To say Josh Tartak is totally wired over the potential he sees in his company and the belief he has in himself, would be about as accurate a game plan for him that one could hope to plug into.
Tartak, 29, started his apprenticeship in the summer of 2014 and earned his red seal as a construction electrician in the summer of 2019.
Today, Tartak runs his own company, Nunavut Electric Ltd., in Rankin Inlet.
Tartak said he did a lot of side jobs in the past, but likes to manage his own workload
He said he also likes to choose who he gets to hire and what jobs he gets to work; two attributes that serve him well in running his own company.
“It gives me a feeling of control, I suppose,” said Tartak. “I incorporated on June 28 of 2023 and my operations started almost immediately after that in July.
“There were many factors that led me to this position. I’m the middle child of five boys, so I feel like I have to prove myself all the time.
“Local contractor, Ed Fagan, who I’m real close friends with, introduced me to both the business world and the electrical-contracting world. He’s taught me a lot. He runs Ed’s Electrical Services and he’s still teaching me stuff today.”
Tartak said the part of being an electrician he loves the most is finishing work and seeing the completion of a job.
He said it’s a very rewarding and special feeling when it comes to completing an actual house, because someone will be living in it, as compared to wiring an office building or installing runway lights.
“I take a lot of pride in my work. Sure, when I was younger, I’d say look at that house I wired, or whatever, but now, at this point, I try to move forward and look to the future more, rather than focusing on the past.
“But, that sense of pride is still there for each building I’ve been at.”
Tartak currently has one employee, but hopes to expand as soon as he can to create more job opportunities.
And, while he looks forward to completing major projects such as wiring a brand-new arena or something comparable in stature, he also has his sights on a rather unique experience in the not-too-distant future.
“Ed is getting ready to retire, but I feel like he won’t fully retire and will actually be coming to work for me sometimes.
“That will be a really weird, but really cool feeling.”
When he was a little younger, Tartak loved to stay on top of everything and keep certain things in perfect condition. Now that he finds himself with so much more on his plate these days, that’s actually become something that he’s working back towards.
Tartak said he feels like he demands a lot and that helps the morale in his immediate atmosphere.
He said, basically, you can call him a control freak, but not in a bad way.
“The past 10 months running this company have been interesting, that’s for sure. I’ve certainly been introduced to a lot more, compared to when I was working side jobs.
“It can definitely take a lot out of you. It’s a constant mental battle for me to keep the company running properly. I’ve been putting in at least 30 to 40 hours a week in field work, so it’s been pretty steady.
“I also usually put in at least an hour a day every evening to keep-up with all the accounting and plan for the future. So, in total, every week, I work at least 50 hours.
“It can be a little draining at times, but there’s nothing I’d rather be doing. I’m really excited to see what the future for me and my company will bring.”