MADAWASKA VALLEY – If you’ve grown tired of news reports of disgruntled young people protesting about how unfairly life has treated them, you may find this story refreshing.
Locally, two young entrepreneurs have identified a problem in our community, discovered a solution to fix it, and are energetically developing a business which offers that solution in a way that is scalable. Like many other Canadians, Gavin Gulick and Paige Mask could have sat home this summer complaining about the bad luck of the pandemic and a lack of economic opportunity, but instead they set out to create their own luck by developing a business that fills a real need felt by many locals.
Their company, The MV Delivery Guys, also known simply as “The Delivery Guys” picks up goods from a variety of local merchants and delivers them to the comfort of people’s homes. They have positioned themselves as linchpins in our community, offering a service that benefits both local shoppers and local businesses.
As online shopping grows, people often list the convenience of having their items delivered as a primary reason for opting to buy online. Until recently, the convenience of door-to-door delivery put most local merchants at a disadvantage. It is difficult to maintain a storefront and staff a delivery service. By outsourcing to The Delivery Guys, local retailers are put on a more even playing field with their online competitors. Now local merchants can offer same-day delivery to shoppers who for one reason or another cannot make it out to their store or restaurant.
Initially conceived as a response to the pandemic, Mask and Gulick are quickly realizing the benefits their business offers many people at any time. During the initial lockdown, the young entrepreneurs saw women from their church, Family Life Christian Fellowship, volunteering to help bring groceries to people who were shut in due to quarantine or concerns about catching the virus. Gavin’s mother Paula Gulick was one of those volunteers and both Paige and Gavin mentioned her as being an inspiration to them.
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