Spark Spotlight: Sherry Larjani
Q&A with the President,Spotlight Development Inc.
Q&A with the President, Spotlight Development Inc.
Our team of real estate tech experts at Spark were lucky to catch Sherry in a rare free moment of time to share some of her experiences.
It’s incredibly motivating to hear how Sherry stepped out of fear and into possibly, where she now shapes and inspires the community around her.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about how you got your start in the industry?
My journey in the industry started from my time where I was an architectural designer. Working at several firms across Toronto, the more I spent time behind the computer, the less I enjoyed it. I was lucky enough that I had a great supportive family who could see that and was eager to change that. My father-in-law pushed me and gave me the opportunity to design and build my first home from scratch, and since then, I realized that’s where my passion lied.
Q: Can you share a defining moment in your career that shaped you today? Perhaps a moment where it took great courage to cause a shift or positive change?
Stepping onto my first construction site and deciding that I was gonna do this all on my own was the defining moment of my career. If I had allowed the fear of failure to stop me then, I would not have been where I am.
Q: What has driven your motivation to be, and stay, in the new development real estate industry?
The passion I have for the business of development with all its challenges and the love of real estate is what has always motivated me. Development projects allow you to have a tangible impact on communities, and I love to explore the city and see my projects all around it.
Q: What excites you about the future of Real Estate and the market?
Seeing the playing field becoming equal and seeing more young kids from any background see this as a potential future career, especially young girls, is what excites me. The taboo that being a developer means you have to be financially well-off or that you have to inherit the business needs to fade away so that the young minds of today can become future developers shaping our cities.
Q: What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders who are determined to effect change?
I have said this before and will say this again: don’t give up and don’t subdue to the negative noises around you. Instead, they should be your motivators and they should become your stepping stones to success.
Loved this story and want to read more? Check out the other incredible women featured in our blog: Influential Women in Canadian New Development Real Estate.
About Sherry Larjani:
Sherry Larjani thrives as the Managing Director and President of her own real estate firm, Spotlight Development Inc.. While her career began as a designer at a luxury architecture firm in Toronto, it didn’t take long before she felt most comfortable standing on construction sites and transforming undeveloped land to bring her real estate visions to life.
In addition to founding her own business, Sherry joined forces with fellow powerhouse, Taya Cook, to create Toronto’s first all-female real estate development team to develop Reina Condos, a game changing condominium building in Queensway Village. Her work with Reina Condos aims to provide inclusive industry opportunity to anyone with a passion for real estate.
Sherry’s incredible entrepreneurial background has led her to be featured in a variety of established publications including The New York Times, Metro Morning, CBC News, Global News, and the Oprah Magazine.
