Testimonial
Author: Darren Does That
Starting a Business in Uncertain Times
Darren Does That was founded in Edmonton in 2020 by Darren Steele as a window and gutter cleaning company. He had worked in the residential window cleaning and Christmas lighting industry first as a cleaner and later as a manager for ten years, and was prompted to found his own business at the outset of the COVID pandemic in response to layoffs.
Early Recruiting Challenges
While he was able to initially recruit through his personal network to get started, his early hires were not long lasting. Friends who were willing to help him get started were not sticking around for long term employment. In the first two years, his business was plagued by high turnover. Staff approached working for Darren Does That as something casual to fill in “in-between” times, not a place to commit to and reap rewards. His job ads brought in few candidates overall, and even fewer of any quality. He found money put into elevating job ads to have zero return.
Turning Point: Listening to Staff
Despite the struggles, and riding the edge of burnout, he did manage to attract a couple of staff he felt were worth investing in to keep around. When he asked them in 2022 what they’d like to see the business provide for them, their enthusiastic answer was extended health and dental benefits. Darren had hesitations at the time that his business could afford that. Any business he’d worked in that provided benefits previously was much larger than Darren Does That.
Partnering With Excalibur Planning
Darren reached out to Excalibur concerning the Chamber of Commerce Benefits plan, and was surprised to find the costs associated with it were a stretch for his budget but within reach. Excalibur helped him and his staff implement their extended health and dental plan in the fall of 2022. Everyone at the business felt great about it, but the significant payoff wasn’t apparent for another month.
A Hiring Shift: 10X the Applicants
As Darren Does That’s third Christmas Lighting season began, he once again started the recruiting process except this time in his help wanted and he listed extended health and dental benefits as a feature of the job. The number of applicants he received was 10X what he’d ever had before, and the average quality much higher. Ever since, Darren reports his hiring struggles are to do with making hard decisions between qualified candidates instead of struggling to find qualified candidates to begin with.
Celebrating 5 Years With a Veteran Crew
Darren Does That has just celebrated their 5th anniversary of bringing premium persnickety services to proud homeowners in the Edmonton area. He has a veteran crew of long-term staff who see his business as not a stop-gap but as a career, as a way to provide in the long term for their families. This commitment has empowered Darren Does That to build expertise in his crews and stand out from the competition, attaining three Consumer Choice Awards for window cleaning (2023, 2024, and 2025). He identifies the extended health and dental benefits provided by Excalibur as one of the highest ROI decisions he’s made in business so far.
Want to See the Team in Action?
Visit Darren Does That to learn more about their services—or to book expert window, gutter, or Christmas lighting help from a team that’s truly built to last.