Denis Pickup and Delivery
by Mark J. LeBelle
Miramichi-based courier Denis Comeau says he has delivered just about everything
over the past seven years through his inter-city delivery service, Denis Pickup and Delivery.
Formerly a brush cutter and thinner, Comeau decided to make a career move
after becoming tired of seasonal work. After much deliberation and consultation with his family, he decided to take advantage
of his outgoing personality and love of people to join the delivery trade.
There were no job openings with area couriers at the time, so Denis became
an entrepreneur and started his own service. He and his wife, Betty-Ann, examined the market and decided the open niche was
for a smaller scale operation offering point-to-point delivery within the immediate area of Miramichi.
Looking back, Denis considers his career move a gamble but is happy he
took the risk.
"Even though I’ve been in business for seven years, I’m never
bored with my job and wake up excited to face the day," states Comeau. "If you have a goal in life, go for it. To be an entrepreneur,
you have to be a little crazy."
Comeau began his business by offering some elderly people in his neighbourhood
a hand with their errands around town. He then expanded his service to local businesses and organisations, to provide full-time,
bilingual inter-city delivery.
To insure reliable service, the family car was traded for a mini-van, and
Denis invested in a cell phone so he could be reached at any time. Being a family man, Denis’ two children, Sebastien,
13, and Josée, 18, often accompany their father on his delivery route when not in school.
Having been voted "Courier of the Year" through the local newspaper two
years running, Denis says he can’t imagine living or working in any other city, but confesses it has obstacles.
"Doing business on the Miramichi is challenging because the market is always
changing and you never know what to expect from day to day," explains Comeau. "However, Miramichi is a great place to work,
live and raise a family."
