InTents August/September 2022 - 33

How many years have you
been in the industry?
My father's my boss so, my whole life.
I remember as a child riding around
with my dad in box trucks, and I thought
it was the coolest thing in the world.
There are pictures of me as a really small
baby, being carried around on jobsites.
Kyle Richardson
Operations manager
Age: 26
L&A Tents,
Hamilton Township, N.J.
Number of years
in the industry: 26
What do you enjoy most
about this industry?
I enjoy seeing the inished product. Every
day we start with a blank canvas and turn
it into something. Every day is different-
different problems, challenges, jobsite.
It deinitely keeps you on your toes.
What do you think the next big
challenge for the industry might be?
It is going to be the workforce and
developing a way to make people see
How did you get involved
with this industry?
I started working at 15 years old when
a friend of mine called and asked me to
join the tent company he was working
for. So I did and it grew on me. I enjoyed
doing the tent construction. Over the past
15 years of being in the tent industry, I've
bought three tent companies and recently
bought into Fiesta Tents in Montreal, Que.
Eric Labelle
President of Labelle Tents Inc.
and VP of Fiesta Tents
Age: 38
Labelle Tents Inc.,
St. Albert, Ont.,
Canada & Fiesta Tents,
Saint Laurent, Que., Canada
Number of years
in the industry: 23
What do you enjoy most
about this industry?
I like to work; I like what I do and that's
why I do it. There's no other reason to
put up with the hours and the elements.
For me, it's all about teamwork. The guys
who work for me are like family. They're
not my blood family, but I see them every
day and we really have a tight bond. I have
three young boys who are already working
in the industry, even though they're six,
eight and 10. Since my kids could walk,
they were raised in and around the shop;
the guys here are like their uncles.
this as a career and not just a part-time
or seasonal job. We have instituted
different bonus structures and beneits
for employees. We think they're
working. We've been pretty successful
getting employees this year, but we're
always looking for the next best thing
to keep people walking in the door.
Any advice to offer the next generation
just getting started in this industry?
NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK!
Some of my greatest friends are people
who I've met at industry events. I talk
to people from all over the country. You
can learn a lot from the elders in the
industry. They are all full of knowledge
and more than willing to share it.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I envision myself doing the same thing
but with new challenges. I would
love to have at least one or two, hopefully
all three of my kids involved and
working with me at Labelle Tents Inc.
Optimistically, I would like to have
some of the same crew I have now.
When I started Labelle Tents Inc., I was
24 years old. We were a younger crew.
Now we're getting older and when I look
at the Fiesta crew, they were all in their 20s
when they started. Now they're in the 40s-
50s, so I know it's possible for me to do the
same with Labelle Tents. If you take care of
your employees, they'll take care of you.
Any advice to offer the next generation
just getting started in this industry?
Never be afraid of going into something
new. The key is to see a problem and
readjust and ind a solution. The solution
is sometimes hard, but there's always a
way to do it. You just have to try. If you
don't try, you will never do anything.
InTentsMag.com 33
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InTents August/September 2022

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