
Political Shuttles Carry Revenues, Hassles
It stands to reason serving both the red and blue political contingents should add up to green. If only it were that easy.
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His father started the business in 1979 and ran the company with integrity for 30 years. In 2009, he suffered a heart attack while driving a client and had to be taken to the hospital. Uziel was a police officer at the time, but decided he needed to be there for his family and started managing the company. After his father died in 2012, Uziel then became owner.
Being a police officer, he had an innate ability to remain calm under pressure and a sense of duty to care for his mother now that his father was gone. “It was like being thrown into a fire; I think I just had what my dad had and never knew it until I started running the company,” he says.
Model Of A Modern Luxury Transportation Company
Something unique about UrbanBCN is that although Uziel has a warehouse and office space, all his office staff work remotely from home. In a way, it’s always been like that since his father originally ran the company from home with Limo Anywhere.
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Slack is the number one tool he recommends for team communication because it’s quick and allows for easy storage of data. “If there’s a change everyone needs to be aware of, it’s instantaneous.” Each of his employees has anywhere from two to three computer monitors so they can remain vigilant and emulate an office setting. Company meetings are done through Skype, and phones are on a VOIP system.
Fast Learner
Uziel was lucky to have a couple of mentors to help guide him in the right direction. Dale Schahczinski at OML Worldwide Transportation in Northbrook, Ill. and Alan Candeub from Park Avenue Limousine in Trevose, Pa. said he always needed to stay true to who he was, and this hit him hard. He’s learned the importance of representing the reality of your business and what you can actually do, as well as being careful of who you accept jobs from.
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He also thinks the most important thing anyone can do is listen more than they talk. “Everyone makes mistakes and is willing to talk about it. If someone else made the mistake, why should you?”
No Risk, No Reward
Uziel says a combination of his experience as a police officer and being a Millennial has made him more willing to take risks that have often payed off. “The older you are, the less willing to take risks to change your business model you become,” he explains.
He bought out Black Car Network (hence the BCN in the company’s name), and credits the smooth transition to being smart about how he acquires new companies.
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In 2016, Uziel had just five cars — four sedans and one SUV. After he bought BCN with the help of some family friends, his fleet jumped to 27. That year he saw a 25% increase in sales. In 2017, that number rose to almost 30%. For 2018, they are on track for a 27% annual increase. “I believe we’ve gotten this far because my dad is watching over us,” he says.
Onward And Upward
When asked about his biggest success so far, Uziel says: “Building a team of nine of the best dispatchers and reservationists in the industry. I have also been fortunate to be able to grow this company with my older brother and sister.” They have their challenges, but they all have a vested interest in the growth of the company. If there’s one thing they all take very seriously, it’s their father’s legacy.
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With technology, he’s been impressed with Andrew Norman and the team at Add.ons, a company that creates tools that integrate with Limo Anywhere to revolutionize how companies interact with their clients. “We want to keep building out more tech and communication tools for our clients and make the process of booking easier,” he says.
Another win for the team has been the addition of Corey Witzel, formerly with Premier Transportation in Dallas, Texas, and Dustin Baker, formerly with Ecko Transportation Worldwide in San Jose, Calif. in early 2018.
Uziel has also opened a small office in Los Angeles, and plans to keep it that way. By the end of the year, he hopes to buy another company double his size.
Related Topics: California operators, customer service, eNews Exclusive, family businesses, LCTFast40, Limo Anywhere, Millennials, operator profiles, San Francisco operators, technology
It stands to reason serving both the red and blue political contingents should add up to green. If only it were that easy.
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| about 2 years agohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW8-9R-FT2E&lc=z22yyb55ozbgzrda004t1aokgn2edpcehlc2fioz0o4xrk0h00410.1537125726854439 Sounds like riding with these folks are gonna get you killed.