Latest / Coffee In The Park with Jennifer and Cam / A Coffee with Mr. Mike Myshak Sr. Owner of the Myshak Group of Companies

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A Coffee with Mr. Mike Myshak Sr. Owner of the Myshak Group of Companies · Coffee In The Park with Jennifer and Cam

• 0:14
  Well, good morning, everybody, and welcome to another edition of the ABA Coffee In The Park.
• 0:19
  My name is Cam Milliken, and I am here with my co-host extraordinaire, Jennifer Herrick, the Executive Director of the Acheson Business Association.
• 0:28
  Hi, Jennifer.
• 0:28
  Hi, Cam, how are you this morning?
• 0:30
  If I was any better, it's a Friday.
• 0:32
  We're here with some great guests.
• 0:33
  Looking forward to the weekend.
• 0:34
  It's a little bit fallish out there, but it's okay.
• 0:37
  It's okay.
• 0:37
  Yeah, I think winter's coming, but not for a while yet.
• 0:40
  Anything new and exciting you want to tell us about before we get started today?
• 0:43
  You know what, Cam?
• 0:44
  I am just so excited about our guest today.
• 0:47
  I think we should just get right into it.
• 0:49
  Okay, but before we do that, we better talk about our sponsors.
• 0:52
  So can we do that before and then we'll jump into it.
• 0:54
  We would like to thank our gold corporate sponsors, which includes Genics, Parkland County, and the Myshak Group.
• 1:01
  That's right.
• 1:02
  They are gold corporate sponsors and we thank them profusely for all of the support of the Acheson Business Association.
• 1:08
  And without them, we would not be able to do what we do.
• 1:11
  And this is an exciting episode.
• 1:14
  So Jennifer, you get the privilege this morning of introducing our guests.
• 1:18
  Well, Cam, before, actually we do that.
• 1:19
  We should tell people where we're coming.
• 1:21
  Ah, that's right.
• 1:23
  We always do our podcast at The Wall Coffee Roasters in beautiful downtown Acheson.
• 1:30
  That's right, we're here.
• 1:31
  And so if you hear some noise in the background, some coffee whirring, some people talking, it's because we're live right here in the coffee shop.
• 1:39
  So yeah, that's it.
• 1:40
  It's great.
• 1:41
  It's beautiful.
• 1:42
  beautiful downtown Acheson.
• 1:43
  You'll hear more about that in the future.
• 1:45
  Anyway, introduce our guests this morning.
• 1:47
  Well, Cam, I don't know about you, but this for me is such an honor to have these three gentlemen join us this morning for this podcast.
• 1:58
  So it is my absolute pleasure to introduce Mr.
• 2:01
  Mike Myshak Sr.
• 2:03
  His son, Jim Myshak, and grandson, Mike Jr.
• 2:08
  So welcome.
• 2:09
  Good morning, everybody.
• 2:11
  Thank you for taking the time to do this.
• 2:13
  We really do appreciate it.
• 2:14
  So like Coffee In The Park is all about, we just want to have some conversation this morning.
• 2:19
  And here, I think what I think is a really great story because I know a little bit of the story.
• 2:23
  But hopefully this morning we'll hear a little bit more of the story.
• 2:27
  So we're going to start off really easy.
• 2:30
  And we're going to turn it over to you, Mr.
• 2:32
  Myshak.
• 2:33
  Tell us a little bit about yourself.
• 2:35
  Where did you grow up?
• 2:37
  In Derwent, Alberta.
• 2:42
  1935.
• 2:45
  Born July of 26.
• 2:51
  And then we were on a, I don't know what we were on.
• 2:56
  I was too small to know what we even lived in.
• 3:01
  But anyways, we moved to Vermilion, and we stayed there for a couple of years.
• 3:06
  And then my dad got a quarter section, a land from the government, and he built a house.
• 3:14
  And that was in Chalee, Alberta.
• 3:17
  It's about, I think it was about 12 or 15 miles north of Manville.
• 3:27
  And that's where I grew up mostly.
• 3:31
  I was there till I was in 1951, is when we moved to Edmonton.
• 3:41
  But I went to school in Chalee from grade one to grade eight.
• 3:52
  I passed into grade nine, and we moved to Edmonton in 51.
• 4:00
  And I missed some school, because my dad wanted me to stay and do, finish the harvest on the land.
• 4:09
  And so I missed three, four weeks of school.
• 4:13
  But anyways, I went to school that year, and when I got my report card, I failed.
• 4:21
  Uh-oh.
• 4:23
  So there was nine of us in the family, and I know that mom couldn't afford for me to go to school, so I decided that I have to go and find a job.
• 4:37
  Right.
• 4:38
  So.
• 4:39
  Wow, can I ask a question?
• 4:41
  Were your parents born here, or where were your parents born?
• 4:44
  My dad was born in Poland.
• 4:47
  Okay.
• 4:47
  And my mom was born here.
• 4:50
  Okay.
• 4:51
  My mom was Ukrainian, my dad was Polish.
• 4:53
  Right.
• 4:54
  Wow.
• 4:55
  Okay.
• 4:56
  So your dad came to Canada, met your mom.
• 4:59
  Yep.
• 4:59
  And here you are.
• 5:00
  Here I am.
• 5:01
  Yeah.
• 5:02
  So.
• 5:02
  And I think that was quite common, right?
• 5:04
  That kids had to go help with the harvest and do that sort of thing.
• 5:07
  I mean, that was a big thing, right?
• 5:09
  To do that.
• 5:09
  So.
• 5:10
  Okay.
• 5:11
  So you didn't pass school, and you had to go to work.
• 5:14
  Yeah.
• 5:15
  Where did you go?
• 5:17
  Well, I, we kind of, when I went to school here in Ed, and actually it was in Jasper Place.
• 5:29
  Oh, okay.
• 5:30
  It was where we moved to.
• 5:31
  Yeah.
• 5:32
  So I went to Jasper Place School, and I met a couple of boys there that were in my same grade.
• 5:41
  And we got together, and we thought we could frame a house.
• 5:45
  And so we, we spent the summer trying to frame a house.
• 5:51
  Neither, any one of us knew how, what to do, really.
• 5:55
  But then we got it framed, and then we went to get paid, and the guy wouldn't pay us right away.
• 6:02
  So, but finally, we did get our money, and by that time, it was, I was, well, I was in 52 at the, I went and worked for the CN in the round house.
• 6:23
  Okay, yeah.
• 6:25
  And I cleaned the engine out, the coal burner.
• 6:30
  I had to clean the burner out at night, and I'd come home when it was dark.
• 6:38
  I didn't know whether I was...
• 6:40
  Night or day, yeah.
• 6:41
  Night or day, it was terrible, because we didn't have a washroom in the house that we were in.
• 6:52
  So, Josh replaced, there was no water and sewer at the time.
• 6:57
  So we had to get the water hauled in.
• 6:59
  So, but anyways, we made it.
• 7:03
  So, nine of us lived in that 960 square foot home.
• 7:09
  Nine people in a 960 square foot home.
• 7:13
  Really?
• 7:13
  Yeah.
• 7:14
  Wow.
• 7:15
  But anyways, we got by and, so when I worked with the CN in the Roundhouse, I wanted to go breaking.
• 7:25
  So, but I couldn't go to work, by the way, until I was 18 on the road.
• 7:33
  So, I went and took my test before I was 18 years old.
• 7:38
  So, when the day I turned 18, I went to work for the CN.
• 7:44
  And it was a perfect timing of the year, because most of the engineers and the breakies, the older one, people were taking their holidays, so they were short of help.
• 7:55
  So, I was, they kept me pretty busy, till the end of November, and then they laid me off, because all the older fellas come back.
• 8:09
  Yeah, we used to, like I say, go to Wabamun and back and get $17, and we thought we were in heaven.
• 8:16
  $17 for the day. Not an hour$17 a day.
• 8:22
  I love it.
• 8:23
  Wow, was that a lot of money?
• 8:24
  Was that...
• 8:25
  Well, it was big money for us.
• 8:27
  For me, it was, anyways.
• 8:28
  For sure, yeah.
• 8:29
  Yeah, and I don't know, I remember paying mom and dad $40 a month for a board and a room.
• 8:35
  Yeah, wow.
• 8:37
  But that was fine.
• 8:41
  And, you know, mom, she tried to go and work, too, at a cafe, but it was just too much to do at home.
• 8:49
  Yeah.
• 8:51
  Yeah.
• 8:52
  So how long were you with CN, then?
• 8:55
  That was it.
• 8:55
  That was it.
• 8:58
  I went to work.
• 9:00
  Then I was in January.
• 9:02
  When I got laid off November, in January, my brother worked for a guy that had some gravel trucks.
• 9:11
  So I ended up going by Bluffton, Alberta.
• 9:16
  I don't know if you know where that is.
• 9:18
  No, I've never heard of Bluffton.
• 9:19
  No, it's just south of Kelmar.
• 9:22
  Okay, yeah.
• 9:22
  On 22.
• 9:24
  And we were stockpiling gravel for the road.
• 9:28
  So I worked there.
• 9:31
  I was doing that in January.
• 9:33
  And then my brother worked for a company called Pre-Brent Construction.
• 9:39
  And they were in road building, lease building, and seismic and bridge building.
• 9:47
  So they needed a pickup driver.
• 9:48
  So I got hired to go to work for them to do pickup and deliveries with my pickup that I had.
• 10:01
  And yeah, I was making $200 a month.
• 10:07
  They paid me for my pickup a month.
• 10:09
  $200 a month.
• 10:11
  Wow, all you young ones out there listening to this.
• 10:14
  Listen to this story.
• 10:15
  This is a good story.
• 10:17
  $200 a month, wow, okay.
• 10:19
  Yeah.
• 10:19
  So that stayed there with the company for, that was in 1954 that I went to work for them.
• 10:31
  And I stayed there till 19, yeah, that was, I stayed there till 1962.
• 10:43
  Okay, yeah.
• 10:46
  And then in 62, you...
• 10:49
  And then the company was owned by Brown and Root at the time, and they decided to sell that company so they were getting rid of all the equipment.
• 11:05
  So, I had to find something else to do.
• 11:08
  So, when I was with that company, I bought, I was doing purchasing after I've been there a few years, and looked after the shop.
• 11:20
  But anyways, they were taking the, they were selling off all the equipment.
• 11:30
  So, I at that time bought a truck and trailer, and Brown Root took it over, because they had a branch, they were building and selling these plants.
• 11:40
  So, they kept the truck and trailer.
• 11:42
  But when I left Brent Construction, I went to Brown Root and asked them if they still had that truck.
• 11:51
  I heard it was for sale, or they didn't need it anymore.
• 11:56
  So, the fellow there said, sure, we'll sell it.
• 12:01
  And I said, I don't have any money.
• 12:04
  And he said, well, why don't you just take and rent it?
• 12:07
  And I, I think a truck and trailer said, why don't you just take and rent it till you make some payments and then finance it.
• 12:20
  So then I ended up getting a job with Square M Construction.
• 12:25
  They were building a railroad up at Manning that was going to Hay River.
• 12:33
  So sent the truck up there with two drivers that worked night and day to haul ties and rails up there.
• 12:43
  And it lasted for just a month and made really good money.
• 12:47
  I thought, we either got to get into trucking now.
• 12:50
  So that's how I ended up starting Premay.
• 12:58
  And the name Premay become a name with a few guys I knew that helped me get going and give me some of their work.
• 13:10
  I worked with them at Brent Construction.
• 13:14
  And I thought they would give them a partnership deal in it.
• 13:19
  And they said, sure.
• 13:20
  So the guys' names were one guy was Pemberton, one guy was Roeder, and then Myshak.
• 13:28
  So that's how it become Premay.
• 13:31
  Premay.
• 13:32
  Wow.
• 13:33
  And anyways.
• 13:35
  And they're still around today, aren't they?
• 13:38
  Premay is still.
• 13:38
  Premay is.
• 13:39
  because they see their yellow trucks, their big yellow trucks driving around.
• 13:42
  Yeah.
• 13:43
  Yeah.
• 13:44
  They're dirty, but they're yellow.
• 13:48
  because you're not in charge anymore.
• 13:50
  That's why.
• 13:53
  I love it.
• 13:57
  That's good.
• 13:59
  So, how long?
• 14:00
  I shouldn't say that.
• 14:02
  It's okay.
• 14:03
  It's okay.
• 14:04
  Don't worry.
• 14:04
  Don't worry.
• 14:04
  It's all good.
• 14:05
  It's all good.
• 14:06
  We'll take that out.
• 14:08
  I think we'll leave that in.
• 14:09
  I like that.
• 14:10
  That's good.
• 14:11
  That's good.
• 14:14
  No, it's just trying to...
• 14:18
  But, anyways, what happened was that we were together.
• 14:24
  We were going to go into the rental business, scrapers and cats, and do some trucking.
• 14:30
  Well, those two gentlemen had a construction company, and they had the opportunity to buy Ed Miller Construction, which was an equipment outfit.
• 14:44
  And they bought and sold equipment.
• 14:48
  So John and Walter, and Mary Roeder, they said, well, we can't be in partners with me because we'd be direct competition to the company they're just buying.
• 15:03
  Right.
• 15:04
  So they just said, well, why don't you just take the company over and get the shares transferred to me, and carry on?
• 15:12
  We'll still be friends.
• 15:14
  So that's how I ended up with that.
• 15:19
  And, but anyways, that's, that was in 64, so we went along till 71, 72, and the economy went for a real dip.
• 15:41
  Yes, Alberta was terrible.
• 15:42
  Yeah.
• 15:43
  Tanked, yeah.
• 15:45
  And I had, we had, I think, three or four, we had a couple of our own trucks, three or four trucks of our own.
• 15:53
  But we had a bunch of leased operators.
• 15:57
  And we were holding a lot of equipment for everybody around Alberta, because we were pretty active at that time.
• 16:06
  Yeah, yeah.
• 16:12
  So, when the downturn come, I had like 90 some thousand dollars receivables, but I, it was 50 some thousand I couldn't get paid for, because everybody went broke.
• 16:27
  They couldn't pay me because there was no work.
• 16:30
  Right.
• 16:30
  And that's the way it went.
• 16:33
  So, I ended up selling 70% of the company to another fellow that used to work for Brent Construction before I got there.
• 16:47
  And one of the guys that I knew well was a mechanic for Walter Staley, so when I was in trouble, I went and talked to my friend, and he said, well, why don't you go see Walter Staley?
• 17:07
  And I said, okay.
• 17:09
  So I went over there, and I said, we'll offer 70% of the company, you know?
• 17:15
  Yeah.
• 17:16
  But I need some money to continue.
• 17:20
  So he said, how much do you need?
• 17:23
  And I said, well, I need it.
• 17:26
  I need $30,000 for 30%, which wasn't very much money, but in those days, it was quite a bit.
• 17:35
  Yeah, I see.
• 17:36
  The rates weren't that great, $11 an hour truck and trailer and the driver.
• 17:44
  Oh, for the good old days again.
• 17:46
  Yeah.
• 17:47
  But anyways, walter said, well, how much money do you need right now?
• 17:54
  And I said, well, anything to pay the least operators.
• 17:57
  So he called his secretary.
• 18:00
  He says, Goldie was her name.
• 18:07
  And he said, Goldie, get me my checkbook.
• 18:10
  So he wrote out a check for $20,000, handed it to me.
• 18:14
  He said, go pay your bills.
• 18:16
  He says, go see your lawyer, go see your banker or whatever.
• 18:23
  But he said, when you get the paperwork, come back and I'll give you the balance.
• 18:30
  $10,000.
• 18:31
  So this was in 72.
• 18:37
  So we went along and we had money.
• 18:40
  Walter was very wealthy.
• 18:45
  He was a very good business guy, a good guy.
• 18:49
  So we went along and bought a couple of trucks in East of Fleet and still kept the leased operators, and we were busy.
• 19:04
  So from there on in, he had a fellow there that I didn't get along with.
• 19:15
  And I just didn't feel comfortable with that situation.
• 19:21
  So this was after Walter signed and owned 70% of it.
• 19:27
  And I said, you know, this is not going to work for me.
• 19:31
  It's either him or I.
• 19:35
  And he said, let me think about it for a couple of days.
• 19:39
  And anyways, he thought about it and come back.
• 19:44
  And in the meantime, in the background, I was trying to find somebody to buy that 70% share.
• 19:54
  Right, right.
• 19:55
  So Walter said, well, what do you want for that 75% share?
• 20:01
  And I said, well, we had the bookkeepers there look at it.
• 20:04
  And I said, well, it looks like we have to give you about $150,000.
• 20:12
  So he said, fine.
• 20:14
  Well, I said, good, I'll take that.
• 20:17
  He said, go ahead to the bank and make a deal.
• 20:21
  And so in the meantime, I had taken on a partner, Jim Sinclair, and made a deal with the bank and paid Walter off and continued working with Walter and stuff.
• 20:39
  And we moved to another shop.
• 20:43
  Actually, Walter built a shop and we moved in to that one.
• 20:48
  Paid him for the rent on that one, so he was happy that way.
• 20:53
  So that's how we ended up back.
• 20:58
  And then in the meantime, in those few years, we also took on four more of our key people and give them some shares in that company.
• 21:09
  So, right, it was going well.
• 21:12
  We got in to the big, moving, heavy vessels and stuff.
• 21:19
  And then in 1994 decided I was going to retire.
• 21:30
  Thought I had enough money to retire on.
• 21:36
  So we offered it to Mullins.
• 21:38
  The Mullins bought the company.
• 21:43
  Murray was very good about the deal.
• 21:50
  We all liked to get a little more, but he was fair.
• 21:54
  And from there on in, we sold the company in 94.
• 22:05
  We had three companies we sold them.
• 22:07
  We had Pre-May Equipment.
• 22:11
  We had Pre-May Sales and Rentals, and we had Pre-May Pipeline hauling.
• 22:16
  Okay.
• 22:17
  So Pre-May Equipment was the trucking company.
• 22:24
  Pre-May Sales and Rentals was a company that had equipment rentals.
• 22:37
  And pipelines strictly, string and pipe and haul and pipe.
• 22:48
  And we had separate prices for each company when we sold out.
• 22:53
  And Murray come by one day.
• 22:55
  Actually, I was on the board, on the mullin board for two years.
• 23:02
  But I didn't really like that position.
• 23:05
  I had not, I wasn't where I wanted to be.
• 23:09
  But anyways, I thought, well, shit, I'll just retire.
• 23:11
  But found out there wasn't enough money in retirement.
• 23:19
  So, anyways, Murray come by, and he said, well, we don't want to be in the rental business.
• 23:27
  Mullins didn't want to be in the rental business.
• 23:29
  They'd rather sell the rental end of it off, because they did a lot of hauling for different people.
• 23:36
  Sure.
• 23:37
  He said, well, do you want to buy it back?
• 23:40
  And I said, sure.
• 23:43
  I got ahold of Jimmy here, my son, and I got with him, and he said, by all means, why don't we buy it back?
• 23:50
  And we bought it back for just about the same amount of money I paid for it.
• 23:59
  And started Myshak Sales and Rentals.
• 24:05
  And I went home that night and told my wife about it.
• 24:11
  I said, well, I don't know what the hell we're going to call this company.
• 24:16
  And we had different names and shit.
• 24:20
  And she says, well, why don't you just say Myshak Sales and Rentals or something?
• 24:25
  And she said, that's, that's would be good.
• 24:30
  So that's how we ended up calling it Myshak Sales and Rentals, was because of my wife.
• 24:39
  And...
• 24:40
  So, so, so let's, can I interrupt you there for a minute?
• 24:42
  Tell us about your wife.
• 24:43
  Yes.
• 24:44
  I'm, I'm curious.
• 24:46
  You, you, you haven't gotten all day.
• 24:47
  No, because, because I know, and I think we all know around the table, well, we'll say it publicly anyway, that behind any great man, there's a great wife.
• 24:58
  And so tell us a little bit about her.
• 25:00
  Where did you meet her?
• 25:01
  How did that all happen?
• 25:04
  I don't really want to go there.
• 25:09
  How long have you been married?
• 25:10
  How long?
• 25:11
  Yeah.
• 25:12
  I think 67 years.
• 25:14
  67 years.
• 25:16
  Incredible.
• 25:17
  Yeah.
• 25:19
  And obviously, she was behind you and supported you. Oh still is.
• 25:22
  Yeah.
• 25:23
  Yeah.
• 25:23
  Yes.
• 25:25
  That's for sure.
• 25:26
  Couldn't be without her.
• 25:27
  Yeah.
• 25:28
  Got to get in trouble.
• 25:29
  Yeah.
• 25:31
  How many children do you have?
• 25:34
  We had two.
• 25:35
  Okay.
• 25:38
  Jimmy and the daughter, Elaine.
• 25:40
  Right.
• 25:41
  They have nine grandchildren.
• 25:43
  They have nine grandchildren.
• 25:45
  We got, we have 31.
• 25:52
  Well, actually, all together, we got 46 great grandchildren.
• 25:57
  Yeah.
• 25:58
  And we're on the fifth generation.
• 26:01
  Yes.
• 26:01
  Wow.
• 26:02
  We've already got five kids on our fifth generation.
• 26:06
  And one more in the oven.
• 26:10
  What a legacy.
• 26:11
  What a fantastic legacy.
• 26:13
  That's incredible.
• 26:15
  So, now you've started Myshak, which is a good name.
• 26:18
  Easy to remember for your company.
• 26:20
  What happened?
• 26:21
  Take us there.
• 26:22
  What happened?
• 26:22
  Well, yeah, like I said, I gotta give Jimmy credit, because he's been the big push on, keep me straight.
• 26:34
  I'm not selling the company.
• 26:37
  But anyway, no, it's been great.
• 26:39
  And I, you know, I really gotta say that the success of us is no doubt the family, but the employees.
• 26:55
  The employees have been the most effective for us.
• 26:59
  We've been very fortunate to have the employees.
• 27:03
  We have.
• 27:06
  I don't think we'd be where we're at without them.
• 27:08
  Well, I know we wouldn't be.
• 27:12
  So, no.
• 27:15
  It's been, no, it's been really good in there.
• 27:20
  And we hoped that we were doing the right thing by putting something in their genes, too.
• 27:32
  So, it seems to be working all right.
• 27:36
  I know when we had Pre-may, we tried to start Company P32, which we had 32 employees.
• 27:45
  We tried to say that we'll buy shares in that and stuff.
• 27:49
  But let's face it, things were tough.
• 27:53
  I had to ask somebody that had a struggling with to ask them for $50 a month.
• 28:01
  It just wasn't there.
• 28:05
  But we started something different with that.
• 28:08
  And, you know, I think, we've done the right thing by taking on more shareholders in our company.
• 28:19
  Sure.
• 28:21
  So tell us a little bit about family, working with family.
• 28:25
  How is that?
• 28:28
  Do we have to go there?
• 28:33
  Well, Jim has just stepped away from the table for a minute.
• 28:36
  He'll be back, I know.
• 28:37
  Mike's still sitting here.
• 28:41
  because I think people are curious how it all works.
• 28:46
  So here comes Jim.
• 28:47
  So we'll maybe pose that question to Jim.
• 28:50
  Yeah, exactly.
• 28:52
  Jim. Yes We just asked and your dad didn't really want to answer that question.
• 29:01
  What's it like working as a family business?
• 29:05
  I don't know.
• 29:06
  He's not there anymore.
• 29:10
  That's not what I heard.
• 29:11
  I heard he's still around.
• 29:19
  Yeah, that is a good question.
• 29:20
  But it's hard to...
• 29:28
  I don't know anything different, so...
• 29:30
  Right.
• 29:34
  That's what it's all...
• 29:36
  Is it difficult at times?
• 29:38
  What kind of relationship do you have with your dad in order to move forward?
• 29:42
  He talks and I listen. Pretty easy.
• 29:43
  You're a good son.
• 29:47
  You're a good son.
• 29:49
  Yeah.
• 29:50
  That's good.
• 29:51
  How involved is he still in the business?
• 29:54
  Are you going to...
• 29:55
  Very influential.
• 29:56
  Are you...
• 29:56
  Yeah.
• 29:57
  For sure.
• 29:57
  I mean, you know, he comes around the office and visits everybody for where he can get to.
• 30:05
  Yeah.
• 30:05
  But a lot of people...
• 30:06
  I mean, it's open door.
• 30:07
  They come up and visit.
• 30:09
  No, it's...
• 30:11
  I think that's the culture, and yeah, that's what makes everybody want to stay there, you know?
• 30:19
  Yeah.
• 30:20
  And then you have the third generation, your son now.
• 30:25
  Mike's grandson.
• 30:26
  Your grandson, yeah.
• 30:28
  So how's that all work?
• 30:29
  How is...
• 30:30
  I mean, I think people are just curious how the Myshak name just keeps carrying on in business.
• 30:37
  Mike, what's it like working for the family?
• 30:40
  You know, it's good.
• 30:41
  It's...
• 30:42
  You know, you have your good days and your bad days, right?
• 30:46
  You know, some days, it's, you know, tough love, and the next day, it's a wealth of information and knowledge that, you know, is getting passed down.
• 30:56
  So, you know, same as Jim, you sit there and you listen and you try to absorb as much as you can like a sponge because, you know, they went through that school of hard knocks and they've learned their lessons and trying to get me not to make the same ones they have.
• 31:14
  Yeah.
• 31:15
  Yeah.
• 31:15
  But it's good.
• 31:17
  And the company has grown exponentially over the years.
• 31:21
  How many employees now?
• 31:25
  400 and some.
• 31:26
  400 and some employees.
• 31:28
  Wow.
• 31:30
  400.
• 31:33
  410, it might be a little more right now.
• 31:36
  Yeah, depending on the projects, we're probably either 500 or just a little over today.
• 31:44
  All over Canada?
• 31:46
  All over?
• 31:46
  Mostly Western Canada.
• 31:47
  Western Canada.
• 31:48
  Yeah.
• 31:49
  Yeah.
• 31:49
  But we've been north to Alaska, we're currently supplying gear there.
• 31:58
  We've been as far south as Texas, Cuba, and as far east as PEI.
• 32:06
  Wow.
• 32:07
  Yeah.
• 32:09
  All over.
• 32:09
  Yeah.
• 32:10
  Yeah.
• 32:10
  And you know, I think anybody who's driven down Highway 16A, if you're coming through Acheson, the thing that sticks out more than anything else, is the Myshak Cranes are sitting there.
• 32:21
  And it's impressive.
• 32:22
  It's very, very impressive.
• 32:24
  And what you guys have done is incredible.
• 32:27
  And then you drive, for me anyway, drive around the city, I see all the construction happening, the LRTs and those kinds of things.
• 32:33
  I see your equipment sitting there, and I got to be honest with you.
• 32:36
  I'm going to be totally honest.
• 32:38
  I drive by and I see a Myshak Crane and I go, I know them.
• 32:44
  I think that's pretty incredible.
• 32:45
  I just think it's awesome.
• 32:46
  So well, in the city, when you see a Myshak Crane, you know who is the cheapest, bidder.
• 32:52
  We will get into that.
• 32:55
  We'll save that for another show.
• 32:59
  So maybe talk a little bit about how you think business has changed over the years.
• 33:06
  Maybe from when you first started to now.
• 33:08
  Have you seen a big shift in the way people do business?
• 33:11
  Oh, yeah, there's a big shift in people, trying to get good people, but you know, there's definitely in the regulations now are really getting to be horrible.
• 33:33
  You know, there's one thing I think we're very fortunate.
• 33:39
  We have, I don't know whether we should even mention, but we have a union shop and a non-union shop, they're working together.
• 33:49
  Right.
• 33:49
  Right.
• 33:50
  Which is, I don't know.
• 33:52
  Not always the case sometimes.
• 33:54
  I've actually never heard of that.
• 33:55
  That's pretty incredible, actually.
• 33:56
  Well, we had our non-union transportation group renting.
• 34:02
  Well, they both rent from the parent company, but we had union operators and non-union teamsters, which is unheard of to run together.
• 34:11
  Yeah, that's incredible.
• 34:13
  Wow.
• 34:13
  Well, you're doing something right then, because that's not always a great synergy together.
• 34:19
  So, that's pretty incredible.
• 34:20
  Yeah, I remember hearing you one time, you, I'm not sure where I heard you say it, but you said in the early days, a lot of it was done by a handshake.
• 34:29
  Yep.
• 34:30
  And that was your word, and your word was your word.
• 34:34
  Well, that's what, like, I told you, Walter Staley there, was just, never had no paperwork.
• 34:40
  Yeah.
• 34:40
  Just a handshake.
• 34:42
  Yeah.
• 34:42
  Probably couldn't get away with that today.
• 34:44
  No.
• 34:44
  No.
• 34:45
  But I've always remembered when you said that.
• 34:48
  I thought that's pretty incredible.
• 34:49
  Just because it's big business, you know.
• 34:51
  In the day, it was big business.
• 34:55
  So, Mike, where you see yourself going here?
• 34:59
  Good question.
• 35:00
  You know, we always look to, you know, keep growing and expanding and offering our services, partnerships, you know.
• 35:08
  So, you know, just keep providing a good service.
• 35:11
  And as long as we keep doing a good job, hopefully, we can keep going forward.
• 35:16
  Yeah, it's great.
• 35:17
  It's good.
• 35:18
  So, we are in beautiful downtown Acheson, and if anybody has driven along Acheson Road, you will see that there is a sign at the start of Acheson Road, and an honorary road name of Mike Myshak Way.
• 35:32
  And we at the Acheson Business Association, we're really proud to have put that forward to be able to name Acheson Road after Mr.
• 35:40
  Myshak.
• 35:41
  So, if you haven't been to Acheson, take a drive through and take a look at his son and his wonderful story.
• 35:47
  Oh yeah, I mean, if you're coming to beautiful downtown Acheson, you'll have to drive right through Myshak Way, so that's pretty incredible.
• 35:55
  And Cam, Mr.
• 35:57
  Myshak was also our first inaugural recipient of our Acheson Business Lifetime Achievement Award.
• 36:04
  Yes, and that was really special, having you as the first recipient of that, that award's carried on.
• 36:09
  Now, this year, Wes Wall is our Lifetime Achievement Award winner.
• 36:15
  And I remember when we told Wes, and I talked to him after, and we were talking about it, Jennifer told him he had won, and or not won, but he was chosen.
• 36:24
  And he said, these were his words to me after when we were kind of alone, he said, he said, I can't be in the same category as Mr.
• 36:32
  Myshak.
• 36:33
  He said, how do you live up to that?
• 36:34
  So you have a great, great reputation, and people admire you greatly.
• 36:41
  So this has been fantastic.
• 36:45
  Yeah, it's been a great session with all three.
• 36:50
  And we have a final question that we ask each of our guests.
• 36:53
  And we're going to ask all of you this question.
• 36:56
  So yeah.
• 36:57
  So Jim, we were just Jennifer asked me, we asked this to every one of our guests as we wrap up.
• 37:04
  And the question is, what's the best piece of advice you've been given, either personally or professionally, that you carry with you to this day?
• 37:13
  From Mike?
• 37:15
  From anyone.
• 37:15
  Oh, yeah.
• 37:18
  I'd say be humble.
• 37:22
  You know, be honest.
• 37:24
  I like that.
• 37:26
  Be humble, be honest.
• 37:29
  And then over to you.
• 37:30
  The best piece of advice you've been given.
• 37:34
  Don't work with your son.
• 37:42
  I'm trying to get him to retire, but I won't.
• 37:46
  You notice he didn't ask me where I was going to go.
• 37:51
  I was worried to ask that question.
• 37:55
  So, what's the best piece of advice you've been given?
• 38:02
  Well, like I said, it's...
• 38:08
  You know, he's taken the words right out of my mouth, to be upfront and honest, and, you know...
• 38:20
  That's the bottom line.
• 38:23
  Yeah.
• 38:24
  Wow.
• 38:25
  That's great.
• 38:25
  Don't stop working.
• 38:27
  Don't stop working.
• 38:28
  And I can, I've known, well, I've known, I've gotten to know Mike a little bit better, and really appreciate working with him, and have hung around you guys a little bit here and there.
• 38:40
  And I can say that you are, truly, you are humble people.
• 38:45
  You are caring people.
• 38:48
  We see that in you.
• 38:49
  And you are great business people, that's for sure.
• 38:54
  But you do it with humility and humbleness.
• 38:57
  And that's just, that's his wife calling.
• 39:02
  Saying, it's getting close to lunch.
• 39:03
  Where are you?
• 39:05
  No, just kidding.
• 39:08
  So, I just want to say, we just want to say thank you so much for doing this.
• 39:15
  So, this is episode 13.
• 39:17
  When Mike told me that you, Grandpa, when you agreed, when you and Jim agreed to do this, I phoned Jennifer, I ran out onto the thing over there, and I phoned Jennifer and I said, you won't believe it, they agreed to do it.
• 39:29
  I'm so excited.
• 39:32
  And so, thank you.
• 39:34
  Yeah, absolutely.
• 39:35
  We really appreciate you sharing your story with us.
• 39:38
  And I think our listeners are going to love it.
• 39:41
  But thank you, everybody.
• 39:42
  Thank you, Myshaks, for joining us.
• 39:44
  Hey, everybody, really appreciate it.
• 39:46
  And remember, wherever you get your podcasts, just download, tell your friends, tell your family, tell your business partners, tell your enemies.
• 39:55
  Tell everybody about ABA Coffee In The Park podcast.
• 39:58
  We really appreciate you listening.
• 40:00
  Thanks, everybody.
• 40:01
  See you next week.