International Men's Day: Building road to success

Published 5:05am 17 November 2024

Words by Moreton Daily

In the lead-up to International Men's Day, we are shining a light on the men in our community making a difference.

Dan Mikus didn’t fit in at school, but he’s carved an impressive career in the road construction industry that earned him the industry innovator award at this year’s Queensland 40 under 40 awards.

Dan, who co-founded MR Roads with James Rolph, says while it’s an individual gong, it speaks more to the efforts of the company’s entire team.

“It’s hard to get an individual award, because it’s everyone,” he says.

“It’s been a lot of good luck and a lot of hard work.”

The 40 Under 40 awards is a globally recognised program that celebrates the impact of Queensland’s best young leaders and entrepreneurs.

It acknowledges the movers and shakers, the ground-breakers, the visionaries, the quiet achievers and the game changers who are helping shape the future, while also shining a light on their philanthropic efforts.

MR Roads began with just one truck and a wheelbarrow, but achieved $13 million topline in its first year by focusing on client satisfaction, quality and service.

Dan, a former Mueller College student, says it’s a strategy that’s paid off, with North Lakes-based business now billing itself as Australia’s fastest-growing asphalt company.

“We have almost 60 staff now - we’ve got seven companies together and we’re on track for $30 million this year.

“We have seven trucks and we’re looking for another 10.”

The trained accountant left a six-figure job as Operations Manager at Suncoast Asphalt at Narangba to start Pelly-Can Asphalt and says pressure can be a powerful motivator in business.

“When you have your back against the wall you have to make it happen,” Dan laughs.

Born in Toowoomba, Dan grew up in Papua New Guinea before returning to Australia in 1996 and attending Mueller College at Rothwell.

“I wasn’t a good student because I found it hard to listen,” Dan says.

“I had to either become an athlete or run my own business.”

A keen sportsman, he was an elite cyclist training for the pre-Beijing Olympics squad when fate intervened, leading to his career in asphalt.

“There were eight guys and five are now in construction – only one made the cut. I was pretty depressed, because that’s what I knew – I was about 16.

“Now, I love the gym and I haven’t touched a bike since – it’s all or nothing.

“I started in asphalt after competitive cycling. I followed a really rich dude who had an Aston Martin who happened to be a big boss of Boral and he gave me a traineeship.”

From there, he’s been on a trajectory to success and is now in a position to give back to the community.

MR Roads has a Community Carpark Safety Program which repairs potholes and damage to carparks for schools, businesses and community organisatons.

The program redeploys unused asphalt mix, enhancing safety for these organisations and reducing waste.

Dan says MR Roads is also having an impact for its paying customers and the broader community as road infrastructure projects ramp up in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. His team has already worked on big projects including Cross River Rail.

“We’re just about to receive A2 accreditation, which means we can work with Transport and Main Roads on big highways, then we’ll move up to A3,” he says.

“The risk in construction is astronomical – inclement weather can destroy you overnight and the margins are slim. It’s not glamourous but it’s good.”