Lawrence Conrad went into 2010 with his business growing fast. For seven years, his company, ISSA, has ranked on the Progress Fastest Growing Companies list. But he still wonders if he’s doing everything right.

I think back to my company’s start, and how I worked on my own armoured trucks for the first five years, did some of my own security work, and drove my little Smart cars when we added a pharmaceutical delivery service. It made me feel good to get back out there, meet people, and see how my business was doing as it related directly to the customer.

It also made me realize what I had been missing. Let me explain.

People often ask me to describe our growth story. I’ll sit there and give them a 15-year history of our company with hardly a break. But if they ask me how I did it, I have to think for a while. I don’t have a quick answer, which is odd for a guy who can normally out-talk most people. There is so much to the title “self-employed” that it’s never justified by a simple answer, no matter what business you’re in.

The other often-asked question I get is, “What’s the secret to success?”

Well, for me, it started with an idea (a cliché, I know), and I took it from there. Some things came naturally as part of the process, while others happened as luck would have it, both good and bad. The one thing I’ve always known—and yet have always resisted—is that you can’t control everything. But many of us try. And try hard.

What I have learned, confirmed by my own actions when I’m an unhappy customer, is how our businesses are affected by how we as owners interact with our customers.

When it comes right down to it, people want to be acknowledged and respected. This is the point where some of you will say, “But that’s impossible! I can’t get to know all of my customers personally.” And I counter with, “You’re right. But you can try!

I thought back to a meeting I had recently with a successful local businessman whom I used to call upon for mentoring and advice. I hadn’t seen him for about three years, and when I walked into his office, he greeted me cordially, then asked me where the hell I’d been. I gave him the usual, “I’ve been really busy” reply. Well, he slammed his fist on his oak desk, looked me in the eye, and said, “That’s not good enough, son. You’re becoming too separated from your business, and you need to focus on what got you started and why you are where you are.”

I left a bit humbled and thought about what he had said. Then I made it my mission to meet with as many of my customers’ owners, managers, and supervisors as I could in 2010. I called and made appointments, and I’ve had from five-minute to two-hour conversations with people I haven’t seen or spoken to in years.

Some of you may think it’s a waste of time, but you’re wrong. Think of how we all started, whether it was a year ago, 15 years ago, or even 50. Did we have the luxury of sending out a sales rep to handle a sale or a divisional manager to deal with an issue? Probably not.

Did we sit in our offices running things from the phone? No. So who did it then? We did!

My eyes have been opened as a result of this reminder to stay in touch with customers. In my own company I have a great team, including a general manager, division managers, instructors, my assistant, and a total staff of almost 100 who make things happen. I’ve never had such a vast infrastructure of people to rely on, and they all do a superb job. They have developed great relations with customers in my absence—and that is my problem.

“In my absence”—think about it. It’s great to have your front-line people out there representing your organizations, but there is no one will represent your company just like you do.

Take away all of the business jargon—cash flow, inflow, outflow, projections, costs, payroll. Take away all of the titles. Take away all of catch-all identities—clients, customers, stakeholders, investors, employees.

What are you left with? People dealing with people. The way it should be. Always.

Lawrence Conrad is the president of ISSA (Independent Security Services Atlantic Inc./Independent Armoured Transport Atlantic Inc.), which is #25 on the 2010 Progress Fastest Growing Companies ranking.