Maurice Bouri and the Cement Industry

Depending on where you live in the world, you may not think of cement as a big deal. Today almost the entire globe has access to affordable cement, but for many nations, this wasn't always the case. Throughout the 20th century, development and growth was synonymous with the construction of large-scale infrastructure and manufacturing centers, all of which require huge amounts of building materials—typically cement. Housing and government or private office space also required cement. That meant that if a country had no access to affordable cement, they were unlikely to be able to keep up with industrialization, and would not succeed as a developing nation.

Enter Maurice Bouri and Seament.

Maurice Bouri is the son of Seament founder Alex Bouri, and manages Seament today. Seament is the company that revolutionized developing countries' ability to get the cement they needed for growth and industrialization. When Seament was founded in the 1970s, it started off serving local and international companies in Nigeria. These companies counted on Seament to get them the materials they needed to get their operations off the ground. Seament was able to succeed on a local scale but, Maurice Bouri's father knew that if they were going to grow internationally, they would need to do more. They began to look at the underlying problems in Nigeria's cement importing.

Cement was difficult to import at that time because it was most economical when shipped aboard giant cement ships. However, Nigeria's antiquated ports had no capacity to dock these giant behemoths. They were just too big. Seament could see that other developing nations had a similar problem, leading to bottlenecks in the supply chain. They knew that if they could solve this problem for one nation, they could solve it for many.

While most businessmen clamored to expand the ports, a proposal that could take decades to complete, Seament took action. The company came up with its own proprietary loading platform that floated free in the water offshore. These "floating ports" could anchor in deep water to facilitate the seagoing cement ships, and then transfer the cement to shore on smaller boats.

The invention was a success. Seament went on to lead a huge time of growth in the international cement industry, spurring development in nine different countries. Now under the leadership of Maurice Bouri and his siblings, it remains one of the most innovative and successful cement companies in existence.

Maurice Bouri carries on the family tradition of value, creativity, and good business. With his guidance, Seament is likely to continue as an industry leader for many years to come.

How to Make Your Company Stand Out in 2014

A desire to see their company succeed is something that drives almost all members of the business community. Whether the company is a large corporation or is family-owned, like the one Maurice Bouri works for, the formula is simple: customers = money. That being said, consumers are constantly exposed to new products and services on a daily basis. In order to stay competitive, it is important that companies learn how to make themselves stand out in 2014 and beyond.

Find or Create a Niche

In order to attract customers, you need to understand where they are and what they want. Prior to launching your company, take some time to scout out your potential competition. Not only will this give you an understanding of what you are going to face when you open, but you may also learn what the competition doesn’t have. If what they don’t offer is something you can provide, jump on it -- ensure that everyone knows through your advertising that you are able to fulfill that need.

Many industries are tough to break into; however, if you create a unique approach or niche for your company, then you may find it easier to succeed. For instance, if you have many talents that can easily be united into a single business, combine them. This way, you can offer one stop shopping to your customers. People are constantly moving, so the more they can get done with one visit the easier it is on them.

Create and Maintain an Online Presence

We are officially deep into the digital age. Even if you choose not to embrace much technology in your personal life, it is important that you do so professionally. The majority of society interacts with technology, either through their phone or online, at least once a day. Make sure they know where to find you when they need you.

After creating your website, consider creating a blog or allowing one of your employees to create and maintain one for you, as Maurice Bouri does for his company. Become actively involved in social media as a way to stay on top of trends and get a jumpstart on what your potential customers are looking for. Make sure to keep your online presence fresh so that current clients as well as potential ones will stay interested.

Helping your business stand out from its competitors is going to take time. Don’t become entrenched in one stale strategy and forget about new ideas and growth! Ensure that your potential clients know what separates you from your competitors and focus on those strengths.

Management 101: Running Your Business During a Personal Crisis

Many people choose to start their own companies because they like being their own boss, but this major advantage can also work against you.  When you're the one who's calling the shots at your company your business can significantly suffer if something happens to you.  A death in the family or a medical problem can cause a lot of trouble for your business, and you have to deal with your personal problems on top of keeping your company running.  Big business owners like Maurice Bouri have several people who could run the company in the event of an emergency, but business owners with a small staff won't be so lucky.   Don't let your business suffer because of personal problems; follow the tips in this post so your company can stay afloat during the hard times.

Have Important Information Easily Accessible for Employees

When you're in charge of running your own business it can be easy to forget to let employees know about important things.  If you have an emergency that pops up overnight that prevents you from working the next day, do your employees have access to important information they'll need to keep your business running?  Do they know the security code they need to unlock the building? Do they have your business' bank account number so they can make deposits?  Make a sheet for your employees that contains important information (bank account numbers, security access codes, payroll schedules, billing schedules, etc.) and leave it in an easy to find place.  Your employees will have all of the information they need to keep things running, and you won't be spending valuable time giving them instructions for tasks over the phone.

Keep the Big Picture in Mind

When you're dealing with personal problems and managing your business from afar, there's no time for micromanaging your employees.  It may seem important to you to call at the end of each day to ensure that everybody punched in and out for the day correctly, but there are other matters that are far more important.  Rely on your employees to keep the important day-to-day activities going and just focus on the most important problems.

Work On Yourself

It's very easy for business owners to overlook their own problems and only focus on business matters, but if you're going through a difficult time you need to take time to focus on your needs.  You won't be able to give your business the time and attention it needs if you're stressed out or fixated on other problems.  Take time to relax and talk to some trusted friends about your troubles. When you're ready to come back to work you'll be refreshed and ready to take on any new challenges.