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Story & Lesson Highlights with Mr. Simon Mulla

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We’re looking forward to introducing you to Mr. Simon Mulla. Check out our conversation below.

Simon, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me is a mix of planning, problem-solving, and communication.

My morning usually starts early with a quick review of schedules, inspections, deliveries, and any open items from the day before. Before the job sites get busy, I try to handle the most important calls and decisions, because once crews are moving and trades are stacked, timing matters. From there I’m either in the field doing walk-throughs, checking quality, and coordinating with subcontractors, or I’m in the office working on estimates, scopes, permits, and client updates.

What keeps my day structured is staying proactive. I focus on clearing obstacles before they become delays, documenting decisions, and keeping clients informed so there are no surprises. Most days end the same way: reviewing progress, confirming the next day’s priorities, and making sure the team has what they need to execute cleanly. In construction, a “normal day” is rarely predictable, but the process and standards have to stay consistent.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hey there, My name is Simon Mulla, and I’m the founder of Cali Builders & Construction Inc. We’re a licensed California general contracting company based in Southern California, focused primarily on residential construction, ADUs, remodels, and ground-up projects.
What makes our company different is that we run construction like a professional service, not just a trade. A lot of contractors can build, but not everyone can plan, communicate, document, and manage expectations in a way that protects the client and keeps the project stable. We put a strong emphasis on clear scopes, realistic budgeting, tight scheduling, and quality control, because most construction problems do not come from one big mistake, they come from a series of small things that were not managed early.
On top of that, I’m recognized as an industry expert with the California Contractors State License Board, and I take compliance seriously, especially when projects involve higher-risk conditions like hazardous materials. I maintain lead-related certification and stay current on safety standards and regulations, because protecting families, workers, and properties is just as important as the finished work.
Cali Builders is licensed as a B – General Building contractor, and we also carry additional classifications that allow us to handle specialized scopes in-house and coordinate complex projects more efficiently: C-61/D28 (Doors, Gates and Activating Devices), C-61/D35 (Pool and Spa Maintenance), C-61/D41 (Siding and Decking), C-61/D06 (Concrete Related Services), and C-61/D30 (Pile Driving and Pressure Foundation Jacking). Those credentials reflect the type of work we take on and the level of technical oversight we bring to our projects.
My story is simple: I grew up around hard work and accountability, and I’ve built the business on those same values. I’m hands-on with my projects and I take pride in delivering work that holds up years later, not just something that looks good on the final walkthrough. Right now, I’m focused on scaling the company without lowering standards, improving our internal systems, strengthening the team, and continuing to take on projects that require real coordination and attention to detail.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My father saw it in me before I did.

When I was still focused on just getting through the day-to-day, he saw the bigger picture, that I had the discipline, the mindset, and the responsibility to build something real. He pushed me to take the work seriously, to think long-term, and to hold myself to a higher standard than what is common in this industry.

More than anything, he believed I could lead, not just work. He helped me see that if I stayed consistent, did things the right way, and kept my word, I could build a reputation and a company that people would trust.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Well, Suffering taught me humility, patience, and discipline in a way success never could.
When things are hard, you do not have the luxury of confidence. You are forced to get honest about what is working, what is not, and what needs to change. In construction and in business, the painful moments are usually the ones that expose weak systems: unclear scopes, the wrong partners, cash flow pressure, miscommunication, or trying to move too fast. Success can hide those issues for a while. Suffering puts them in your face and makes you fix them.
It also taught me how to stay steady under pressure. When you are responsible for clients, a team, and projects with real financial stakes, you learn that your mood cannot run the job. You show up, you solve problems, you take ownership, and you keep your word even when it is inconvenient.
Most importantly, suffering taught me gratitude. It made me value trust, relationships, and reputation more than quick wins, because at the end of the day, that is what keeps you standing when everything feels heavy.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Smart people are getting it wrong when they confuse information with wisdom and optimization with progress.
You see it everywhere right now: highly capable people are chasing speed, hacks, and “smart” shortcuts, but skipping fundamentals like discipline, communication, and accountability. In business, a great strategy on paper does not matter if you cannot execute consistently. In construction, a fancy design does not matter if the scope is unclear, the sequencing is wrong, and nobody is managing quality day by day.
Another place I see it is in how people treat technology and AI. The tools are powerful, but a lot of smart people assume tools replace judgment. They do not. Tools can help you plan faster, market faster, estimate faster, and communicate faster, but they cannot replace integrity, experience, and ownership when something goes wrong. The real advantage is not having more tools. The advantage is having a process and standards that do not collapse under pressure.
The smartest move today is still basic: do excellent work, document it, communicate clearly, and build trust over time. That is what compounds.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
They would miss the consistency and the communication.

A lot of contractors can build, but what clients value most is feeling taken care of throughout the process. My customers know I stay involved, I do not disappear once the job starts, and I do not avoid hard conversations. If something changes, they hear it early, with options and clear next steps, not after the fact.
They would also miss the level of detail and accountability we bring to every phase: clean job sites, tight quality control, proper documentation, and work that is built to last, not just pass inspection. At the end of the day, what clients remember is not only the finished product, it is whether they felt respected, informed, and protected while the project was happening. That is what I work hard to deliver.

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Simon Mulla

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