For Chris Fallon, a part-time summer job doing home renovations soon turned into a full-time career as a general contractor. In 1984, Chris took the leap into entrepreneurship and launched Fallon Contracting, providing home improvement services for homeowners across New Jersey.
Forty years later, Fallon Contracting continues to operate across the Garden State, helping customers achieve the homes of their dreams. In celebration of Fallon Contracting’s 40th anniversary, we spoke with Chris about the beginnings of his company, how his work and the industry as a whole have evolved, and the lessons he’s learned over the past four decades.
What motivated you to start your own contracting company?
I first started doing home renovations as a summer job during college and fell in love with the process of making a homeowner’s dream a reality. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to pursue home renovations full-time.
Starting a business in any industry can be challenging. How did you overcome some of those early obstacles to find success?
The challenges I faced were not unlike the ones all new businesses face, such as growing a customer base, doing quality work, and maintaining cash flow. It may sound cliche — but if you just keep going over, around, or through the obstacles, you will succeed.
How has Fallon Contracting evolved over the past four decades, and what has kept you motivated?
Although over the years my workload has increased and jobs have become more involved, I still stick to my basic business model of offering personalized service, quality work, and reasonable pricing. I’ve seen businesses get bigger for the sake of growth, but lose touch with their customer’s needs. Ensuring happy customers is what keeps me going.
Especially in the contracting industry, strong client relationships are key. How have you and your team built and maintained your customer relations over the years?
I believe that saying what you’ll do and doing what you say is the key to maintaining good customer relations. If you treat a customer the way you would want to be treated, then future work is almost assured, since people are always happy to share a good experience with friends and neighbors.
How have you seen the construction and contracting industry change over time? Where do you see the future of the industry?
I [have found] that in the past, people would move more frequently and often do renovations to simply maintain their homes until they went on to the next. More recently, I’ve found people have a tendency to stay in their existing homes and are looking to invest more into making their homes a more comfortable place to be in for the long haul. I see this trend continuing and feel optimistic the industry will grow to meet these needs.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned as a business owner and professional?
I think the most valuable lesson any business person can realize is that you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak. I can’t say how many times a customer has told me that the last guy there didn’t stop talking about how great he was, what products they should be using, and how the project had to be done. Whether they know it or not, a customer is telling you everything you need to know about the project they have in mind. If you take the time to listen and act on that information, a happy experience is guaranteed for all.
Now that you’re past the 40-year mark, what are your goals for the future of Fallon Contracting?
My goals have been consistent: continue to provide quality work at reasonable prices.
Fallon Contracting 