The 30-year-old entrepreneur, whose Crown Group of Hotels currently runs Courtyard Marriott, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn by Hilton, Quality Inn, and other brands, also wants to become a big name in the Canadian residential construction sector
By our reporter
TORONTO: As Delhi-born young Sameer Sharma takes over the reins of the Mississauga-headquartered Crown Group of Hotels from his father Kuldeep Sharma, he says he has his future plans all wrapped up in his head.
He wants to have hundreds of hotels in his Crown Group portfolio – currently comprising Courtyard Marriott, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn by Hilton, Quality Inn, and other brands – and take it to new heights.
“We also want his group to become a known brand in the Canadian residential construction market,” says the 30-year-old entrepreneur.
His father vouches for his abilities to steer their business to the top.
“With his top analytical skills, I am sure Sameer will go places. He is tops in his business, and he has just started working on a billion-dollar property development project in Ottawa. He is very intelligent, well rounded and precocious. He has gathered a lot of experience. We all know that maturity comes with experience, not age.” beams Sharma Sr.
Indeed, few businessmen are as well rounded as young Sameer Sharma. He has the smarts to make it big. He is wise beyond years and humble. And he is a man with high IQ and EQ.
In fact, Sameer is a rare businessman who can talk about any subject under the sun – astronomy, movies, music, literature, religion, philosophy, geography, stock markets, real estate, geopolitics, etc.
Ask him about the most distant man-made object in the universe, and pat comes the reply: “Voyager-I which is more than 14 billions miles away from our earth.”
He is spot-on.
En route to Ottawa from Toronto, as we talk about his business plans he quickly steers the conversation to lay out his vision for the future of his Crown Group of Hotels.
“You know I am blessed where I was born, but where I take this business from here is entirely up to me now,” he emphasizes.
“My wish is to diversify into a business that I can grow the size of hotels and bigger. My goal is to have hundreds of hotels and thousands of development projects in our portfolio.”
Sameer says he has been learning the ropes of this business under his father for the past 10 year, but he is still on the learning curve.
“I think my dad gave me more than I could handle. He trusted me and it motivated me to self-learn. That has helped me a lot. But the learning continue,” he explains.
In the lobby of his Holiday Inn hotel in Ottawa, few employees recognize him.
“Our clients and team– are our lifeline. No matter what business you are in, it’s always people’s business,” he says, seriously.
After a brief pause, he adds, “In a people’s business, EQ (emotional quotient) is equally important as IQ (intelligence quotient) because you are dealing with hearts and minds. You may be highly intelligent, but if you are not emotionally well-equipped you cannot go far in a people’s business.”
Hotels, he continues, are also fun business. “You get to give people a home for one night or more and they are mostly in a good mood. That’s very uplifting, isn’t it? Secondly, there is no limit to your learning in this trade. Hotels have a perishable inventory. If I don’t sell a room one night, it is gone. On the flip side, no matter what amount of business I get I have a limited number of rooms. I love what I do every day.”
But over and above everything else, he argues, hard work is the key to success. “A hard working average person will go much farther than an intelligent but lazy person.”
And he sets much store by constant learning. “I have an obsession about self-learning and self-improvement. I read articles each day on lots of topics. And every week I watch a documentary on any topic – from history to astrophysics to galaxies to personal development to world geography or whatever. It helps in widening my horizons.”
As we slowly drive through his six and a half acres property, including Holiday Inn, in the heart of Ottawa, he says with the sweep of his arm, “There will be multistorey apartments here, there and over there in the coming years. As there will be thousands of apartments we build, it may take us 15 years of development in phases. Who knows?”
Away from hotels, he admits, cars are his obsession. “I love cars. They have been my love since my childhood. Luckily, I have been able to translate that obsession into reality.”
As we speed away on Highway 401 on our way to Toronto, he responds to some rapid-fire questions:
Q: What is the most exciting part of your business? And what is the most daunting?
The most exciting part of my business is working with teams and creatively overcoming challenges. And the most daunting part is not to fall below the starting threshold in growth.
Q: You are branching into real estate development. What have been the first steps like?
A: Excruciatingly slow but informative. Most business models are similar whether it’s providing products or services. You have to learn the business norms and pay attention to the nuances which can affect success in the field.
Q: Three things that you have learnt from your father to run this business.
A: Timeliness, perseverance, and insightfulness with positivity.
Q: Any business leader who is your role model.
A: My father is my role model. I learnt everything from him. Actually both my parents have played a huge role in who I am today.
Q: What business bodies/boards are you associated with? How does this association help you?
A: I am on the Board of Directors for the Mississauga Board of Trade. And I have been associated with the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce and the Hotel Association of Canada, etc. This association has taught me leadership and giving back to the community – socially and economically.
Q: What are your business principles/philosophy?
A: Strong market analysis and honest hard work.
Q: How do you unwind at the end of the day?
A: I unwind by spending quality time with my family and friends. Also by watching movies and travelling.
Q: Your major hobby. And why?
A: As I said, I love travelling and socializing. Playing pool and golf are my hobbies. Also, I have a huge passion for cars.
Q: The most valuable advice that your mother ever gave you.
A: She told me: Your life is what you make of it. Emotionally, socially and economically. Don’t be bothered or hurt by what you cannot control.
Q: Your favourite dish, movie, star, song and travel destination.
A: Home-made burger is my top dish. I like movies like Interstellar/Inception. Steve Carell is my favourite star. As for music, any Hans Zimmer song. Munich in Germany is my favourite travel destination.
Q: The best book you have ever read.
A: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
Q: Your most cherished thing in life.
A: Can anything other thing be more cherishing than your family? For me, my family is everything.
Q: Your biggest fear.
A: Not being proud of myself.
Q: What do you hate the most in business people?
A: I don’t like snooty people.
Q: How has marriage changed you?
A: It has made me more responsible, optimistic and relaxed.
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
A: I hope to make a name for our group in the Canadian residential construction sector.
What do Sameer’s parents think of him?
Father Kuldeep Sharma says: I have been grooming Sameer to take over our business since 2013. He has always been a reliable kid since his childhood. He would do very efficiently whatever he was told. He was not a rebel and there were strong indications that he would shape into a fine person in all respects. And he has.
When we came to Canada, he was 10 years old. Here he went to North Park Secondary School and passed out as a king of his school during his graduation in 2009. To be a king, you need to be accepted by everyone.
Then he got into the commerce course at the University of Toronto. It is a difficult programme to get into, but he did it and finished in under four years.
Though he doesn’t know it, his analytical skills are no less than those of a chartered accountant. Earlier I used to call external auditors for our business analytics, but once he came on board I found no use for external accountants. Sameer would whip out his cell, make fast calculations and the job was done! In our day-to-day business, his skills are a big asset.
Sameer has also done the Marriott executive excellence programme where they teach you the complete financial and operations parts of the business. It is about how to run this business on a uniform scale globally. You have to understand the property management system for running the hospitality business.
So today, we are not only a hotel company running big brands but also a certified management company. We mentor others how to run hospitality properties.
Apart from running our hotel business, Sameer is also working on a residential development project in Ottawa. Since he has a vision for future prospects, he would diversify into other areas.
Mother Poonam Sharma says: As a kid, he was good at math and had an analytical mind. He always wanted to be in business. Now he has got what he loves doing and we are happy to semi-retire.
We are blessed that whatever I thought about him has happened.
Sameer is kind of perfect, says wife Saumya
Saumya Sharma says: Sameer thinks big. He has practical big ideas and I am very sure he will realize them. He is a man with a nice heart and he is kind of perfect! Already I have learnt lots of things from him – like the importance of good karma and living a balanced life. With him as my partner, I think I got much more than I thought. I am truly blessed.
Sameer is a gem of a person, says sister Shivani
Sister Shivani says: As an entrepreneur, Sameer has proven himself time and over again by taking Crown Group of Hotels to new levels by truly being self absorbed at work.
As a younger brother, he has surely been a rock who has been there for every person in the family. Sameer is a gem of a person who is endearing at heart. His optimism in life radiates happiness to everyone around him.
His absolute passion for cars and food has been consistent since he was a child! His charismatic personality and humour draws people to him so easily.
All in all, I’m truly blessed to have a brother like Sameer.
ALSO READ: How Jalandhar-born Kuldeep Sharma created Crown Group of Hotels in Canada
