Behind the Facade Episode 12: Nouri of Concrete City and CreteMate
Nouri shares how he went from labourer to building Concrete City, the hardship and work ethic behind his success, and the industry problem that inspired CreteMate.
What does it take to go from working on the tools to building a concrete business, a powerful personal brand and a new platform for the industry?
In Episode 12 of Behind the Facade, Jake Gorry and Daniel Alizzi sit down with Nouri from Concrete City and founder of CreteMate for a raw conversation about concreting, business, work ethic, sacrifice and what it takes to build a name in construction.
Episode 12 of Behind the Facade with Nouri from Concrete City and CreteMate.
From Labourer to Business Owner
Nouri's path into concreting was not a straight line. After growing up in housing commission and trying a range of jobs and trades, he found concreting and began to see how far he could take it.
In the episode, he speaks openly about the hunger that has driven him throughout his career, the influence of his father and the pressure of never feeling as though he had done enough. Rather than hiding the difficult parts of that journey, Nouri explains how hardship helped shape both the person and the businessman he became.
The reality of building Concrete City involved far more than the work visible on site. Nouri describes 3:30 am starts, full days on the tools and nights spent managing crews, quoting work and organising future jobs. It is an honest account of the effort required to turn technical ability into a functioning construction business.
The Pour That Exposed an Industry Problem
One story captures the pressure behind the work particularly well.
Nouri recounts a 1,500-square-metre concrete pour where eight booked workers failed to arrive and another turned up unable to work. A seven-person crew was left to complete one of the hardest pours of his career.
Experiences like this exposed a wider issue: businesses need dependable people, while good workers need a better way to demonstrate their experience and reputation. That problem helped shape the thinking behind CreteMate.
Designed to connect concrete businesses with workers, CreteMate aims to introduce greater accountability through profiles, ratings and reviews. It is an example of an industry solution developed by someone who has experienced the problem first-hand.
Building a Brand Without Leaving the Tools
The conversation also explores Nouri's significant social media presence and the concrete videos that have reached millions of people.
While that visibility has helped build the Concrete City brand, Nouri remains committed to working on the tools regardless of how large the business becomes. He discusses developing younger workers, sharing techniques openly and helping other concreters—even when they could be considered competitors.
That willingness to teach is grounded in confidence rather than secrecy. The episode explores how learning by doing, solving difficult problems and raising the capability of the people around you can strengthen both a business and the wider industry.
The Cost of Building Something Bigger
Success brings trade-offs, and this episode does not avoid them.
Jake, Daniel and Nouri discuss whether it is worth leaving a good job to start a business, the risks of going into business with close friends and the personal cost of ambition. Nouri reflects on lost friendships, sacrifice and the pressure that comes with setting a high benchmark for yourself and your team.
The discussion then turns to leadership and the future of the trades: how to give younger workers responsibility, what genuine work ethic looks like and why finding the right people remains one of construction's biggest challenges.
It is an unfiltered conversation about work, leadership and what happens when someone who has lived an industry problem decides to build a solution.
Episode 12 of Behind the Facade with Nouri is available now.