Patrick Dovigi: From Hockey Goaltender to Successful Entrepreneur

Some athletes find a second act that is just as exciting as their first. Few have done it as a former goalie who created one of North America’s biggest waste businesses. He demonstrates the influence sport has on a business. This is a story of how a young hockey player turned to the business world as a leader.

A Backyard Rink in Sault Ste. Marie

Hockey was part of everyday life in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Patrick Dovigi grew up playing on a rink his father built in the backyard. His family nurtured his ability as a goaltender and his gift took him far and fast. He was a player in the Ontario Hockey League with the Erie Otters and was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1997. Those early years instilled in him a good work ethic.

Leaving the Ice Behind

After years in hockey, Dovigi lost his enthusiasm for the game and wanted a path where he controlled his own future. During his game-playing years, he had started to gain experience in business. His initial $10 million in seed capital came from a relationship with hockey. That shows how friendships built in sport can open doors later in life.

Learning Waste the Hard Way

His real education came when an investment in a struggling waste business went wrong. The company had violated environmental permits and there was a long fire at a trash site. Dovigi learned a lot about waste management. He got the business on track by emphasizing customer service and savvy acquisitions. The hardship became the foundation for everything that came next.

Building GFL

In 2007, Dovigi founded Green For Life Environmental, known as GFL. His goal was to be a one-stop solution for eco-related problems. The firm expanded via acquisitions, such as Matrec in 2016 and a merger with Waste Industries in 2018. GFL went public in 2020, which Dovigi called the next logical step. It is one of the largest environmental services firms in North America today.

Hockey Lessons in the Boardroom

Dovigi often compares business to a hockey team. Each player has a task, and all players must work together to win. He attributes the discipline he took on the ice to helping him develop GFL. He also emphasizes the importance of having a great team, a stable operating system, and a spirit of entrepreneurship. These practices led to athletic training business results.

Recognition and Giving Back

In 2017, Dovigi won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award for Ontario in the Power and Utilities sector. He also volunteers in his community. He donated $5 million to help establish the Dovigi Family Sports Medicine Clinic in 2019 to assist individuals who have sports injuries. He is a board member of the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation, as well. His giving connects his business success to his roots in sport.

What Athletes Can Learn

There are several athletes who are concerned about the post-sport life. Dovigi’s tale is a positive solution. Skills like discipline, teamwork, and resilience carry over to any field. Athletes can also rely on the connections established. Courage to start over is needed, but willingness to learn from the failures is what can bring success off the rink.

Conclusion

Proving that the end of a career is not a dead-end for a hockey goaltender, the path to becoming a successful entrepreneur is paved with it. Dovigi applied the skills of discipline, teamwork, and drive he acquired in sports to the development of a business and to the support of his community. In his story, he reminds the readers that some misfortunes are stepping stones. Any new chapter can be a winner with the appropriate frame of mind.