FEATURE JOE LYONS
How Joe Lyons built a 45-year legacy in construction
I n an age where smartphones fit neatly in our pockets, it’s easy to forget that once, owning one was a bold investment. Back in 1985, Joe Lyons spent £1,750 on a mobile phone – and it had none of the computing power of contemporary smartphones either. “The battery only lasted half an hour and calls were 50 pence
a minute,” Lyons recalls. But it wasn’t about convenience. “I needed to be reachable – clients expected that. Reliability mattered more than anything.” That word, ‘reliability’, has underpinned Lyons’ business
philosophy since he founded J.L. Lyons & Company Limited in 1980. Forty-five years later, it’s still the foundation of the company’s identity and success. Be true to your word “I’ve always said, ‘Do what you say you’re going to do.’ If you can’t, don’t take the job,” says Lyons. “You’re only as good as your word.” That simple credo has carried the firm from modest beginnings to becoming a trusted contractor for clients including the Foreign Office and Thames Water, along with Marks & Spencer, Heathrow Airport, and Transport for London – where on all three projects Lyons had both a day and night team to cover 24-hour shifts. In each case, J.L. Lyons & Company Limited built trust by showing up, delivering to spec, and hitting deadlines. From the outset, Lyons made a decision that would define the trajectory of his firm: he employed his workforce directly. It’s a strategy that’s
31
Master Builder
www.fmb.org.uk
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online