He Started as a Clerk… 28 Years Later He Became CEO | Abdul Kareem Adhia

He Started as a Clerk… 28 Years Later He Became CEO | Abdul Kareem Adhia There are no shortcuts to success — and Abdul Kareem Adhia's career is living proof of it. At 18 years old, Abdul entered his family's construction business not as an executive or manager, but as a clerk. Despite being born into an established real estate family, he says his father made one thing very clear: if you want the position, you have to earn it. Abdul worked his way through accounting, sales, marketing, purchasing, construction sites and contractor relationships. Twenty-eight years later, he became CEO. In this episode of the Blueprints to Buildings Podcast, Glen Palmer speaks with Abdul Kareem Adhia of Olympic Group about the lessons learned during more than two decades in construction, real estate, entrepreneurship and international business. The conversation goes far beyond Abdul's personal journey. 🏗️ Glen and Abdul discuss: Starting at the bottom and earning your position Why there's no shortcut to success Patience, focus and taking “baby steps” in business Why leaders need to listen more than they speak Understanding people before systems and organisations Creating a company culture without barriers between senior leadership and employees International construction and business relationships between Pakistan, the UK and US The changing construction industry Training and developing people Bringing more women into construction AI and the future of construction ERP systems and digital transformation 3D visualisation and digital twins Using AI to identify potential design problems earlier Entrepreneurship and recognising opportunities Mentoring future leaders The importance of health, time and leaving a legacy Abdul also discusses his work with younger generations and why he believes creating better future leaders and entrepreneurs is an important part of his legacy. It's a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, people, technology and the future of the built environment — with lessons that extend far beyond construction. 🔗 Connect with Abdul Kareem Adhia 🔗 LinkedIn: https://pk.linkedin.com/in/abdul-kareem-adhia-10bb6a165 🔗 Connect with Glen Palmer 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/ 🎙️ Blueprints 2 Buildings Podcast: https://blueprintstobuildingspodcast.podbean.com/ ▶️ Blueprints 2 Buildings on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Blueprints2BuildingsPodcast #Construction #Leadership #RealEstate #Entrepreneurship #ConstructionIndustry #AIinConstruction #PropTech #ConstructionTechnology #PropertyDevelopment #WomenInConstruction #DigitalTwins #Blueprints2Buildings