Nicholas Donaldson
In January, 2007, Dan DeGagne opened business and began what is now Sunset Protection Systems.
“I was working for my dad at the time at DeGagne construction,” he explained.
“People would call and ask if I could fix their camera, or a door lock, or still get parts for these things,” he noted.
With his knowledge, DeGagne began to focus on security systems but only could make it a part-time job at the time.
“I was lucky to be able to still work for my dad at the time,” he conceded.
After about a year working at it, though, DeGagne got enough contracts that it became a full-time job for him.
Then in June, 2008, he hired his first part-time employee and since has grown the business to include six full-time employees and one part-timer.
“We have grown at least 10 percent every year and we are looking at the same for this year,” DeGagne said.
More contracts means more scheduling and booking, as well.
“We just hired a service co-ordinator,” DeGagne noted. “She does all of our booking.”
He said his company still does all of the core services as when he had started, but it has grown to also include fire safety.
DeGagne became a licensed fire alarm technician in 2010. Then later that year, he got the equipment to handle fire extinguisher maintenance.
He said most of what they do is fire alarms, cameras, card access, and locks.
It’s mostly commercial and institutional contracts, DeGagne explained, but added they are doing more and more industrial jobs.
“The mine was one of our biggest ones,” he remarked. “We were hauling fire extinguishers out there by the truckload.”
The business also is certified to do high-pressure testing on extinguishers up to 11,000 psi (those are the ones firefighters use).
“There was a long, drawn-out process to get certification on that,” admitted DeGagne, saying it came from Transport Canada.
But DeGagne noted they now can service and refill any extinguisher they come across in the district.
“We can’t do, for example, halon ones but that is military stuff,” he remarked. “You don’t see that around here.”
Meanwhile, DeGagne said the technology behind security systems changes almost daily.
For instance, he noted no one bought IP camera systems (digital cameras) 10 years ago because they were too expensive.
Now, except for a few older customers with analog cameras, it is all they install.
They also do some that are both digital and analog camera in one, and can switch between the two.
As for the future of the business, Sunset Protection Systems just purchased a 26-foot enclosed trailer, which will be used as a mobile training unit for local firefighters and search-and-rescue teams.
“It’s just a mobile trailer they can rent from us or we can go and help train, too,” DeGagne explained.
“We can use it for our own training, as well.”
As for DeGagne’s advice for small businesses?
“Get a savings account and always try to put money away,” he remarked.
“We’ve been stung a few times where we just didn’t have enough money saved or we got a larger bill than we expected.”
He also noted the importance of listening to other business owners and learning from their mistakes.
Yet another important facet for a small business is networking, which DeGagne conceded very easy for his company because it often is working with and talking to other businesses while on the job.
Getting a website and having your information out there also is very helpful, with DeGagne said noting he’s currently working on a website upgrade for the business.
He also just recently registered his business with Google to sort out some misinformation.
Google Maps used to show the business located somewhere near MacDonald Motors, which was very confusing for potential customers.
All of this is part of the learning process, DeGagne said.
“I remember talking to people when we started the business and they said, ‘Don’t worry, if you get by two years in business, then you’ll be safe,'” he recalled.
“Then I had people say, ‘If you get by four years, then you are safe,’ then, ‘If you get by six years, you know you have a good business.’
“I still make mistakes with customer service,” DeGagne admitted. “But we’re growing all the time so we’re working on it.”
Still, business has been good over the years.
DeGagne said Sunset Protection Systems has service contracts with most of the local municipalities and First Nations’ communities, and they do work from Rainy River to Atikokan.
Some of the notable contracts include the local DSSAB, the Town of Fort Frances, and Riverside Health Care.
“We picked up a few big jobs in the past few weeks,” noted DeGagne.
“All the time, we’re always going,” he said.
