By Melanie Jacob
Journal Editor
With the 2014 Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce ABEX Awards fast approaching, it's a credit to Humboldt that its very own Joseph Dosch of Prairie Diesel Inc. was selected as a finalist in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year category.
"I was surprised, shocked. It wasn't really real to me," said Dosch. "It just became real at that moment when I found out I was a finalist."
Dosch's semi-truck repair business is only three years old and while he was surprised at becoming a finalist, anyone who knows him might not be.
Five years ago on Halloween, Dosch was in a terrible car accident in Lloydminster that resulted in the death of his cousin and his cousin's wife becoming a paraplegic. Dosch himself had to undergo surgery on his back and shoulder and it took him a year of physiotherapy to recover. He said it was that "life-changing event" that made him want to move back to Humboldt.
"It was just after something like that that I wanted to be closer to home," he said. "I never planned on being away from the area for longer than I was, which was seven years."
After returning to Humboldt in October 2010, Dosch opened his truck repair business six months later. Since then, business has been constantly booming and growing.
"There isn't enough time in the day and that's been an issue since day one," said Dosch. "It's been a steady flow since the day I opened. When the work load gets too much, I hire another guy and then just get more work."
Dosch may have started the business working on his own strength, but even now with approximately four or five mechanics, he's still got more than enough work to deal with. At 30 years old and recently married, he spends about 10 to 11 hours in the office on a daily basis and then leaves to go help his dad with farming.
"I was brought up to work hard and that's how I run my business because that's what my parents taught me to do," said Dosch.
With regards to the success of his business, Dosch attributes it to their customer service. Unlike other repair businesses, they don't just fix the vehicle up and send it on its way. They also take the time to explain to the customer what they're trying to fix and what can be done to prevent future similar breakdowns.
At the same time, Dosch is constantly looking for ways to expand his inventory to make the work better and quicker.
"I'm always adding better equipment to make the job that much easier and nicer," he said. "I don't think a week goes by where we don't have one or two more parts in the inventory."
It's likely due to all of these aspects that Dosch was chosen as a finalist for this year's ABEX Awards. Whether he wins or not, however, will only be revealed at the awards ceremony in Regina on Nov. 1.
