Our Clients: Daizen Joinery

Dai Ona, owner of Daizen Joinery in Kamloops, BC, has spent more than three decades honing the art of timber frame construction. His company is known for blending high-end hand craftsmanship with precision technology, creating stunning residential structures that stand out across Western Canada.

Behind the scenes, managing the complex operations of a specialty business like Daizen Joinery is an immense challenge.

For years, Dai relied on Excel spreadsheets to track and align critical business processes. He experimented with other tools, including Salesforce and Microsoft Access, and consulted a database developer, but nothing fit his needs. “At this point,” says Dai, “I realized there is no off-the-shelf solution I can expect to work for me, so I set my mind on building a system from scratch.”

That’s when Dai found Oak Bay Softrends (OBSI), introduced through another Oak Bay client, Canadian Bavarian Millworks. Step by step, OBSI began addressing the struggles that had been slowing Dai down.

The journey started with a single module for Dai’s sawmill operations, tracking timber through the manufacturing process and building an inventory table. Over time, Dai and OBSI have expanded the system to include inventory management, production tracking, and sales processes. The custom system OBSI is building has become more than
just software; it’s the backbone of Dai’s business operations.

“This app is not for one task—I am building a complete solution to operate my business,” Dai explains. “I am putting 35 years of experience into this app so my business can run smoothly, without my having to manage every detail.”

Throughout the relationship–nearly three years long at this point–Dai has worked closely with FileMaker developer Jordan Wald, who worked to earn Dai’s trust by listening carefully, offering expert advice, and delivering results that are as bespoke as the joinery Dai creates. Often, this has looked like brainstorming, followed by development, followed by being sent back to try again.

“I am happy seeing this starting to take shape. Jordan does a great job,” Dai says. Jordan himself agrees: “He’s realized what I’m capable of and he pushes me to do my best work. Sometimes Dai has requested features I wasn’t even sure were possible in FileMaker, but sure enough, we figured out a way to do it! I don’t think we would have been able to do this without me actually becoming obsessed with the project myself.”

For Dai, the investment in OBSI’s solution has been worth every penny. “The cost of this development is high for a small business like mine,” he admits. “But it’s not about making it cheaper—it’s about making it work.”

While Dai still has a long wish list, his collaboration with OBSI has already been fruitful. Today, Daizen Joinery runs more efficiently than ever, giving Dai the freedom to focus on what he does best: creating beautiful timber frame structures.

For businesses considering custom solutions, Dai has simple advice: “It’s important for the business to have an idea of what outcome is desired upfront, so the developer can design an efficient overall structure.”