Karim Allana is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Allana Buick & Bers (ABB), an award-winning construction firm that performs several billion dollars in new construction projects and remedial construction jobs worth more than $100 million annually across the United States.
Mr. Allana is a civil engineer and sustainable construction expert with 45 years of experience in the industry. He holds active engineering licenses in California, Washington, Nevada, Hawaii, North Carolina, Colorado, and Oregon. With specialties in building enclosure (waterproofing, roofing, and exterior façade, he has worked on several dozen major new and remedial U.S. construction projects.
As the operational leader at ABB, Mr. Allana is responsible for the company’s overall strategic direction as well as day-to-day administration for its 225-person workforce. He personally oversees client relationships across numerous sectors, including institutional (K-12 and higher education), local and federal government, industrial, healthcare, insurance, and multifamily residential. A few examples of the projects he has overseen include The Wilshire Hotel in California, the Toyota North American Headquarters in Texas, and the Honolulu Airport in Hawaii.
Under his leadership, the ABB team has earned notable industry accolades, including two IIBEC awards for documented excellence and “best firm to work for” by Zweig White.
Mr. Allana has served as an expert witness in nearly 1,000 construction defect cases and is recognized as a leading resource for forensic building failure investigations. He devotes a significant amount of time to developing and presenting technical seminars and learning modules for construction professionals, architects, and engineers. His work in this area focuses on reducing construction risk, extending building lifespans and life expectancy, and improving energy efficiency.
Despite his busy schedule, Mr. Allana remains deeply involved in ABB’s reconstruction and new construction projects, personally supervising all aspects of its work and leading its efforts on engineering design, construction management, design-build construction, condition assessments, energy efficiency upgrades, and renewable energy system deployments. Over the years, he has developed a reputation for tactical expertise in complex project management as well as intra- and inter-team conflict resolution on time-sensitive jobs with tight deadlines.
Mr. Allana is a Registered Roof Consultant (RRC) and a Registered Waterproofing Consultant (RWC). He is affiliated with eight major industry organizations: International Institute of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC), San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR), American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), International Code Council (ICC), and the Community Associations Institute (CAI), and Sealant, Waterproofing and Restoration Institute (SWRI).
Mr. Allana graduated from Santa Clara University with a degree in civil engineering. He currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My typical workday involves a busy schedule that includes everything from teleconferences to visiting client sites. I frequently travel among our 23 office locations and split my work time between remote and in-office settings.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I have meetings set up with my key reports, directors of marketing, HR, finance, etc. I communicate those ideas to them and guide them to fruition.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I have an executive assistant who organizes my time effectively. Every single working hour is organized in advance, and I execute the plan.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to learn to delegate, prioritize key items, dream big, and hire great people.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.
Focus on sales, growth, production, and revenue and not on expenses.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I prioritize delegation. I believe it’s crucial to hire a personal assistant to liberate yourself for broader strategic thinking. Avoid getting bogged down in the small details.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I take my dog out for a walk. I also leave weekends free to relax and let go of work. I’m also a big believer in vacations and travel.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
One effective strategy that has contributed to the growth of my business and career advancement is expanding the range of services offered. By diversifying what we offer, we’ve been able to secure more projects from existing clients who already trust and appreciate our work, rather than solely focusing on acquiring new clients.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I started a company that sold roof drains. It wasn’t well thought out, and it failed. It also ruined a relationship with a good friend.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A valuable business idea I’d like to share with your readers is to prioritize the clients’ requirements over your own concerns about liability. Many professionals get caught up in making disclosures and covering themselves legally, often at the expense of providing candid advice. It’s important to transparently communicate the risks to clients and allow them to make informed decisions about whether to proceed.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I started using Webex, Teams, and Zoom as a productivity tool more than a year before Covid. I am able to save a lot of time and expense by meeting people virtually to review construction projects.
What is the best $100 you recently spent?
The most rewarding $100 I’ve recently used was to generously tip waitstaff in recognition of their exceptional service.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?
A book called “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins. The book explores the underlying principles and practices that enable certain companies to transition from being average or good to achieving exceptional greatness, outperforming their peers and sustaining long-term success.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I really enjoyed the television series “Succession.”
Key learnings:
- Create a work environment where staff can voice disagreement and passionately present their point of view of why they disagree with you. Such open exchanges, whether they come from employees, business partners, or other stakeholders, can promote a healthy dialogue that is beneficial for the organization.
- Spend at least 10 minutes each day and think about a new sales idea or a new business idea.
- Learn to turn off work after you come home or go on vacation.
- Don’t get distracted by reading and responding to work-related emails or calls.
- Relax fully and recharge each day, especially when on vacation.