Access Donai

By Diana Clark

With a quiet resolve, this father and son have set out to conquer the American dream.

Adriel and Eustacious Donai, of Donai Inc. are building a legacy.

Photo by D. Clark

I go on the template of my father.” – Adriel Donai

Adriel Donai grew up on the island of St. Lucia in his father Eustacious’ furniture making workshop. It was family work, and kept Adriel busy during what would have otherwise been idle time spent hanging with friends. Eustacious might have had idle time himself as a child, had it not been for his mother who took him down to a local artisan’s workshop and asked if her son could spend his days helping out. And so a tradition was born, a template for finding one’s talent as an apprentice under the careful watch of a master craftsman.

Photo by R. Brown

Our defining work ethic:

ONE HAS TO MARKET THEMSELVES. INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND GET IT.

Adriel and Eustacious Donai

Photo by R. Brown

This dedication to learning a craft would later serve as a foundation for Adriel and his father to create their own business right here in Syracuse. Now many years removed from those shops on the island, they are quickly growing as a MBE certified contracting company.Donai Inc. is a general contractor that offers complete interior and exterior refurbishing of residential and commercial properties. The company also purchases rental property for rehab and eventual conversion to affordable housing.

Since arriving to Central New York sixteen years ago, Eustacious has never been unemployed. He has worked hard and raised a family. A few years ago while both Adriel and Eustacious were employed at other businesses, they realized they could run their own. As Adriel puts it, "You're making somebody make money off your talent. It's a just a matter of consistency and perseverance."

When something has become a pattern in your life, you apply the same principle anywhere.

The rise of their business has been quicker than either of them expected back in 2017, but then again, they have never been ones to be idle. They believe in doing quality work and have built a reputation that speaks for itself. Now that Donai, Inc. is MBE certified, Adriel and Eustacious have begun to respond to bids for contracts as a way to further grow their business. “Our thing is to do whatever we’re doing with integrity. Honesty is our only policy. Honest business pretty much. We have to give people what they’re paying for.”

This father-son team also has an eye toward the future. “We came here to try to do better, not to be average.” Toward that end, they hope to create training and job opportunities for young people to try different skills and perfect their talents. “It’s how you apply yourself, how you push. You educate yourself, you source those opportunities, and then you press forward.”

Their advice for other MBEs? “We encourage you to persevere. There will be challenges that come around, but there’s a lot of opportunity out there. One has to market themselves. Instead of waiting for the opportunity, you have to go out and get it. That goes a long way towards someone’s success. You have to do your groundwork.”

If you can walk with the crowd and keep your virtue, or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run- Yours is the earth and everything that's in it, And-which is more-you'll be a man my son.

Rudyard Kipling, If: A Father's Advice to His Son

Donai Inc. 2806 Midland Avenue Syracuse, NY 13205 315-928-9075 315-863-8100 donaiinc@gmail.com