- Story by Tess van Straaten

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Derrick Paas and Eric Gummer are the first to admit that they91裸聊视频檙e unlikely entrepreneurs.

91裸聊视频淲e weren91裸聊视频檛 business guys,91裸聊视频� says Gummer, co-owner of Saanichton-based Thomas Philips Woodworking. 91裸聊视频淲e didn91裸聊视频檛 go to school for that so it was definitely the biggest learning curve.91裸聊视频�

And yet, the skilled tradesmen have managed to build a successful custom cabinetry and millwork company that91裸聊视频檚 grown from just the two of them to 11 people in five years, and won several CARE Awards for craftsmanship along the way.

91裸聊视频淟et91裸聊视频檚 launch a business in a recession,91裸聊视频� jokes 44-year-old Paas. 91裸聊视频淚t sounds crazy but we both had lots of contacts in the industry so I think it was an easy transition for us.91裸聊视频�

But it wasn91裸聊视频檛 without its challenges. Both men were unemployed when they decided to start the business back in the spring of 2012 and they worked out of their garages to keep costs down.

91裸聊视频淲e started with really small jobs and we used Eric91裸聊视频檚 garage for cutting all the pieces apart. Then we assembled them in my garage and rented another space to spray them,91裸聊视频� Paas explains.

91裸聊视频淚t was quite the ordeal and not at all practical,91裸聊视频� adds 32-year-old Gummer, laughing at the memory. 91裸聊视频淏ut it got us started and we started to get busier, so it gave us the confidence to take the plunge.91裸聊视频�

Without any major contracts lined up, the pair signed a three-year lease. It was a big risk but Paas and Gummer are passionate about their craft and they knew they could make it work.

91裸聊视频淥ur first three months of rent were free so we had those months to find work and that gave us a cushion,91裸聊视频� explains Gummer. 91裸聊视频淚 was living in a $600 basement suite and didn91裸聊视频檛 have a mortgage and kids like Derrick does, so the risk and stress for him was probably a lot higher than it was for me.91裸聊视频�

But the gamble paid off and they landed their first big job as Thomas Philips Woodworking, which is derived from their middle names, in about three weeks. That first job even won them their first CARE Award 91裸聊视频� a foreshadowing of the success to come 91裸聊视频� and they haven91裸聊视频檛 looked back.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 still a little shocked at how successful we91裸聊视频檝e been,91裸聊视频� says Gummer. 91裸聊视频淏ut we91裸聊视频檙e not complacent 91裸聊视频� every time we get a job we want to do the best we can.91裸聊视频�

They also attribute a lot of their success to Gummer91裸聊视频檚 dad, Gordon. The retired Victoria Police officer helps with the books and has been an integral part of the business behind the scenes, especially when it comes to office management and leadership advice.

91裸聊视频淕ordon has been so great and he keeps us organized and in line so we can do the work and get the clients,91裸聊视频� says Paas. 91裸聊视频淲e tried to double his wage, but double of nothing is still zero so we finally got him to take a trip to Hawaii.91裸聊视频�

But the 91裸聊视频渧olunteer dad91裸聊视频� says he91裸聊视频檚 just happy to help. He credits the passion and hard work of his son and Paas, who still put in long days and work through weekends, with the business91裸聊视频檚 success.

91裸聊视频淚 think they have done remarkably well and they91裸聊视频檝e succeeded because they have such a good reputation within the Greater Victoria community,91裸聊视频� Gordon Gummer says. 91裸聊视频淭hey are both so passionate about their work and they bend over backwards to help their clients.91裸聊视频�

As the company91裸聊视频檚 grown, the duo has also put a lot of time and resources into employees 91裸聊视频� something that91裸聊视频檚 especially important in an industry plagued by a shortage of skilled labour.

91裸聊视频淕etting good, skilled staff that fit within our company is definitely the biggest challenge,91裸聊视频� says Paas. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e put a lot of effort and money into our employees, including a full benefits package, and we picked the top (tier) because that91裸聊视频檚 what they wanted. We have such good employees and that makes all the difference.91裸聊视频�

It91裸聊视频檚 one of the reasons Paas and Gummer take such pride in their employees91裸聊视频� success. For them, one of the most rewarding things about being business owners is watching their staff succeed.

91裸聊视频淎 few years ago our apprentice, who was just out of high school, won a CARE Award and I think we were more proud of that than the projects we won for,91裸聊视频� says Gummer. 91裸聊视频淎nd one of our guys just got into the housing market, so it91裸聊视频檚 nice to know he could afford to buy a house.91裸聊视频�

And even though business is booming, they don91裸聊视频檛 plan to let the company get too big, as doing so would mean giving up some of the customer care and quality control.

91裸聊视频淚 think what91裸聊视频檚 made us successful so far is our customer service and attention to detail,91裸聊视频� Gummer says. 91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 want to lose that. Word of mouth is massively important in Victoria.91裸聊视频�