MANILA, Philippines – Growing up, Bryant William Cuison and his brother Patrick were exposed to the construction industry as their father William was a contractor. “My siblings and I grew up in this kind of business. We saw how my dad managed and grew his construction company to what it is now,” he shares.
Today, Bryant is deeply involved in the construction business. As president of William Brothers Inc., he is responsible for determining and communicating the company’s strategic direction. He is also in charge of its two most important assets: capital and human resources.
“It is also crucial that I set the company’s culture – shared attitudes, goals, and values. I also need to ensure that our company’s goals are met through a concerted effort with all our internal and external shareholders,” he says.
Prior to working in this industry, Bryant was in real estate. This is when he saw the vast opportunities in construction. “There were a lot of new residential and commercial developments that needed the expertise of contractors to build and I thought that it would be a good time to go back to the family business, Wilkonstruct, and train under my father,” he says.
While busy overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations as general manager, Bryant saw another opportunity: start a company that would focus on design and interior fitouts in residential and commercial construction. So he joined forces with his brother and founded William Brothers, Inc.
“I started the business when the construction industry was in an upswing. Residential condominiums were being put up almost in every corner of the city. Malls were also expanding all throughout the metro,” recalls Bryant. “We started in a corner in our father’s office. I had one project architect who managed the very first project that we built under the brand. I also had a lot of long days to oversee all construction projects because most of the interior fitouts happened at night.”
A “frustrated architect,” Bryant has always been amazed at how structures are built through a design process. He soon realized that he didn’t need to be an architect to be able to accomplish this.
“In this type of business, I get to help architects and interior designers realize their design vision. It’s also fulfilling to see our customers happy to be able to live in their new home or a business owner making revenues in his new space, both of which we helped build for them,” muses Bryant.
Bryant is very much hands-on in the business, especially when the company was just starting out. The 34-year-old businessman had to don different hats: accountant and bookkeeper, marketing executive, social media manager, and customer service, among many others. “The first few years in business were tough, I had to do everything myself,” he notes.
Aware of the power of social media, Bryant marketed their services through this platform (“It’s still the most cost-effective way to reach our target customers.”), with a lot of help from referrals from friends and previous clients.
“Most startups have a hard time getting additional funding for expansion. Since we’re a very capital-intensive business, we have to be liquid most of the time. I had to build trust from our suppliers first before I finally got long-term credit,” he says.
Thanks to his hard work and strong commitment to make this business work, William Brothers Inc. has secured a number of projects from foreign clients — from BPOs to cafes. The company also boasts of repeat customers who have become not just their partners but also good friends.
His tips for aspiring entrepreneurs? “Persevere, be patient, enjoy.”