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Cameron Dunkerley and his Dunk Delivery ‘do everything’

May 2, 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

Sometimes, a simple idea and an inclination to help can lead to great things. 

Says Cameron Dunkerley, at the age of 19, “We do every thing, from delivery to moving, shed demolition; cleaning out back yards. We do shed removals of any size, fences and decks. We can even remove non load bearing walls in a house.” 

He told the Citizen, “We’ve been doing this for three years. Officially, I started the company just over two years ago. We’re doing it all with one truck but we will be getting our second truck this year.”

For such a service, reliability is the big question and he was happy to say, “We have actually been very good about that. It needs to be done by day or hour and we really have not had an issue with making that work.”

He started all this with the most basic simplicity: “I turned 16 and I got my licence. I bought a truck and we were just driving around for fun and thought what we could do to help people. I posted some ads to say we could deliver or pick things up. I was living in Caledon, so, when I was going to Brampton, we did a little job and, when I was going to Orangeville, we did a little job. I built it up and built it up from there.

The result was “definitely” unexpected. “I had no idea of what I was letting myself into. I never dreamed of having a moving company but it just happened and happened. It was not what I expected.”

Without, in fact, planning to build up a moving, demolition, help-you-with-what-you-need-doing business, Cameron did have “other plans. I was all over the place with this but I’m an athlete and I was playing lacrosse. Plus, something in the physiotherapist realm. I have been playing lacrosse for my entire life and I am hoping to take it as far as I can. Both my business and lacrosse are always my priorities. I own the business but I do have people that work for me. They’re all young, about the same age range as me.”

How this unexpected opportunity to really do well affected his school worked like this: “Actually, I still am in college. I took a year off after high school to really build up this business. Some cold-calling, meetings and a lot of networking with as many businesses as possible that I could help out. That, plus social media: I’m all in with social media – videos, pictures – written posts. That is honestly how I get the biggest portion of new customers. 

“Online, I do dandy videos, pictures of before and after – always showing people what we’re doing. I don’t ever include the people we’re working for; never share any personal information.” 

He was a teenager, living at home and “I still do live at home; I kinda stole the driveway. My parents support it as much as possible. My father is Jason Dunkerley; he runs a greeting card business. Before I was 16, I was just kinda-of always entrepreneurial. As soon as I realized that starting a business was practical, I started with friends and family and my parents’ Facebook friends.” 

However busy and successful Cameron’s business is, he is still pursuing his other hopes for himself. “I am at college, doing Recreations and Leisure which is related to sports. I want to run camps, using my schooling to start a ‘side hustle.’ My goal with the camps is they will be sports and lacrosse. Throughout the last little while, I’ve been working camps and outdoor camps and working with kids. I’m hoping to kind of go off on my own with the camps, after I graduate.” 

Cameron is going to Conestoga College in Kitchener, which is not only providing him with the education he wants but “It has allowed us to expand our business to cover Peel, Halton, all that region. It’s a great place, a lot of supportive people.” 

While, at the moment, his Dodge pickup truck and a trailer are doing the jobs they need to, “We are going to buy a bigger flat bed truck and build some walls up on it and getting some newer, bigger equipment.”

When success rolls in, the key is to “keep up with demand. There’s a lot going on and being as calm as I can and not getting stressed out is the way we deal with it. Just always think positive, even when you’re delayed and out of schedule or things go wrong; not really having the time to deal with negativity. My parents taught me to be calm, and just appreciate the things you have.”

As to how he sees what he wants to do with it all: “I’m looking to push this business as far as I can. We’re trying to focus. I want to help as many people as I can; network to know as many people as I can.

“We’re looking to building a strong brand and a good name behind it. I want to build a positive name with friendly people who do the work properly and through that, grain more customers, gain more trust. That will mean doing fiscally well, as well.”

How much success does he seek? To the point where others must do some of the work for him? 

Cameron said, “I totally understand that is something that can happen with the distance and outsourcing. The goal is definitely to make sure that the people working for us are very positive in their outlook.” 

To include community work as part of his business ethic, “I’ve done a couple runs during Christmas. We were working, telling people, ‘Get all your items, toys or food, together, and we’ll come and pick them all up and deliver them – for free.’ We took them to donate them all Orangeville Emergency Services.” 

To any [young] person wanting to go into business, “My advice is: you just have to do something – goals need actions and you’re going to have to take that first step. They talk about following your dreams but I think you have to follow reality.”

To contact Cameron Dunkerley: Cameron Dunkerley, Dunk Delivery, Disposal, & Demolition. 519-217-7149 Email:dunkdelivery@gmail.com.

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