Tyler Dren, director of operations, Custom Home Interiors

Tyler Dren
Tyler Dren
Editor's Note

Each year, OBJ and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce choose 40 of the region’s top young entrepreneurs and business executives and recognize them for their professional achievements, expertise and community service.

 

In these profiles, OBJ highlights some of this year’s recipients – their impressive accomplishments, what drives them and how they like to spend their downtime away from the business world.

 

See the full list of recipient profiles here and be sure to check out OBJ’s coverage of the 2018 gala here.

Birthplace: Burlington

Company: Supplies and installs furniture, appliances, window coverings and more for business clients

Education: Bachelor of commerce, Carleton University (2006)

OBJ360 (Sponsored)

Charitable involvement: Children’s Aid Society

Biggest biz achievements: Doubling company’s revenue three years in a row, opening our own warehouse in Ottawa and Toronto and purchasing five commercial condo units over a two-year period.

Biggest obstacle: Realizing that our business had started to drift in a direction that we did not intend it to by becoming too retail and residentially focused. Resetting our focus by moving from a large showroom facility into commercial office space and having to say no to certain sales and opportunities was a decision that we did not take lightly, but it was ultimately the best thing we could have done for our business.

Biggest influences: My parents. My dad owned an audio-video business my entire childhood. My mom did the books, HR and administrative tasks for the business. Seeing their relentless efforts and pride they took in the business led me to want to be an entrepreneur.

Biggest lesson learned: The most important lesson I have learned is to grow at the rate that your business tells you to and keep the business scalable. When we first started the business, we had very big ambitions, leading us to open the business with a large facility and staff right out of the gate. Though I do not regret that decision because of what it taught us, looking back on it, we could have started smaller. Ultimately we scaled back, refocused and then began growing as the business called for growth. We have now grown larger than at any other time in our company’s history, but this time it is as a result of the demand for our business requiring it.   

First job: Delivering papers for the Burlington Post

Favourite pastime: Golfing

I’m currently reading: Tiger Woods by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian

Favourite movie: The Shawshank Redemption

Favourite local pro sports team: Ottawa Redblacks

Favourite local summer event: Canada Day

Preferred social media platforms: Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram

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