Karim Allana Built A Thriving Construction Business

Imagine two similar businesses operating in the same industry. One grows steadily, thriving by any definition of the word. The other merely treads water, doing its best to survive but not much more.

What’s the difference between them? We don’t have enough information to know for sure, and it’s likely that any number of factors are at work.

However, history teaches us that those leading the thriving business have probably paid more attention to the fundamentals than those in charge at the merely-surviving enterprise.

This is certainly the case for companies like Allana Buick & Bers, a California-based construction and engineering firm founded by Karim Allana in the 1980s. ABB, as it’s known in the industry, has grown many times over since the turn of the century and now has hundreds of employees, several branch offices, and billions in cumulative bookings.

How did Allana do it? And more important, how can you — or the entrepreneur in your life — do something similar, regardless of circumstances or industry?

Allana suggests that you “focus on the fundamentals,” beginning with these eight must-haves for any growing corporate enterprise.

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1. Have A Clear, Compelling Mission

Successful companies are not shy about what they’re trying to achieve. In fact, they know that “mission clarity” helps to reassure and compel prospective customers. It’s an important early step in the sales funnel.

One of the first things you do after launching your company is to craft a concise, attention-grabbing mission statement that clearly conveys what you hope to achieve in the world. If you’ve launched into “stealth mode,” as many companies do these days, make sure your mission statement is ready to go before exiting.

2. Embody Your Values (And Work Them Into Your Corporate Dna)

A mission statement is a good first step, but a more comprehensive display of your corporate values is important to compel future customers, employees, and partners as well.

According to Baton Global, your company’s values statement should answer questions like “what do we stand for?” and “how will we conduct our activities to achieve our mission and vision?” and “how do we treat members of our own organization and community?”

It’s OK to think outside the box when crafting a values statement. After all, they’re your values. Once they’re set, be ready to commit to living them out every day and ensuring that new hires are in total alignment with them.

3. Always Put The Customer First

You’ve heard the saying: “The customer is always right.” You know that it is a bit of an exaggeration. The customer is, in fact, sometimes wrong.

Unfortunately, as a business leader, you can’t really say this out loud. You must behave outwardly, and inwardly as much as possible, as if the customer can do no wrong. In a sense, this is true: Without your customers, you wouldn’t have a business at all.

By respecting, honoring, and being attentive to your customers, you can resolve this tension. The better you treat the people paying for your goods and services, the fewer unpleasant situations you’ll encounter to make you wonder why you got into business in the first place.

4. Keep Close Watch On Industry Trends

It seems like every industry is experiencing its own version of disruption these days. You know the forces shaping your niche better than most, but that doesn’t mean you can afford to stop paying attention.

Corporate leaders must devote a significant amount of their time to reading, researching, and understanding the trends likely to impact their businesses in the near future.

5. Surround Yourself With People Who Know More Than You

How much are you willing to pay for expertise?

In this market, the answer is probably something like “whatever it costs.” Because expertise is really, really valuable these days. And while you can do a lot, you can’t do it all. As Harvard Business Review’s Jesse Sostrin reminds us, business leaders must be willing to go out and source talent — and then delegate effectively so that everyone is optimized for excellence.

6. Leverage Employees, Customers, And Others As Brand Ambassadors

Your employees and customers should be your most effective advertising tools.

“Should be” because it’s not always so easy to get them to talk up your business. You need to go above and beyond to give them a reason to do so by treating them well, responding to their needs, and providing gentle encouragement to spread the word.

7. Diversify Your Offerings While Focusing On Core Competencies

Companies like Karim Allana’s ABB stand the test of time because they avoid the mistake of “standing still” as their competitors move around them. They diversify their offerings while maintaining focus on the core competencies that helped them grow in the first place.

ABB, for example, now has new-construction and remedial engineering business lines. The former is larger, but both are important to the business (and the industry as a whole).

8. Build A Peer Network Throughout Your Industry

Networking is not only for role-players. It’s also important for entrepreneurs, perhaps even more so. With it comes the potential for cross-organization collaboration, strategic partnerships, even mutually beneficial acquisitions, says ZDNet contributor Mark Samuels.

Building a robust peer network can be difficult when you have so much else on your plate as a business owner. But by attending trade conferences, investing in thought leadership content, and always being willing to “take the call,” you can give yourself an edge over your more passive competitors.

Take Pride In Your Business

If you pay attention to these eight fundamental building blocks of a successful business, you may find the work of establishing, growing, and eventually scaling your enterprise to be easier.

However, it won’t be a cakewalk. Much still can and probably will go wrong. Fair or not, luck often matters more than execution.

Although you can’t control every external force acting on your business, you can control how you and your team react.

You can set your expectations high, commit to do the very best you can regardless of the circumstances, and — maybe most important of all — take pride in your ability to execute and the work your team produces.

No one said this would be easy. The least you can do is have some fun as you go.