Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:01 Good morning, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You are tuning in to the Mac city morning show. I am your host, Elliot Pierre, and we're going to start the show off the same way. We start everyone off with a moment of gratitude. I want to thank everybody at home for taking the time to tune in and watch it means the world to me. Cause I know you could be doing so many other things with your time, so thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And on that note, Tanner hit him with the intro.
Speaker 1 00:00:27 Oh, she caught me near listen to the next.
Speaker 0 00:00:36 All right. Now we have my favorite type of guests here today. A gentlemen that I know nothing about, it's a, it's my favorite when I know nothing about the guest. So with that, we're going to get started. I do not introduce my guests and I couldn't even if I wanted to today. So on that note, sir, can you please introduce yourself and tell the people at home who you are and what you're about?
Speaker 2 00:00:55 Yes. My name is Louis Maccabi. Um, uh, the owner of a glory contract in LTD. Um, what we do, we do, uh, um, general contracting and we do, uh, appliances install. We, uh, um, there's we do gym equipment, assembly furniture assembly. Um, we have also contracted maintenance with them, a lot of stores in town and, uh, uh, it's it's more like if you need anything, you give us a call. We can find somewhere to do it.
Speaker 0 00:01:29 Oh, okay. Very cool. What'd you just said that, uh, rings a bell in my head right away is gym equipment. So gym equipment is really heavy, really cumbersome to move, really cumbersome to put back together. So how did you get into that one? And like what's the process to that?
Speaker 2 00:01:47 Well, we started at first doing the assembly for the equipment and once he get a handle on the equipment and know how much it weights, then, um, slowly we took over a contract, also delivering an assembly, assembled equipment. They'll deliver the gym equipment. It's very sensitive because you have to be careful in every aspect, how you move it. So you don't create any damage for the customers. That's great. And then, uh, since we are the only one who does the assembly in town here, so it was beneficial for us to do the delivery and the assembly after that.
Speaker 0 00:02:19 Okay. So if I have some gym equipment that I want to move from my primary residence to this location, you guys are the company to call. We are the ones cold. Okay. Very cool. Make it easy for you. Headache-free that's awesome. So now how long have you been an operations informant?
Speaker 2 00:02:37 Marie? Um, I moved to Fort McMurray in 2004 and, uh, I started officially my business in 2006. I was doing small jobs here and there just, you know, trying to, um, to see how the community here works and what's the, what kind of business here. And I was doing a lot of work and, uh, honestly what meant might delayed me to 2006. I did not have time even to even start to properly, uh, um, uh, my company name outside. And then after that I said, that's it. I have to set up a time. And I, and I set up a time. I started my company and it took off
Speaker 0 00:03:17 That's awesome. Right. Time, right place. Yes. Cause that's when Fort McMurray in like 2004, things were just like, that's right. Sky rock.
Speaker 2 00:03:26 I mean up. And you'll be surprising when I started actually I started doing, uh, the line painting, uh, because Fort McMurray had no, no vendor doing the lane painting for the parking stalls. Oh. So that's how I started actually. Okay. So I took over, I looked and I said, there's no company that we used to bring somebody from Vancouver or Edmonton to do the work here. Right. I went and bought the equipment and um, uh, we did, uh, all the training that required for it. And then I started getting the contracts to do it. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:03:57 Very neat. Oh, okay. Look at that eye. You're very industrious obviously. Yes, that's awesome. Okay. So you moved here in 2004. Where did you move from?
Speaker 2 00:04:08 I lived in Ontario for six years. Okay. And, uh, six years Ontario finished my study. I have a diploma in civil engineering. Okay. And, um, so that's what I did. I did study over there. I had from back home, I have an architectural degree. I studied civil engineering diploma or technology in, uh, in Ontario, in Hamilton. Right. And, uh, I moved here in 2004. Uh, the purpose was for my move was, uh, had an uncle here. So I came to visit him and, uh, I saw a lot of opportunity here and I said, you know what, this is the right place to be. That's right.
Speaker 0 00:04:47 Okay. Now you said back home, where are you from? Originally? Syria. Syria. Oh, wow. Okay. And so what year did you leave? Syria? 1998, 1998. Okay.
Speaker 2 00:04:58 1998. I left Syria arrived to Canada in November seven, 1998. Okay. There was a Sunday.
Speaker 0 00:05:06 It was a Sunday. There you go. Do you remember Sunday? Was it winter falls?
Speaker 2 00:05:10 The spring, to be honest, that year that I arrived. Uh, I was wasn't Burlington. The first time it snowed. Yeah, it was uh, January 1st week of January. So we had a 20 degree temperature in December. That's right. And they told me this has never happened in Burlington, but when it snowed, it's not. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:05:32 And how was that adjustment for you
Speaker 2 00:05:35 From Syria? Uh, there is not much a snow over there. Right. So the first day you got excited outside. Oh, I'm going to shovel the snow, like a couple of foot of snow, a couple of feet of snow. And you start shoveling an hour later or sheets, right?
Speaker 0 00:05:50 Yes. I'm still excited to go shovel it right on the next day. Come on, man. So more that's hilarious. My mom tells a story. My parents are from South America, Guyana, and she had never seen snow in her life, like in movies maybe. And she, when it snowed and she was living in Ontario, when she first immigrated to Canada, she said, it's scared her to death. She had no idea what was happening. And she said it was one of the most frightening moments ever, just because it was so foreign right. To her. So yeah. I love to hear about that. People who immigrate and come from countries with not a lot of snow. Yeah. It's exciting at first. But then like you said,
Speaker 2 00:06:35 Well, the first time you have all your drive through on your neighbors drive for the second time you shuffled here drive. But the third time you want to just
Speaker 0 00:06:42 That's right. So now you've been in Fort Macquarie for such a long time, obviously. Like it's my favorite thing about people who immigrate here. You're, you're brave. You're way braver than me. Like I can't imagine leaving, not my hometown to go to a different country that speaks a different language. So like it all, I love to hear immigration stories, but obviously you're brave. You've immigrated here. You could live anywhere because you got that inside. What makes you stay in Fort McMurray?
Speaker 2 00:07:10 Fort McMurray has been very good to me actually, to be honest, I know when I moved to Fort McMurray, when you leave your country, your, uh, your home country and become you, there is a goal in your life is to make better of your life. So if I know that as a place, whatever I moved to and you know, happened to be Canada, that going to give me doubt what I'm aiming for. Right. I should be there. So when I came to Fort McMurray in 2004, I saw a lot of opportunity. I saw what I actually, why that's where I want to be. If I left my country to be somewhere, I have to be somewhere where I can be successful. Right. So, and that's what brought me to Fort McMurray. That's what made me build my roots in Fort McMurray. And now I got, I sponsored all my family and all of them here. Now in Fort McMurray, I brought my mom and dad, my two brothers and their wife and kids.
Speaker 0 00:08:05 Awesome. That's phenomenal. Good for you, man. And so now that they're here, what, what do they do? Do they work with you? Do they work out of
Speaker 2 00:08:13 Rather you work with me? So me and my brother, we worked together. Right. And, uh, we carried the business, uh, the third one, uh, he's a little one, but he's left, told us
Speaker 0 00:08:25 He worked
Speaker 2 00:08:25 By himself. He walked a little bit with us, but, uh, his interest, his, he always liked to be working by himself. And I, and I knew that, that I wanted him to be beside us to support each other. So that's what we do. We keep supporting each other. It helped us whenever we stuck with, and we need some help. He's there to help us out. And, uh, mum and dad's there with us and enjoy seeing us all. And as you were saying, kids,
Speaker 0 00:08:49 Just life, they're enjoying life, right on. Now in regards to your organization, how many people roughly, cause I know numbers change. How many people you have working with you?
Speaker 2 00:08:58 So we got to about, uh, that the main two guys as me and my brother. Right? That's what, when we do the, all the installs, when we, when we taken, uh, obviously like in construction and we have people who've joined us, the team that we work with, um, you know, up to five to six people that we, we take over a project and we'll work on it. But as long as we were doing, uh, appliances installed, I took appliances installed contract, uh, actually two months before the fire. Right. And, um, and uh, I was at the time alone, I did not have my brother. Yeah. And trust me, it was, uh, it was not something like, I took it as a part-time beside my construction that I'm doing that's right. And then the fire happened and it was devastating. Then when we came back, um, it would be like 11 o'clock at night. I'm at the, my loss installed. I still have one more. I call the customer saying, I'm gonna push you to the next day. Say, no, no, I'm waiting. So midnight, one o'clock in the morning. We're still installing. Wow. It was a crazy,
Speaker 0 00:10:02 Yeah. That is crazy. That's, that's a lot of work, really busy to work, especially when you move and appliances and stuff. That's not, that's not light work
Speaker 2 00:10:10 Well after that people look at that light, if it looks right.
Speaker 0 00:10:16 That's right. Yes. I got used to it. Yeah. No need for a gym. No need for a gym. Okay. So now as an entrepreneur in Fort McMurray, um, what do you think is the biggest struggle that you run into
Speaker 2 00:10:31 In Fort McMurray? Biggest struggle? Well, to be honest, every, every time had, had its own struggle. So I had to struggle first, um, to find workforce. And so that lasts for a long time. And then you ha, when you find one, you have to find the reliable one because they either don't stay in Fort McMurray or back to wherever they came from Edmonton, Toronto, or for, um, they just moved to take another opportunity, take another job. You know, it was just, you know, pick and choose
Speaker 0 00:11:08 Turnover of employees is huge.
Speaker 2 00:11:11 And, uh, so that was the challenge first, uh, after that, um, the challenge was, uh, at one point we had a challenge with material as Walter delivery taking long time to get it done. And that took us a little bit longer to finish a project. And when you are, when you have different projects and something takes longer, it delays a lot of stuff. That's right. So, you know, it's, it's like any struggle with any other business that's not working that field, that industry, um, nothing, uh, nothing, nothing special, or we deal with it,
Speaker 0 00:11:48 Deal with it. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. You gotta be a problem solver when you own your own business, but you know what? The here,
Speaker 2 00:11:55 They all understand. They all appreciate. And it's rare to see somebody who will complain about this because they knew what can, uh, uh, where we informed me when you, sometimes stuff get deleted, sometimes stuff that's not available all the time. Maybe not a lot of variety, but the a, they always believed and they always helped and support your section.
Speaker 0 00:12:18 Cool. Now we're at part of the show. This is Tanner segment called the Mac city minute. He's going to ask you some questions. I have no idea what he's going to ask you. So best of luck to you. Okay. Tanner hit him with the Mac CD minute
Speaker 3 00:12:29 Question. Number one. What is your most interesting story from doing so many installations?
Speaker 2 00:12:36 Yeah. Interesting story is doing installations. Um, well, if we're talking a Boulder to look at this, you remembered how our dishwasher installed, uh,
Speaker 0 00:12:53 Dishwasher install. Okay. Are there, are they challenging to put a dishwasher?
Speaker 2 00:12:58 It's not a challenge, but sometimes, uh, the way how the house is plumbed or electrical. So we, we, we went inside to take out a dishwasher and there's the water lines and the, and the drains and everything goes inside the floor and it's supposed to be connected to the sink. So I said, okay, we go in the basement, maybe it's the connection in your business. We weren't in the basement. We tracked the lanes. Okay. I think 10 feet, like the, when the dishwasher, the dishwasher and installed. And by the time you reached where the source of the water and the drain, we had to remove six drop ceiling tiles or seven of them. Wow. And the, uh, like the, the, uh, vary from one, one site, another cider, it was so far, and I don't know who that dishwasher
Speaker 0 00:13:46 Was working
Speaker 2 00:13:48 If it's just draining properly or has enough water. So, you know, we had to replumb everything that, uh, to the right place by the owner, when he kept seeing us remove his, you know, that he said, really, you're just changing dishwasher. We change.
Speaker 0 00:14:01 You must get me. Right. That's funny.
Speaker 3 00:14:04 Question number two. What is the most interesting piece of furniture you've had to move?
Speaker 2 00:14:11 You know, the, the recliner is always a challenge because they are, they look, they come in pieces, but you're not, they're not like they are very heavy. And sometimes as you're moving, if it's not wrapped properly, it would reclaim,
Speaker 0 00:14:30 Oh, no doubt. When
Speaker 2 00:14:32 It reclined, you know, you have to be careful, you know, beside the wall,
Speaker 3 00:14:37 Question number three, what is one local food establishment you go to that you think is underrated?
Speaker 0 00:14:44 Oh, I love the food questions.
Speaker 2 00:14:46 Oh man. You know, you're asking somebody who loved to bake and cook. So I tried whatever, there's a new restaurant, whatever, there's something that has high rated and go try it. And I traveled to try food actually. So that's something I enjoy in Fort McMurray. What's the establishment food that day. I think it's underrated. Um, well, um, have you tried, um, there was, I don't know when they're going to open back again, the Cedar bakery, Cedars bakery. Peter's bakery. Yeah. They had a very nice cheese pies and they have shower my sandwiches. They were like, it was really good. It was something I, um, you know, I like to have, have you ever, either for breakfast or the pike or the Sharma sandwiches for the, uh, lunchtime? Um, you know, after the flood, there's still a lot that we're still working on. I know they have a branch in, uh, in Timberly, uh, but the one in downtown was a unique one.
Speaker 0 00:15:58 Okay. All right. Downtown Cedars. I'd have to check them out. Tanner. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:16:02 Question number four. What is your fondest memory of living in my childhood home?
Speaker 2 00:16:09 Hmm. My childhood home. No, my childhood.
Speaker 0 00:16:15 Do you mean Fort McMurry or do you mean in your residence?
Speaker 3 00:16:18 I mean, he purchased the house. I grew up in as a child.
Speaker 0 00:16:21 No. Okay.
Speaker 2 00:16:25 But that was something else. Like I was talking, I was there. I was actually in this stolen in the dishwasher and, uh, we were, we were talking to me and, uh, the owners of the house, my mother and I told her, I said, you know, I'm not too far from you. I'm your neighbors really? Where do you live? I said 68 Centennial drive. And he said, Oh my God, that's our house.
Speaker 0 00:16:49 Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:16:53 I said, yes. Still we start talking about the house. They told me about stuff about the garage. And now I know we talked about the, uh, the structure of the house. Then you stuff that was done. It was, it was very interesting actually to, uh, it was a coincidence. Actually. We started talking about it for like the next 15, 20 minutes, just talking about the house and sturdy and yeah, it was fun. That's amazing living in that house, man. I actually, there's a few things they told me about, about, uh, uh, the, uh, structure. I went to check that myself after that, like the garage floor heating, they said that it was, uh, it was working fine. And then because now we don't have a garage floor heating, we have a garage heater. So I went to check to see if it's still working, because I want to put it back to life if that's the case here. That's cool. Good question.
Speaker 3 00:17:45 And your final question, what was your favorite part, seeing your family
Speaker 0 00:17:50 Moved to Canada that you got to experience when you first got here?
Speaker 2 00:17:55 Well, you know what, uh, when we got together here, it was, it was 2018, 2009 was the last time I saw them. And so it was, uh, about nine years. Yeah. Um, that I did not see any of them. So it was a very, very beautiful moment to see them. My brother, however, when he came here, he was, he had to, he had to go from Syria to Saudi Arabia because, um, the war, uh, he came in January and it was a plus 27 when he left Saudi Arabia, minus 27, when he arrived to Fort McMurray. So it was really fun to see his reaction. When I told him it's cold outside, he said, yeah. And he's wearing like a summer jacket. I told him it's called it's minus 26 guilty. So he went outside. You said it's cold. That's
Speaker 0 00:18:52 Hilarious. Five questions. Yeah. I remember I have a funny memory that I have from a child. My uncle was visiting, um, from South America. And the thing about our winters is it looks beautiful. The sun is useful. The sun is out. Hey, uh, Andrew, can you please go, uh, take out the garbage. He looks out the window and it looks like the most warm summer day ever. He's wearing shorts and he's wearing shorts and a t-shirt like some winter gear. He's like, no, I'm just going from the door to the end of the driveway to take out the garbage. I'll be fine. And I remember him just getting out of the house and just like it hitting him. You see the shock on his face, him trying to make it to the garbage can. And then halfway just like putting the garbage down, coming back into the house and be like, yeah, I need to put on some clothes. I couldn't make it. Yeah. People don't recognize when you say cold, like it's cold. That's exactly it. Okay. So you live in town, his childhood home. Isn't that an interesting coincidence? That is interesting. Wow. So that's how you guys actually met in regards to you are doing a dishwasher install, right? Tanner started talking to you and invited you on the show. So, wow. Uh, how do you like, have you always lived downtown Fort McMurray?
Speaker 2 00:20:11 No, actually, um, I lived in different areas in Fort McMurray. Um, a lot of it in other sand and, uh, then I sold the house and there'll be funny, but the deed, uh, I handled the key or I suppose to a hundred lucky. It was the fire day. So I left the day after the fire from the house, I suppose, to give the keys, but nobody showed up and then we got evacuated. Right. And then they lived in a liquid area. And when the family came and rented out a townhouse, didn't they quit. So I rented my townhouse and I wanted a place in downtown. And so we can, it can fit all of us. Cause we were 11 people living in a house first. Now we're about eight, my brother and his wife and kids moved to somewhere else to have a sense. Or now we're eight in the house.
Speaker 0 00:20:59 Nice. Nice to have family around. It's very nice. Especially during COVID listen, I would love to be able to talk to eight people. I love it. It's like a party. Yeah. That's it. That's awesome. No, I've been lucky. I grew up in Afghanistan. Um, and then when I was five, we moved to Dickins field. Um, in thick wood area. My parents still live in a better, but yeah, I've as an adult, I've lived in thick wood around Simcoe away. And in beacon Hill, I loved living in beacon Hill and now I live in Timberly, which I like Timberly. But I find like the areas that you're talking about, especially like the downtown, you have a better sense of community. Like you really get to know like who your neighbor is, you know, who your neighbors neighbor is. I find where I live in Timberly although I know some of my neighbors, um, it's not the same. It's not the same.
Speaker 2 00:21:49 I agree. Um, and uh, let's see, I installed dishwasher all over the town and you know, uh, one of the most, every time I'm installing a dishwasher, especially in downtown area, people being here, being in the downtown for a long time. So they are a very sociable, like they talk.
Speaker 0 00:22:08 Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:22:11 And, uh, it's, it's fun to install. You don't feel the time you don't like, even if
Speaker 0 00:22:15 You get invited for dinner, that's good. That's what I was looking for.
Speaker 2 00:22:21 So they, uh, uh, we know sometimes the shorter take about an hour to install, but when you're talking, it takes more and you don't feel the time you enjoy it. You don't feel like you went for work. You feel like you went for a visit to talk to somebody and you know, and you're left. So it's, it's a, it's a lot of fun. And um, you know, different side of town there is, I'm not saying that they're not in a social, of course they talk, but it's mostly the people who's been here a long time. They, you know, and they ask them as they talk to you and they see how it worked, where you came from, how long you've been in. That's why you get to talk to more people.
Speaker 0 00:22:53 Right. That's right. Very cool. My man, we're at the end of our time, 20 minutes flies. Right flies. So thank you very much for coming today. I really do appreciate it. Um, this was a pleasure. I love meeting new people. You've just been awesome to chat with. Um, but before we cut you loose today, I want you to give your organization a shout out. So please tell the people at home one more time, who you are, what's your company, how they can get in contact and support your organization.
Speaker 2 00:23:20 My name is Louis. That's the easiest way to remember it. And my company, uh, called glory contracting LTD. Uh, you can call us anytime at, uh, (780) 880-2224. We do all appliances install. We do a full renovation and we do also a cook and assembly. If you have any maintenance work, give us a call. Uh, we can always be happy to give you a free estimate. And if you like it, you'll go for it. And if you don't, um, I'll make sure you will find a way to make you happy.
Speaker 0 00:23:56 There you go. Sweet. Awesome. Well on that note form at Marie Wood, Buffalo and the rest of the world, thank you very much for tuning in. Once again, this is a Mac CD morning show. I am your host Elliot, Pierre, and yeah, thanks for taking the time and spending with us on that note. Have a great day. We'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
Speaker 4 00:24:17 <inaudible> talk about quenching your ugly thirst.
