Business leader and entrepreneur Glen McKay believes hard work and success go hand-in-hand. As the founder of Newfoundland Hard-Rok Inc., a Canadian explosives manufacturer providing drilling and blasting services to the mining, quarry and heavy construction industries, McKay brings four decades of experience and expertise to the company.
After beginning his career as a deckhand in the Newfoundland fishery, Glen McKay joined Minpaco as a branch manager, eventually creating a specialized equipment company for the mining and construction industry in 1978. Nearly ten years later, the entrepreneur founded Newfoundland Hard-Rok and today is the chair of the company’s board of directors.
The business has seen strong growth as an integral part of Newfoundland’s growing mining and other resource-based industries. Notably, the company spun off a wholly owned subsidiary, Dyno Nobel Labrador, in 2004, signing a deal with then mining giant Inco to design, build and operate a bulk emulsion manufacturing plant. The new company recently inked an agreement with mining company Vale to expand the plant and provide the equipment necessary for drilling and blasting at the underground mine at Voisey’s Bay in Labrador.
Glen McKay has a few tips for budding entrepreneurs:
1. Be Optimistic
Attitude is of paramount importance. As McKay emphasizes, new ideas are valued at Newfoundland Hard-Rok and are considered by the senior management team.
2. Don’t Be Afraid of Hard Work
Remember the adage, “The harder I work, the luckier I get”? What most people call luck is what happens when organization and preparation meet opportunity. McKay says he never take things for granted, so is always thinking about how his operations are conforming with sound business practices and with the needs of the market and his clients.
3. Stop & Smell the Roses
As an entrepreneur, McKay defined success in the usual ways and that often had to do with finances. But he says he sometimes sacrificed personal growth, though his family was always a priority. Take time to appreciate what you have accomplished and the gifts that life present.
4. Choose Your Employees Carefully
The most important asset of any company is its people. Empower them and show that you value them, and they will increase the value of your business. Look for self-motivated, bright hard-working people who have the ability to work as part of a team.
Many people underestimate the complexities of establishing and operating a successful company. Motivation and determination are essential attributes of any successful entrepreneur, along with a desire to learn and the ability to be insightful. These things are necessary in assessing new business opportunities.
About Carson Derrow
