Man transforms minivan into solar-powered office after layoff
Robert Mah is on a grateful journey that began after becoming a casualty of a major downsizing at work.
“You feel like you’ve been rejected,” Robert says. “Like you’re useless.”
He was also his family’s sole breadwinner, with three young kids.
“I had to make money.”
So Robert invested his severance in equipment for a basement office. While he began earning contracts, he started dreaming of a way to escape the confines of what he called “The Cave.”
“I always wanted to buy that old beater van and get it all set up,” Robert smiles. “So you can go cross-country and enjoy life.”
Robert started realizing that dream after noticing a solar panel on sale at his local hardware store. He figured it could power small appliances, like a microwave, hotplate and cooler.
After he attached the solar panel to the roof of his vehicle and hooked up the appliances, Robert began designing and building modular furniture that could fit inside the van, transforming from a bed and storage containers into chairs and tables.
“It’s like a little RV in the back of my minivan,” Robert smiles.
Once it was fully equipped to take a big trip, Robert and his wife hit the road. They drove from Ottawa to Victoria, fuelled by a post-layoff positivity.
“If you have a frame of mind that this is the worst thing that’s ever going to happen to me, that it’s going to get worse and worse, then that’s going to happen,” Robert says. “But if you think, how can I make a benefit from it? How can I turn it better?”
If you think like Robert did, you also furnish your mini-RV with a mobile office, including two computer screens, so you can keep working along your trip.
“You can connect to any machine anywhere in the world,” Robert says. “So why do I need to be inside a factory to control it?”
So why not do what he’s doing now? Why not operate manufacturing equipment in Ontario while parked beside the ocean in B.C.?
“Surprisingly my main contract right now is the company that laid me off,” Robert laughs.
Although it felt like one of the worst moments of his life back then, Robert is grateful it inspired some of the greatest moments of his life ever since.
“It was like the best thing to happen!”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.