Ben Kandlbinder

Listen. It seems so simple, yet so many business leaders and employees fall short of this seemingly simple task. Ben Kandlbinder, owner of Aberi Steel LLC and managing partner at IT recruitment firm Concero, believes listening is the most important attribute of successful leaders.

“The reason listening is so important is that we are now working in an ever-evolving landscape,” he said. “We must listen to our employees, our customers and even the competition to make the best possible decisions. I believe communication is huge, and listening, not just talking, is so important when it comes to being a successful leader. I also believe listening allows you to educate yourself and prepares you to make the most educated decisions when leading a team or organization.”

Kandlbinder is president and owner of Aberi Steel, which focuses on prime, secondary and surplus steel pipe and tubing. It ships square, rectangular and round steel tubing, along with steel pipe, all over the U.S. It specializes in difficult-to-find steel products, including rare pipe sizes and specs for whatever application customers need.

Kandlbinder is also chief development officer and managing partner at IT staffing and consulting firm Concero. The company said it uses its connections and insight to help people find the job they want and get ahead in life. Concero has been named in the St. Louis Business Journal’s Best Places to Work list for five consecutive years and earned first place three times in the small business category.

Both Aberi Steel and Concero have a collaborative working model. They are both sales organizations that operate in an “open floor plan” conducive to daily interaction and collaboration. Kandlbinder believes in incentivizing production and work freedom.

Aberi Steel has seen four expansions in the last 17 years. Sales have expanded across the U.S., and the warehouse has increased efficiency, allowing orders to be filled more quickly.

Both companies are poised for growth in the coming years, Kandlbinder’s team said. Concero intends to add account executives and professional recruiters to cement its spot among the top staffing firms in the region, while Aberi expects to expand its footprint in the Midwest and beyond.

“Ben is an entrepreneur at heart and has a true passion to create opportunities for people in a variety of different industries,” Kandlbinder’s team said. The mindset of hard work with an emphasis on discipline and industry knowledge has taken Ben far, whether it be in starting Aberi Steel (or) co-founding Concero. … Most people ask Ben how you start a steel company, one of the oldest industries in the United States, and then an IT staffing and consulting company. The answer is you hire the right people, and you give them the platform to succeed.”