knew that that whole process was going to be lengthy.
• 9:36
  So we, it could be up to two years.
• 9:40
  Right.
• 9:40
  So would you say that that was more of a business decision or just a lifestyle change?
• 9:44
  Lifestyle change, I would say.
• 9:46
  Yeah.
• 9:46
  Yeah.
• 9:48
  And, but then stuff got like sped up.
• 9:57
  How do I explain the whole process?
• 9:59
  Like there was a company here in this area that decided to buy a crane that was manufactured in the Netherlands.
• 10:08
  And that they, they heard that we had immigration plans.
• 10:22
  And they wanted to go, somebody with that crane that was an expert.
• 10:28
  They knew that crane.
• 10:30
  Operating, training people, repairing it.
• 10:33
  I'm going to interrupt you a little bit, because people, when they think of cranes, we think of what we see on the truck, or those large boom cranes.
• 10:42
  The cranes that you guys operate are different.
• 10:45
  Explain to us a little bit about that.
• 10:47
  Yeah, they're a bit different.
• 10:48
  They're actually the combination of like an all-terrain crane and a tower crane.
• 10:53
  So the crane folds up fully on a truck, and can go over the road.
• 10:58
  And then when it comes to a work site, it's set up in 20 minutes.
• 11:04
  And then functions as a tower crane.
• 11:06
  Right, there's a name for this type of crane, isn't there?
• 11:08
  Yeah, well, that's the brand name.
• 11:10
  It's called Spierings.
• 11:11
  Spierings, okay.
• 11:12
  All right.
• 11:13
  And so it's the kind of crane that isn't necessarily a straight out boom crane.
• 11:18
  No.
• 11:18
  It can act, it goes up horizontally and then moves vertically.
• 11:23
  Yes, correct.
• 11:24
  Yeah.
• 11:24
  All right.
• 11:24
  Which gives the advantage?
• 11:26
  In what way?
• 11:28
  In the way that it has a very small footprint, and it can bring up something on a pretty high roof, like very far in, without having to struggle with that angle that another altering crane, like an hydraulic crane, has.
• 11:45
  And so when you came to Canada, your husband obviously was sought after because he knew that crane.
• 11:53
  He knew how to work that crane.
• 11:55
  He knew how to fix that crane.
• 11:57
  It sounds like it was almost a niche kind of specialty.
• 12:00
  Yes.
• 12:01
  So there were probably very few people that knew how to do that.
• 12:04
  But you didn't necessarily settle in this area right away.
• 12:08
  You did, but then you moved.
• 12:09
  Yes.
• 12:10
  So where did you move?
• 12:11
  Yeah, like so we came in 2003 with basically attachment of that crane.
• 12:18
  And then in 2005 already, we moved to Fort McMurray.
• 12:22
  Okay.
• 12:22
  Yeah.
• 12:23
  And he was in the crane business there.
• 12:27
  Did you have your own business in Fort McMurray?
• 12:28
  We started it later on.
• 12:30
  Yes.
• 12:30
  Okay.
• 12:31
  And how long did you live in Fort McMurray?
• 12:33
  About 18 years.
• 12:34
  18 years.
• 12:35
  Wow.
• 12:36
  So what did you think of living in Fort McMurray versus coming from the Netherlands?
• 12:41
  What did you think of that?
• 12:45
  To be honest, like me and my family, we all loved living there.
• 12:49
  It was a small community, like everybody looks out for each other very much there.
• 12:55
  Nobody has family there.
• 12:56
  Like everybody is from somewhere.
• 12:58
  It's true though, isn't it, about Fort McMurray?
• 13:00
  A lot of Newfoundlanders come to Fort McMurray, well, people from everywhere, really, to work in the oil sands.
• 13:05
  We have friends from everywhere around the world.
• 13:08
  Yeah, so it was a melting pot of people.
• 13:11
  Yeah, we got very close with our church family.
• 13:15
  We call them family, because that was all we had there.
• 13:19
  Sure, yeah.
• 13:20
  Wow, and you liked Fort McMurray.
• 13:22
  Yeah.
• 13:22
  Nice place to live.
• 13:24
  You know, it's interesting because people tell me that.
• 13:26
  Like when we think Fort McMurray, I don't know if I'd ever want to live there, but everybody who's lived in Fort McMurray says they love it.
• 13:32
  It's a great place to live.
• 13:33
  It is.
• 13:34
  And it must be because part of it, the big part of it, the community sense.
• 13:37
  Everybody looks out for each other, and you kind of have to make it work.
• 13:42
  Because you have to feel in your emote.
• 13:46
  Yeah.
• 13:46
  So you want to make it something.
• 13:50
  You want to make it something.
• 13:51
  Yeah, exactly.
• 13:52
  I like that.
• 13:53
  I think anybody up there working in business, and especially entrepreneurial, that's it.
• 13:59
  Yeah.
• 13:59
  And I think that's the true Albertan way.
• 14:01
  I think so.
• 14:02
  Yeah, I know.
• 14:03
  I agree.
• 14:03
  And I think, yeah, you want to find your community and you want to build within your community, and those become, I like what you said, Reina, they're friends now.
• 14:11
  They're family.
• 14:12
  They're family now.
• 14:14
  So I think that's pretty cool.
• 14:15
  So you started your own business in Fort McMurray.
• 14:18
  Tell us a little bit about that.
• 14:19
  What brought that upon?
• 14:22
  Just woke up one morning and said, we're going to have our own crane.
• 14:25
  Just to refer back to Jennifer, where the entrepreneurial spirit was still there.
• 14:30
  And we felt it was time.
• 14:33
  It was the right time.
• 14:38
  The economy was booming and it was just the right time and place.
• 14:43
  And good place to be.
• 14:44
  Circumstances, yeah.
• 14:46
  Because these cranes are unique, aren't they?
• 14:48
  Yeah, and we did not start with those cranes.
• 14:51
  Because we, like the company that owned them, we bought it from them at a certain point.
• 14:58
  And yes, we now have the only two cranes in North America of that brand, of the Spierings brand.
• 15:05
  And we have a very exciting new thing to announce, because the bigger version is on its way from the Netherlands.
• 15:15
  Oh, yes.
• 15:16
  Breaking news again, Cam.
• 15:18
  It's coming to action.
• 15:19
  Breaking news.
• 15:19
  It's breaking news.
• 15:20
  That's right.
• 15:21
  The heart of downtown Acheson wants to announce.
• 15:23
  I love getting breaking news.
• 15:24
  That's right.
• 15:24
  So this is, it's coming from where?
• 15:27
  The Netherlands.
• 15:28
  It's coming from the Netherlands.
• 15:29
  To Acheson.
• 15:30
  To Acheson.
• 15:31
  Oh, okay.
• 15:32
  And when is the expected arrival date?
• 15:34
  Well, the expected arrival date was already a couple weeks ago.
• 15:38
  It's not coming Canada Post, is it?
• 15:40
  Okay, now we're shouting, Canada Post.
• 15:42
  We said that Canada Post is on strike, so it'll be a while.
• 15:45
  There were lots of strikes that involved this too.
• 15:48
  There were strikes in the harbor.
• 15:50
  Oh, that's right.
• 15:53
  Yeah.
• 15:53
  And then, yeah, there was quite some hiccups, but we're happy to announce it is in Canada.
• 15:59
  Okay.
• 16:00
  But it's not here yet.
• 16:02
  Yeah.
• 16:03
  All right.
• 16:03
  Yeah, there's some holdings.
• 16:04
  But I think that's exciting.
• 16:05
  But before we kind of go, so you were in Fort McMurray, you started your own business.
• 16:10
  Were you there for the fires?
• 16:12
  Yes, we were there during the fires.
• 16:13
  Tell us, that must have been something else, eh?
• 16:15
  Yeah, that was quite the story.
• 16:17
  Did you lose your house?
• 16:19
  Did you know? you were good?
• 16:19
  No, our house was fine.
• 16:20
  Yeah.
• 16:21
  But you had to evacuate, obviously.
• 16:23
  Oh my gosh.
• 16:25
  Was your family one of those, it just seemed like everything was so, all of a sudden it's here and you have to go.
• 16:32
  It was really scattered.
• 16:34
  I was actually serving at school when everybody had to evacuate.
• 16:39
  Oh, wow.
• 16:40
  Yeah.
• 16:40
  So I stayed as one of the last ones there.
• 16:45
  And actually, there was a couple of kids that could not get picked up because their parents could not come to the school.
• 16:51
  So I said, oh, they live in my area.
• 16:53
  So I put them all in my vehicle.
• 16:56
  I phoned the parents first to say, hey, shall I?
• 17:00
  So my vehicle was full with kids that did not belong to me.
• 17:04
  And then I was one of the last ones getting through a certain road before it got closed.
• 17:11
  So I could drop those kids all off with their parents.
• 17:14
  Isn't that amazing?
• 17:15
  That's incredible.
• 17:16
  But there have been teachers, but also other people that ended up with total strangers in other areas.
• 17:24
  I just have to say, like you telling that, it gives me a little bit of chills, because I think it's just amazing how you and others would just chip in to do that.
• 17:32
  Like just you recognize what needed to happen, and yet you were in the midst of something terrible, and you knew what you had to do.
• 17:40
  Incredible.
• 17:41
  And so how old were your kids at the time?
• 17:43
  Because you must have thought about your family, as well as you're helping these other kids.
• 17:48
  Kind of scared, too.
• 17:49
  The kids were like some were in high school, some were in elementary, so we...
• 17:55
  The ages, I think somewhere between 7 and 17.
• 18:03
  Wow.
• 18:05
  But you all got out, everything was okay?
• 18:07
  We all got out.
• 18:09
  It took us 6 hours to get from our house to the border of the city.
• 18:15
  6 hours. Wow.
• 18:15
  Yeah.
• 18:16
  And then...
• 18:17
  And it took us like 13 hours to get at our friend's farm in Stony Plain.
• 18:22
  Wow.
• 18:22
  Yeah.
• 18:24
  And just leaving everything and not knowing must have been just...
• 18:29
  I can't imagine.
• 18:30
  Yeah.
• 18:30
  Incredible.
• 18:31
  Yeah.
• 18:31
  Okay.
• 18:32
  So, wow, what an experience.
• 18:34
  Obviously, not many have gone through that.
• 18:36
  But you started something in Fort McMurray.
• 18:41
  What brought you to Acheson?
• 18:44
  Well, the business itself, and those cranes are more or less construction cranes.
• 18:52
  Yes.
• 18:54
  So, the work field is bigger here in the Edmonton area for us.
• 19:00
  And yeah, that brought us here.
• 19:04
  Plus, we have a nice facility here to work from at Acheson.
• 19:09
  So, Zone 3, beautiful location, that's right.
• 19:13
  I find it interesting because there's no short supply of crane companies in Acheson.
• 19:19
  No, every corner of the street has a crane company.
• 19:23
  That's a great way to put it.
• 19:24
  Every corner, there's a crane company.
• 19:27
  People say, what is your industrial, what's the big thing in your industrial park?
• 19:31
  Cranes, I think, cranes.
• 19:33
  So, I find that interesting that you would come to Acheson.
• 19:36
  And was that, was there a specific reason you chose Acheson?
• 19:40
  Did you know at the time there was like a crane company on every corner or?
• 19:45
  Kind of, yeah.
• 19:47
  But no, it was also again the right place and time.
• 19:53
  And it's so close to the highway.
• 19:56
  Yes, it's a great location.
• 19:58
  Acheson is a great location.
• 19:59
  And what about the, obviously there's a lot of crane companies.
• 20:03
  What about the relationship?
• 20:04
  Like are crane companies tight knit?
• 20:07
  Do you not talk to each other?
• 20:09
  Do you hate each other?
• 20:10
  Do you like get mad at each other?
• 20:12
  Do you?
• 20:14
  Maybe all of the above.
• 20:16
  No.
• 20:17
  Okay, the honesty of that is great.
• 20:19
  I love that.
• 20:20
  But we have a good relationship with all of them.
• 20:23
  Yes.
• 20:23
  Yeah.
• 20:24
  That's good.
• 20:25
  Yeah.
• 20:25
  I like that.
• 20:26
  You work, there are a lot of you here and you work together.
• 20:28
  I think that's really interesting.
• 20:29
  So you moved to Acheson.
• 20:32
  This is where you really started your business.
• 20:34
  How was that?
• 20:35
  Was that tough?
• 20:36
  Was it tough going?
• 20:37
  Was it...
• 20:38
  I mean, starting your own business is never easy.
• 20:40
  We know that, but how's that been?
• 20:43
  You have to get out and put yourself on the map again.
• 20:50
  And show off the nice product you have.
• 20:54
  And you had a unique product.
• 20:56
  A bit of a niche there.
• 20:57
  Yeah, yeah.
• 20:58
  And it's catching on.
• 21:00
  Yeah.
• 21:01
  So we're very thankful for that.
• 21:03
  And it's exciting to hear about your new crane.
• 21:05
  That's pretty incredible.
• 21:06
  Yes, we're very excited about that.
• 21:08
  So that'll take you to another level, I would think.
• 21:11
  For sure.
• 21:11
  Wow, that's fantastic.
• 21:13
  Yeah, we had actually a job last week that needed to happen with the one, and we couldn't do it yet.
• 21:20
  We had to bring one of those big all-terrain cranes in to be able to do the job.
• 21:25
  But it would have been so much easier to use this one.
• 21:28
  Yeah.
• 21:28
  Right.
• 21:28
  So whoever's delivering the crane, hurry up.
• 21:31
  That's all you have to say.
• 21:33
  Get it over here.
• 21:34
  They need it now.
• 21:36
  But I think, like, so many businesses, especially out in Acheson, your business is a bit of a family business.
• 21:44
  So talk to us about that.
• 21:46
  Yeah.
• 21:47
  Who's involved?
• 21:48
  To start with, it's mom and pop, of course.
• 21:50
  Like, it's my husband and I do.
• 21:52
  Like, we were the only ones for a long time.
• 21:55
  And we have some children involved.
• 21:58
  One is administration, and another one is a mechanical engineer technician.
• 22:06
  So that works out very well in the shop.
• 22:09
  And then some other children lend their help with some computer-based services.
• 22:19
  And yeah, we can always use labor.
• 22:21
  Yeah, yeah.
• 22:23
  You and everyone else out here at Acheson.
• 22:25
  Give us the pros and cons of a family business.
• 22:29
  Let's start with the pros.
• 22:31
  What are the pros of a family business?
• 22:33
  The pros is like, it's our life.
• 22:38
  It's our pride.
• 22:39
  It's like something we work for as a team.
• 22:43
  And I can't even think of another lifestyle at all, but yeah.
• 22:52
  What are the cons?
• 22:53
  Are there any?
• 22:54
  Well, I would say like, it never stops.
• 22:58
  It doesn't stop.
• 23:00
  It's the talk at the supper table.
• 23:03
  Right.
• 23:06
  So wait, because when we met before, and you have to share this with us, when you met your future husband, he told you a line about cranes before you got married.
• 23:18
  So you knew what we were getting into.
• 23:20
  Share what he told you, because I think it's fantastic.
• 23:22
  Sorry, Adrian, but I have to share it.
• 23:25
  Adrian, she's saying it with a smile on her face.
• 23:27
  With love.
• 23:27
  With love.
• 23:28
  We feel the love.
• 23:30
  There is still love.
• 23:31
  He said, sorry, honey, cranes come first.
• 23:33
  Yeah.
• 23:34
  Cranes come first.
• 23:35
  Cranes come first.
• 23:36
  So he gave me the choice.
• 23:37
  Yeah.
• 23:39
  And shall I repeat what I said?
• 23:41
  Yes.
• 23:42
  Yes.
• 23:42
  I was so madly in love, I decided to give it a go.
• 23:44
  Yes.
• 23:46
  That's the part I liked right there.
• 23:47
  I was so madly in love, I decided to give it a go.
• 23:50
  Yeah, I love that.
• 23:51
  That's great.
• 23:52
  And like you said, it's become such a part of who you are, it's become a part of who your family is, and it's your life.
• 24:00
  Yeah.
• 24:01
  I think it's pretty amazing.
• 24:03
  A lot of people who listen to us are in family businesses, and there are pros and cons, for sure.
• 24:09
  And when I hear your story, I just think it's amazing.
• 24:12
  I can just tell that you are, this is your family, this is what you do, and it's what makes you strong.
• 24:18
  Yeah.
• 24:20
  Yeah, that's how we feel too.
• 24:21
  It's like a force.
• 24:24
  Sure.
• 24:24
  Yeah.
• 24:25
  And not all your kids are in the family business, and you're okay with that.
• 24:31
  They all do their own thing.
• 24:32
  They all have their choice, right?
• 24:34
  Yeah, sure.
• 24:34
  But yeah, there is all kinds of, we didn't even share how many we have, but there's five children.
• 24:43
  Five children.
• 24:44
  The age from right now?
• 24:46
  15 up to 25.
• 24:48
  Okay.
• 24:48
  Yeah.
• 24:49
  Okay.
• 24:49
  Five children.
• 24:51
  And are they all living in home, or are they are some married or not?
• 24:55
  No, and they are basically also scattered over the world.
• 24:59
  Okay.
• 25:00
  Yeah.
• 25:01
  Most are in this area, but we have one living in the Netherlands, following a biology study there.
• 25:07
  Right.
• 25:07
  And in the new year, another daughter is going there to work actually at this same crane factory.
• 25:17
  Really?
• 25:18
  Where the crane is coming from.
• 25:19
  Is that right?
• 25:20
  Yeah.
• 25:20
  So talk about full circle.
• 25:23
  Well, I love that.
• 25:23
  It's kind of cool.
• 25:24
  It is.
• 25:24
  It's too bad she's not there now, that she could expedite the crane getting over here, but nonetheless.
• 25:29
  Well, that's really interesting.
• 25:31
  That's really cool.
• 25:31
  Yeah.
• 25:32
  That's something.
• 25:32
  Now, you guys must be exciting for this.
• 25:35
  That is very exciting.
• 25:36
  Yeah, for sure.
• 25:36
  Yeah.
• 25:37
  Yeah.
• 25:37
  That's really awesome.
• 25:38
  Yeah.
• 25:38
  And then we have one that is into computer programming.
• 25:43
  Yeah.
• 25:43
  And also here in Edmonton.
• 25:47
  And then we spoke about the third daughter that's working in the office with me.
• 25:53
  Right.
• 25:54
  And we have a high schooler.
• 25:55
  Okay.
• 25:55
  Yeah.
• 25:56
  Wow.
• 25:56
  Yeah.
• 25:57
  That's really something.
• 25:58
  So you've told us about the new crane that's coming.
• 26:01
  That's obviously a big thing.
• 26:02
  What's the future of the company?
• 26:05
  What?
• 26:06
  Where do you want to go?
• 26:06
  What do you?
• 26:07
  What's what's the dream?
• 26:10
  Um, besides retirement.
• 26:12
  What's the dream?
• 26:13
  Does it sound like you're going to retire any time soon?
• 26:16
  That's the thing.
• 26:17
  The retirement is, we don't even know what that would look like.
• 26:21
  It will probably involve cranes.
• 26:23
  Yes.
• 26:27
  That's right.
• 26:27
  Everyone would go golfing, you'd go look at cranes.
• 26:30
  Yeah, without without cranes, there's no life for Adrian anyways.
• 26:34
  But yeah, the dream is to to be like the provider of choice, like especially with this type of crane.
• 26:42
  But we have we have more cranes than only those spierings cranes.
• 26:46
  We have a fleet with like we basically can offer everything.
• 26:51
  And you have how many employees you have?
• 26:53
  We have about, I would say we're about with 12, like everybody included.
• 27:00
  Yeah, yeah, that's great.
• 27:01
  That's fantastic.
• 27:02
  Yeah.
• 27:02
  And just in terms of economy and things that are going on in Alberta, is the crane business good right now?
• 27:10
  Is it is do you feel the economy is in a good place in Alberta or?
• 27:14
  Like it's okay now.
• 27:16
  Yeah.
• 27:16
  Yeah.
• 27:17
  Like of course we had the boom years and then, and then we have the, we had the not so great times, but it's in an upward.
• 27:27
  Yeah.
• 27:28
  Well, and hopefully the new crane is going to bring in, what's the heaviest thing you ever lifted?
• 27:36
  Is that a dumb question?
• 27:37
  No, it's not.
• 27:37
  Because I think of cranes and I think, what is the heaviest thing?
• 27:40
  It's not dumb at all.
• 27:41
  I know.
• 27:43
  If I mention now something, I'll probably forget what it really was.
• 27:47
  Yeah.
• 27:47
  Because obviously, your cranes are very niche and they're used specifically for certain things, and you explain that a little bit.
• 27:53
  But I always wonder, what is the heaviest thing they've ever had to lift onto a roof or onto somewhere?
• 27:58
  Yeah.
• 27:59
  Incredible.
• 28:00
  It is.
• 28:00
  Yeah.
• 28:00
  They just, it's, yeah.
• 28:02
  Okay.
• 28:03
  Wow.
• 28:04
  Time has flown.
• 28:05
  It has.
• 28:05
  This has been great.
• 28:06
  Yeah.
• 28:07
  So we have one final question that we ask all of our guests.
• 28:10
  What is the best piece of advice you've been given, either personally or professionally, that you carry with you to this day?
• 28:19
  I would say that you should always stay true to yourself.
• 28:25
  Don't pretend that you're a different person.
• 28:30
  Don't pretend that, be honest.
• 28:34
  That brings you everywhere.
• 28:37
  And if you cannot do something, be humble about that, too.
• 28:41
  Yeah.
• 28:41
  But actually, our motto is we never say no, except it's no problem.
• 28:47
  It's no problem.
• 28:48
  I like that.
• 28:49
  That's fantastic.
• 28:50
  That's great.
• 28:51
  That is.
• 28:52
  We need to write that one.
• 28:53
  That's really good.
• 28:54
  That's fantastic.
• 28:55
  It is.
• 28:56
  And such great advice for at any point in your life, right?
• 29:00
  Yeah.
• 29:00
  What a journey.
• 29:01
  I love hearing your story.
• 29:03
  I love your journey.
• 29:05
  I think it's fascinating.
• 29:06
  And again, lots of people who listen to our podcast around the world are business people, some of them in family businesses, just like yours.
• 29:14
  And I would hope, and I think it will, that your story will, again, just ignite some passion and some excitement again of the family business.
• 29:23
  Because I believe that's, it's the backbone of who we are, is our family businesses.
• 29:28
  And we admire them.
• 29:28
  I agree.
• 29:30
  Yeah.
• 29:30
  Incredible.
• 29:30
  Absolutely.
• 29:31
  Thank you so much.
• 29:32
  Thank you.
• 29:33
  It's been great.
• 29:33
  It has.
• 29:34
  And hey, everybody.
• 29:35
  So yeah, don't forget, this Friday, Western Star Trucks, the Toys For Kids, and the lunch auctioning off me and Jennifer.
• 29:43
  That sounds kind of weird.
• 29:44
  Auctioning off me and Jennifer for lunch, for the kids.
• 29:48
  And you know what?
• 29:48
  It is.
• 29:49
  I know that this is really dear to our heart, and as a podcast and as the ABA, there's a lot of kids that just don't get to celebrate Christmas the way a lot of us do.
• 30:00
  And so, hey, let's all come together and let's try and make and give them a super great Christmas.
• 30:06
  Absolutely.
• 30:07
  And one more thing we need from Reina.
• 30:09
  Yes.
• 30:09
  Where can people find you?
• 30:10
  They're looking for a crane Reina.
• 30:13
  Is there a WWW out there somewhere?
• 30:16
  We have a WWW.
• 30:18
  We shortened our name though.
• 30:20
  It's vgcanada.com.
• 30:23
  vgcanada.com.
• 30:25
  All right.
• 30:25
  Yeah.
• 30:26
  Hey, was there people from your company in the coffee shop this morning?
• 30:30
  I thought I saw some VG trucks out there.
• 30:32
  That's is very well possible.
• 30:33
  Could be.
• 30:33
  Having a good, nice coffee.
• 30:34
  In beautiful downtown Acheson.
• 30:35
  In beautiful downtown Acheson.
• 30:36
  And I'm like, I know those people.
• 30:38
  I don't know them, but I recognize.
• 30:40
  Anyway, fantastic.
• 30:41
  Well, thank you, everybody.
• 30:43
  It's been a great addition of another ABA Coffee In The Park.
• 30:46
  Make sure that you tell people about our podcast.
• 30:49
  Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your neighbors.
• 30:52
  If you don't have any friends, make one so you can tell them about it, too.
• 30:55
  Tell your enemies, tell everybody, and you can get this podcast wherever you get your podcast or at www.Achesonbusiness.com.
• 31:06
  Thanks, everybody.
• 31:06
  Have a great week.
• 31:07
  We'll see you next time.
• 31:08
  Thanks, everyone.
• 31:09
  See you next week.