Ken O'Connor

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED?

by Burke Campbell 

Published in the Financial Post

 June 9, 2008

Ken O’Connor owns and operates Home Hardware stores in Brockville and Gananoque, Ontario. Ken tells the Financial Post what motivated him to become an entrepreneur.  

Early start: “My father was a miner in Sudbury, and we didn’t have a lot of money. When I was fifteen years old, I got a job sweeping floors at a local lumber store. The owners noticed my drive and work ethic and they rewarded me with promotions.”  

Industrious nature: “I wound up managing one of the company’s stores in Toronto . I did that for a number of years, then managed a Beaver Lumber store in Kingston . I eventually bought into the franchise.”  

Opportunities: “I had a chance to own and operate my own Home Hardware store in Brockville and then another store in Gananoque.”

Driving force: “I enjoy my work, running my own stores. I’ve always liked meeting people. Business is good and I look to expanding the Gananoque facilities.”  

Looking beyond one’s self: “Two years ago, I began volunteering for a charity called Developing World Connections. I’ve traveled to Sri Lanka and Africa to work on building projects. It’s deeply gratifying to help those in such need.”  

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