March 3, 2000

By DAWNA MACIVOR of The Observer

(This article is one in a series on couples who operate businesses together.)

Investing back into the company and giving 150 per cent have been the keys to business success for Dave and Marie Currie.

The Curries have been married for nearly 33 years. For the past 24 of those years, Damar Security Systems has been their full-time business.

"We had been dabbling in it before that," says Marie. "It was kind of part-time at that point, but we were more serious by 1970."

The idea for the business started when a friend from London was looking for an alarm system for their dad's shop. Marie says Dave had the technical know-how to create the system. The alarm was built, complete with a direct connection to the police.

"That's where the interest came from," says Marie. The couple thought maybe more people needed a service like that.

The business began out of their basement. Marie raised their two children during the day, while Dave would go out, sell systems and install them, coming home in between to change from a shirt and tie to work clothes, then back into the shirt and tie again. When the children were in bed, the office work would be done.

They invested a lot of time and energy into their company and didn't take a lot from it.

"We have never taken from the company," says Marie. "We've given more than we've taken."

Each brings different strengths to the business. Dave has the technical and business sense and thinks things through completely. Marie has the financial sense.

"You have to be a certain type of person for it to last this long," says Marie. "You have to have the same dreams and goals."

The atmosphere within the company is described as being a family. Dave lists some of the employees who are having babies, who have family members getting married, or have other important events coming up. Many staff members have been with the Damar Security Systems for over 10 years, the longest being employed with them for 21 years.

"You really get to know them." explains Marie. "You get back what you give."

"They're treated as family," he says.

Keeping family life and work life separate was not always easy, especially when the couple was working out of their basement.

"We didn't keep it too separate in the early days," says Dave.

Once the business was moved out of their home, Marie made sure their kids weren't latch-key kids. She was always at home in the morning, at lunch and after school.

"It paid off," Dave says. "We've got a couple of excellent kids."

Problems came up, as they do with any business or any marriage. Problems were worked through as best they could and things fell into place.

"There were times when it did affect family life, but not to a big degree," Marie says.

"You do what you have to do," she says. "For the most part, the kids didn't suffer."

After so long in business together and being as dedicated as they both are, the hours workcd can be long. Finding a balance between work and leisure can be tough.

"We never get away from it," says Marie. "We're both workaholics. We have become even more so now that our kids have grown."

In order to escape now and then, the Curries have a cottage about three hours from Sarnia, far enough away to provide a needed escape yet close enough in case they are needed. They can be in contact with the monitoring system from wherever they are. Dave has a laptop that can connect to the active monitoring screen via modem.

The Curries offer some advice to couples considering a business venture together.

"You have to be very dedicated and give 150 per cent to it. Don't expect returns immediately." says Marie.

"You have to respect each other; you have to communicate." Dave says.

Long hours will be involved, they say, and it is important to be fair with staff, suppliers and competitors. Honesty and showing lots of intergrity are very important and will pay off in the long run, Dave says. Investing back into the company and keeping your own benefits low in the beginning also helps the business succeed in the long run.

Damar Security Systems is a fuIl service burglary and fire alarm sales, installation and monitoring company. They have about 5,000 accounts and monitor an additional 19,000 accounts coast to coast, with most businesses located in South-western Ontario. They have branches in Sarnia and Brantford. with 44 employees total.