and referrals. Many of their customers predate even Justin. “We have some customers that call us and say ‘You did my fence 30 years ago.’ So the relationships go back a long time. They go back to when it was literally just my dad and a work truck and a company name.” Again, Justin primarily credits that customer loyalty to the strength of service – but he acknowledges that it wouldn’t happen if their quality wasn’t equally as strong. When it comes to that quality, he gives much of the credit to his employees, many of whom “have been with us for quite a few years now.” As previously mentioned, a lot of those guys have First Nations backgrounds, but Atlantic Fence also employs a lot of new Canadians, including seven recent immigrants from Ukraine. According to Justin, Atlantic Fence has been able to build strong relationships with team members, regardless of their backgrounds, because of their policy of mutual respect. “We respect our employees, we respect their opinion, and we give them a chance to succeed and prove themselves,” he says. “I believe every employee wants to do well and show what they can do. So it’s about allowing them to do that and also allowing them to make mistakes without the fear of repercussions. I always tell every employee, ‘If there’s a better way, I’m open to it. If it doesn’t work out, you go back to the way you were showed.’” “We’re very fortunate that every single team member, I’m not kidding you when I say this, has truly bought into Atlantic Fences corporate culture of yes,” Justin continues. “We just say yes. Anyone SEPTEMBER 2024
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