–contractor urges young entrepreneurs as he recounts the road to success

“IF at first you don’t succeed, try again,” the popular proverb, though it originated in the 19th century, might as well have been coined by 41-year-old Esan Robinson, founder and Managing Director of the Future Builders General Construction Company, as he uses it in everyday life.
Robinson, during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, said the construction company he has, was not nearly as successful as it is now, in its early stages.
The unregistered block factory he started out with had failed in its early stages, but this did not deter him from achieving the goal he had set for himself, from the time he was nine years old.

“Growing up from when I was a small boy, my grandfather was a contractor, and I always tell myself that I wanted to build structures and so on. We started out originally as two persons, but the partnership didn’t really work out, so I decided that I can do it on my own,” he said.
In continuing the story of his journey, the contractor related: “And that is how I got started, slow but sure. Raising money consisted of working part time, saving as much as I could. I started out as a block factory—it wasn’t registered, but then it closed. But I told myself I never wanted to be a failure in life, so I decided to fall flat and come again.”

The 41-year-old operates his business from its 134 Canterbury Walk, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara location, and has been running “Future Builders” for more than 20 years. “My grandfather was a contractor, and so I took it from him, because I tell myself, ‘that is what I want to do’. And I loved doing it, no doubt about it. And I always want to portray the best. We’re not just about showcasing our business.
“When we go out to clients, we just want them to know that… Hear what happened, we started out as a small business, and now we’re growing, so we want people to come on board with their support. Even if you need to build something small, no matter what, we can carry any kind of contract,” Robinson said.
Though not possessing tremendous amounts of experience in the architectural arena, Robinson followed his passion and eventually enrolled in and completed architectural and engineering courses at the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC).

He would later form the partnership that would lead to his block construction business, which, the entrepreneur emphasised, he has not strayed from. This is in keeping with Future Builders’ mandate to have all building materials available to their clients as soon as possible.
“A successful business is determined by all that you [the entrepreneur] put in. You need to tell yourself that you want to come out successfully, because if you’re sitting down, and you’re trying to depend on your workers, things are going to fall down,” he stressed.
He attributed his success to his employees, and the effort that they continue to put into his business, adding that they are the backbone of his company.
“I don’t like people calling me the ‘boss’. I am their leader, and they are the most important things in my life. They motivate me every day. We are like a whole family, all in one. When you see us, you recognise us not only by the company name, but also by the professional relationship and the connection that we have,” the contractor said. Future Builders General Construction provides electrical services, plumbing, masonry, carpentry, architectural plans for houses, and building material, among a host of other services.