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In the aftermath of the carnage of the GFC, Rouad Elayoubi decided after 13 years in the construction business it was time to got it alone and he formed the Alliance Project Group with a staff of four, taking on small jobs that others didn't want to do.
That was 2011 and in the seven years since, Elayoubi's company has evolved into a turnkey design construction company that delivers impressive projects including multiple high-rise projects around Sydney, constructing an average of 500 units per year with a staff of 65.
That impressive growth, and high client and staff retention, landed Elayoubi the prestigious Business News Australia Sydney Young Entrepreneur Award for 2018 and, with that, a place in the Australian Young Entrepreneur Awards next month at the Sofitel at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.
"In the aftermath of the GFC in 2011, I'd already had a 13 year career in the industry working for second tier companies and developer builders and I had a strong knowledge of the industry," Elayoubi says.
"I was probably the youngest project manager at the age of 27 in a second tier company and I helped establish a construction firm for a developer-builder two years after working in that firm. So the opportunity arose and I've always had a passion for structuring a construction company building on human capital and employees and developing skillsets.
"And there was a gap in the community sector out here in western Sydney seeking employment opportunities and experience in the construction fields so I thought if I don't risk it now, I might not have the opportunity again."
As with most entrepreneurial ventures, Elayoubi started small with a focus on what he wanted to achieve and, for him, that was client retention, and staff retention.
"Back in 2011 when I decided to go out on my own it was humble beginnings, only four staff.
"Doing small work and one guy that came on board who wanted to work for me only had limited industry experience but he just wanted a job so we took him on.
"Most of the staff that you'd probably find in Alliance, which now numbers around 65, started from the grassroots.
"We've got a huge retention of staff and basically we've mentored all of them and a lot of them that have started have been graduates or started with us as cadets. Many of these people are now project managers or senior CAs or design managers or so forth working on multimillion dollar projects."
Within seven years, Elayoubi and Alliance Project Group have established an impressive pipeline of work which he says should result in annual growth of 10 to 20 percent per year.
"So what we're currently working on is probably $100 million worth of projects overall," Elayoubi says.
"We've just finished 239 apartments in Hurstville. We're working on a project to build an 18 story tower. We're working on a school and we're working on another job in Ryde that's the second project for the same client.
"So a lot of our business is repeat work. We intend to maintain the same amount of turnover even though we're facing a slow market.
"We want to organically grow the business - and when I say organically - it just all depends on the team and who we can build within the company and bring other people on board and through the ranks and train them up."
Elayoubi also won the Property and Construction Award for the Sydney Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2018.
Other category award winners for Sydney Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2018. These winners will now be nominated for the Australian Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards for 2018 which will be held at the Sofitel Broadbeach on December 13:
- Young Entrepreneur of The Year: Rouad Elayoubi - Alliance Project Group
- Health & Fitness: Layton Mills - CannPal Animal Therapeutics
- Marketing: Sharne and Nigel Patient - Head Mark
- Digital Disruptor: Ben Wong - Academy X-i
- Property & Construction: Rouad Elayoubi - Alliance Project Group
- Manufacturing, Wholesale & Distribution: Leigh & Nathan Rust - SMR Designs, Safetyline Jalousie
- Influencer: Taryn Williams - The Right Fit
- Technology: Salpi Baroudijan & Jacob Markarian - OWEST
- Professional Services: Paul Eastwood - Pollen Consulting Group
- Arts & Culture: Holly Boal - Get Kids Cooking
- Startup: Carlie Victor - Real Active
- Finance: Julia Maguire & Lelde Smits - The Capital Network
- Retail & Services: Tara Jane - TJ Swim
- PR & Media: Eleanor Pendleton - Gritty Pretty
- Hospitality & Tourism: William Edwards - Archie Rose Distilling Co
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