Dane O’Neill has built a career inspired by his passion for both business and sport. He splits his professional life between his family business, Lordly Jones, where he serves as Vice-President overseeing commercial and healthcare furniture sales, and the hockey community, coaching and managing the Dundas Blues Jr. C team while previously coaching in Europe and Jr. A leagues.
A 2009 graduate of Niagara College’s Tourism Management – Business Development program, Dane credits his time at NC with providing the hands-on experiences that shaped his early career. From impromptu sales presentations to learning the value of connecting with people in business, his education his education gave him the skills and confidence to pursue a path defined by passion, problem-solving, and community impact.
Current role and career path
I like to say I have a split career between my family business which I am currently in the role of Vice President as well as coaching and managing a Jr hockey organization. Lordly Jones is a commercial furniture dealership in which we specialize in contract commercial furniture as well as healthcare furniture, which has really helped me grow in sales and customer experiences. Regarding my passion for hockey, it has brought me all over the world and I have dedicated much of my time to give back to the hockey community. I coached on and off in Europe for 6 years as well as coaching Jr A and now in my current role helping run and coach the Dundas Blues Jr C team.
Influences and inspiration
My family influenced me on joining Lordly Jones as I got to see the success that hard work can bring you through business and sales. Working for yourself became something that drove me, realizing that the care and attention to detail about your work was personal. I grew up watching my father’s passion for the company he had built, which rubbed off on and drove my work ethic to become successful. When it came to coaching, I was influenced by the fast-growing success of my career. I started coaching to stay involved in hockey but when I became successful driven by the passion I had for it. The success in hockey was not always about my successes but more to see how I was able to change players lives in their careers through hockey. I watched many players go off to playing NCAA, USports, and pro hockey internationally.
Standout NC experience
I can remember one instance in particular which gave me the “ah ha” moment. In a sales class, I wasn’t fully prepared for an assignment to deliver a 10-minute presentation selling an item I had on me. The item I chose in that moment was my blackberry cell phone. Before I knew it the 10 minutes had flown by, and I had engaged my classmates in a sales pitch that kept them interested and engaged. This sales presentation seemed to come naturally which sparked an interest in pursuing sales within a business setting.
Memorable moments
During my time at NC, I had several professors who played a key role in shaping my career path, helping me understand both what I wanted to pursue and what I didn’t. I was also involved in hockey while at the college, which added another element to my positive NC experience. Looking back, I have a deeper appreciation for the professors who were especially hands-on, providing real-world experiences that made their teachings extra impactful.
Words of wisdom
If I could offer one piece of advice to a prospective student, it would be this: the only person who can truly stand in the way of your success whether you’re leading a company or a team, is you. From my experience, success is built on a few key principles. First, you won’t always make the right decisions, but what matters more is your ability to find the right solutions when challenges arise. Problem-solving is at the heart of leadership. Second, surround yourself with passionate people. Passionate individuals bring energy, creativity, and commitment to the table. When you’re part of, or leading a group that genuinely cares, they’ll consistently go the extra mile. It’s a mindset similar to that of a business owner: they’re invested in the outcome and will do whatever it takes to see a project or company succeed. In the end, leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about building the right environment, staying resilient, and empowering those around you.
What does it take to make it in this field and do you think the Tourism Management – Business development program helped to prepare you to take on the industry challenges?
To be successful in not only this field, but in any career, requires passion and a commitment to service. Your passion can change or develop as you grow but doing any job just for the pay stub will eventually hit the ceiling. I think NC prepared me for my current path by giving me the hands-on learning experiences that built both my skills and confidence.
