Dan Dykstra is among the more than 230,000 Michigan workers who lost their job in the past four years. But he isn’t standing in the unemployment line, pink slip in hand, feeling sorry for himself. Instead, Dykstra exercised that characteristic Midwest entrepreneurial spirit and started a new business. One that fits smartly into a modern economy organizing itself more and more around the flow of information, technological advancement, and environmental sensitivity.
After being released from the factory job he held for 21 years, Dykstra started Info-Shred with the a simple goal: "take every piece of paper that every business in West Michigan uses, destroy it, and recycle it.” With a little help from the Grandville Chamber of Commerce, he's off to a good start. Already in 2007 Dykstra has shredded and recycled more than 110 tons of paper for medical, commercial, and residential clients.
“It was half of that our first year," Dykstra says. “We do more every year.”
The popularity of his business is driven primarily by the growing desire to protect personal identity, prevent fraud, and safeguard company secrets. The Federal Trade Commission estimates 9 million identities are stolen annually in America alone. So there is escalating concern about keeping social security numbers, insurance, health care, and other unique types of information private. Dykstra’s company specializes in helping companies protect sensitive data and information.
“When something is recycled, it is not secure; the information is out there for anyone,” Dykstra says. "We clean out old files. In a move or estate sale, we go in and get rid of all the old records. We go in and shred it so nothing gets out.”
Info-Shred is in its second year of operation and Dykstra is watching the number of people and companies calling on the service increase steadily each year. These days, the commercial sector accounts for about 80 percent of business while residential clients make up the remaining 20 percent.
“Residential business is picking up faster than commercial because people are concerned with identity theft,” Dykstra said. “They like that I come in and do it right there.”
Dykstra uses an industrial strength Dahle shredder which, he says, is much quicker and more thorough than the typical store-bought machine. The device shreds information into one-eighth-inch strips of paper that are then recycled into a pulp. All material is shredded in compliance with state and federal information disposal laws.
“When I’m done with it, there’s no piecing it back together,” Dykstra says.
A number of local businesses and residents have begun employing Dykstra’s shredding service to destroy customer or patient information. Dr. Eric Hartman owns his own practice and uses Info-Shred on a regular basis.
Before contracting with the mobile document destroyer, Hartman's receptionist shredded, bagged, and disposed of all the dated information in the office every few days. Now, the papers are shredded every three months when Dykstra comes to empty a special lock box in Hartman’s office. Hartman recommends the service to other medical facilities because it's convenient, cost-effective, and complies with the law.
“It’s just easier,” he says. “It saves us countless time shredding, it’s quick and in-expensive.”
Brandi Bruch, office manager of Fibercare, is one of Info-Shred's newer customers. Fibercare, a carpet cleaning company, decided to use Info-Shred to protect its customers against identity theft. Before the decision, extra copies of checks and invoices were simply thrown away, not shredded.
“Dan does all of the work himself, so I know that the information is not going anywhere,” Bruch said. “I trust him not to lose any of the information and that he will do the best thing with the excess paper.”
Jeff Northouse, manager of Paramount Funding, has used Info-Shred for five months. He is required by state and federal law to shred all of his company's information on-site. He also said hiring the service is ultimately a safer and more cost-effective strategy to protect his client's information.
“I can not imagine anyone placing (private) information at the curb,” Northouse said.
An average visit by Info-Shred costs $35. That includes the shredding service as well as a locking container for customers to dispose of unwanted documents if necessary.
Despite steady jumps in business, Dykstra runs a one-man show. As the owner, he likes dealing with the customers directly. He has come to embrace the advantages of being his own boss. And, looking back, he now appreciates the opportunity to learn new skills – such as cultivating customers and networking with businesses – which the loss of his long-time job provided.
The move from the factory floor to the business sector was a big change. But ultimately a good one, he says.
“The stress is positive; it is a different stress for me—a good stress,” Dykstra said. “It’s more exciting and challenging. Overall, it’s a good experience to work for myself rather than a large corporation.”
Photos:
Dan Dykstra and his shredding truck in Center City
Dan Dykstra inside his truck with shredded documents
The mobile shredder
An on-site document safe that is used to hold sensitive documents until they can be shredded
Photographs by Brian Kelly - All Rights Reserved