Go for the great

PINEHURST – American industrial icon John D. Rockefeller once said, “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”  

Brandon Toews took a big risk to “go for the great,” a few years ago when he founded Delvepro, a Silver Valley-based construction company that specializes in excavation construction. By betting on himself, Toews risked a pretty comfortable existence to pursue something he was passionate about. His gamble paid off and the results can speak for themself.  

Toews, 31, was writing a familiar Silver Valley story in 2011, when he began a potentially lucrative career as an underground miner at the Galena Mine. After a year, he decided to join a mining outfit working in Alaska, but returned to Shoshone County in 2013, where he worked at the Lucky Friday Mine.  

“My dad used to be a builder around here. In 2015, he helped me build my house in Pinehurst while we both worked at the Lucky Friday,” Toews said. “During the strike, we both went full-time building new construction, but we went back to mining after the strike for a year. I enjoyed working for myself, so I went back to full time construction by myself in 2020.”  

According to Toews, it was during COVID that things took off.  

Delvepro offers a number of excavation-based construction options, things like full foundation work, water/sewer line installs, retaining walls, hydro vac excavation, land clearing, site preparation, stump grinding, and even demolition. 

To put it simply, if it can be dug, Toews can dig it.  

“I like working with my hands,” Toews said. “Physically building things where you can see the results is rewarding.”  

While he loves having the opportunity to help people make their vision a reality, the construction industry comes with a lot of unseen risks. Things like seasonal lulls and industry competition can make work hard to come by, which is why Toews prides himself on the quality of his work, a willingness to go the extra mile for his customers, and understanding the importance of owning any mistakes that may happen.  

Being a business owner is challenging enough, but being a first-time business owner at 25 is something people don’t see every day.  

“You never know when the next dollar is going to come,” Toews said. “A lot more goes into owning a business than people realize. It’s very long hours, and you can't just get off work and be done for the day.”  

In a changing world, not many young people gravitate toward making a decision that effectively makes their life more challenging. Toews has willingly bucked that trend, and while he’ll admit that there have been some bumps along the way, he’s proud of what he’s accomplished and willingly offers the same advice to others that has made him the successful business owner he is today.  

“Always answer the phone, you never know what opportunity is on the other side,” Toews said. “If it were easy, everyone would do it, so stay the course and never give up. It gets easier over time.”  

For more information on Delvepro and the services they provide, visit www.delvepro.com or call them at (208) 889-1123.  

    Toews