Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Allain.
Hi Allison, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Frankly, becoming a CEO and a general contractor was unintentional. It was born out of a little desperation and taking the path of least resistance. Until it wasn’t.
I graduated college with a degree in Theater from UCR. The department trained me well in being a well-rounded theater person. By the time I left, I was a credible master electrician and lighting designer. I held the position of First Hand in the costume shop for 2 years and learned how to build sets by working in the scene shop, all while also becoming an actor, director, and producer. I learned proficiency both on stage and behind it. I am extremely grateful for the thoroughness of my education.
For the first couple of years after graduation, I spent my time working whatever job I could to be able to pursue acting and keep a roof over my head. One day, I was flipping through the pages of a copy of Backstage West (yes, I am that old) while working a terrible job as a telemarketer, and came across an ad that read something like, “Are you an actor? Are you handy?” I answered that ad and was hired on to work for a company called Handyman Connection. The next day, I was packing up my tools and showing up to the homes of potential clients to troubleshoot their issues and make them right. There was never a day that I didn’t have books checked out of the library about electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc so that I could learn everything there was to know about the trades.
I went on like this, taking handyman jobs, auditioning, working background on TV and film, waiting tables until I received an offer to be a mortgage loan officer just a couple of years before the Recession. And like most of the industry, I was laid off when it hit. So, I went back to auditioning and working background. And when some old clients found out I was available again, my phone started ringing to come fix things around their houses, build custom cabinetry, mount TV’s and install AV systems; you name it. There was a rub, however. I had gotten really used to the health insurance benefits that my old job offered, and my COBRA was about to run out. I was not yet SAG, so I could not be eligible for health benefits through the union. I tried to get private coverage but was told I was “uninsurable” due to my chronic illnesses. Friends…I have scoliosis and dust allergies.
Mind you, this was before the ACA. At the same time, my job sizes started to get bigger and bigger. I had to be licensed to continue taking on the jobs that were coming my way. My insurance broker told me that I could qualify for small business group insurance if I created a corporation and had myself and at least one other officer in the group. So, I did. I studied for the exam to become a licensed General Contractor, was endorsed by the GC I used to work for, and opened my business, Plumb Crazy, Inc. I was desperate for health care coverage and was being overwhelmed by opportunity as a remodeler and builder. The choice was pretty clear to focus on building my business but don’t get me wrong. I really love it. There is nothing as satisfying as creating spaces that people love to live in. Making someone’s home their favorite place to become my new calling.
Why Plumb Crazy, Inc.? Okay, so here’s something you need to know about me. I overthink literally everything. And I like to have fun while I work all while having extreme attention to detail. I got the idea for the name because I was still using a plumb bob to set door frames and walls because I couldn’t afford a long enough level yet. I’m pretty sure I just lost most of you because almost no one knows what a plumb bob is (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumb_bob) In fact, when I was registering my business name, the woman setting up my new B class GC license told me I could not advertise as a plumber. I was like, “what, now?” I had to send her a link to prove to her that a plumb bob was a builder’s tool. Needless to say, I spent 10 long years explaining that I was not, in fact, a plumber. On our 10-year anniversary, I unveiled our new DBA, PCI Builders, while still keeping the plumb bob as our logo.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been easy, being a woman in construction. I have stories; whoah boy, do I have stories. Being a business owner is not easy, period. And let me tell you, starting a business when you can’t even afford a 6’ level is not recommended. There is no bank in the world looking to offer business or start-up capital to a young, single woman. I was actually told by one banker to stay in my lane. Another told me to put my husband on the loan. Fun fact, it was not until 1986 that women were allowed to receive business loans on their own without a husband, father, or brother cosigning.
I mainly ran my business on a cash basis. It was really lean some years. I can proudly say I never missed or was late on payroll. I was never late on any payments, either. It meant that I had to personally go without many months.
And being a good craftsperson does not mean you know anything about running a business. I needed an entirely new education to get me to where I am. I had to learn accounting, job costing, human resources, etc, and how to find the right Team. That came with hard knocks, as well, but resilience and the willingness to get back up each time you get knocked down is what gets your small business to 14 1/2 years. At least, it did for me. I now have 10 employees, a couple of which who have been with me for 8 years. I offer full benefits including full medical (obviously) and a retirement plan.
I cannot recommend enough that you need a Mentor and other like-minded business owners to learn from and support each other. I also had the opportunity to be accepted into the Goldman Sachs 10k Small Business program, which was a real-world MBA program. It was boot camp for small business owners, and I could not be more grateful for what I learned and the relationships I built there.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a Design / Build firm and specialize in residential remodels, additions, and ADU conversions. We also offer commercial tenant improvements. I became a design and build because I wanted to be in control of and responsible for the entire process from concept to permits to completion. Our goal is to streamline the client experience so that every detail is accounted for and executed with no finger-pointing if something gets dropped. Our team is exceptionally friendly, funny, and professional. Everyone’s goal is to do their very best every day and to make a potentially disruptive situation as seamless as we can.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I can say resilience or stubbornness is why I never gave up even when it was the hardest, but I believe the source of that resilience and unwillingness to give up is how deeply I care about delivering on the promises we make to our clients. Through the design process, we get to know the client and how they live, work, entertain and use their spaces. I dearly want to remove the problems that make their most intimate spaces unenjoyable. My goal is for each client to use and love every inch of their new spaces for years to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pci.builders
- Instagram: @pci.builders
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/PCIBuilders
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/design-build-firms/pci-builders-pfvwus-pf~2014373983
Image Credits
Photographer: Jenny Januszewski
