By our reporter
TORONTO: Young Indo-Canadian hotelier Sameer Sharma couldn’t have asked for more in 2023.
Things came with a rush for him.
As the New Year dawned, he went on a buying spree, adding three golf clubs and a hotel to his Crown Group of Hotels.
When July came, he became a dad as his wife Saumya gave birth to their daughter Siya.
And as the year-end rolled around, he was anointed president of the hotel chain.
“I was also appointed chairman – perhaps the youngest-ever – of the Mississauga Board of Trade in December,” chimes in the 31-year-old hotelier as he sits for a year-end round-up in his corporate office on Edward Boulevard in Mississauga.
Looking across the year gone by, he says, “Yeah, 2023 was a pretty hectic and busy year for us as we did four solid deals – golf courses and a hotel– for our group of hotels.”
Elaborating, he adds, “Our first deal was the 168-room Travelodge by Wyndham in Sydney in Nova Scotia. Of the three golf courses we have bought, one is in Barrie and the two are in Nova Scotia. They are all 18-hole golf courses, each spread over 200 acres. These are 72 par championship courses. Frankly, we couldn’t have done better.”
Why?
“Because we have been very strategic in our buying. These golf club deals are more in terms of land acquisition. These deals have given us not only golf courses but also land.”
Rolling his eyes, he asks, “You know where the next big boom is going to happen in Canada?”
A smug smile crosses his face as he answers himself, “We know that the next boom will happen in the Maritimes as lots of new immigrants are going to make that place their home. That’s why this land acquisition there is very significant for us.”
He is a very busy man. Very disciplined. And laser-focussed on what he wants to do as the new boss of the hotel group comprising six hotels, three golf courses, restaurants, banquets and land development.
“Look, I joined my family business more than 10 years ago. I started from reception and rose through the ranks under my father’s watch. I held all positions, including the director. Dad thought I am ripe for the top role and passed on the baton to me. Not that he has faded from the scene. He is still the chairman and CEO, but final decisions will be mine. Of course, I will work under his guidance,” he elaborates.
He says he is very excited about his new role.
“Now I get to steer the ship and the exciting part is the direction I want to give it. This summer we have done very well and we want to keep expanding. My very first summer has been a roller-coaster.”
In fact, his last four years have been something of a roller-coaster for the young man.
In the very beginning of 2021, he went to India to tie the knot with the girl of his choice – Saumya. But then COVID struck and they got stuck in New Delhi.
“It was very frustrating to find yourself suddenly cooped up at home. But there was nothing anybody could do about that. We had no option but to micromanage things through remote control.”
As COVID receded and normal life resumed, the newly married young man set about making up for the lost time and business.
“We worked with a vengeance and the whole of 2022 was taken up by rebuilding our business. And we had a pretty solid start to 2023. In fact, we were on a roll.”
Then his baby daughter came along and he became a proud father.
“My baby has added another dimension to my life. I have now become exceptionally busy. There are a new set of responsibilities and I have to balance my life more than ever. I guess I have done a lot of growing up in the last three to four years. But I am very happy with the way things have panned out,” he laughs.
He admits parenthood has taught some very very valuable lessons.
“It has taught me patience and given me a wholesome vision of life. Now I have more people to think about. I have learnt that success is not just about money, it’s also about building a great family life. I devote a good part of my day to my young family. I have just bought a new house next to my parents’ so that we can be near one another.”
In 2023, this busy young man added yet another feather to his cap when he was cast in Punjabi movie Sarabha about the young Indian revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha who was hanged by the British at the age of 19 in 1915.
“My father is one of the producers of this movie which hit theatres globally in November. Out of curiosity, I went to Vancouver to see its shooting. There, film director Kavi Raz offered me one of the supporting roles of the main character. My character is Lal Chand who was also with Kartar Singh Sarabha as an Indian international student in America. We used to shoot from 7 am till midnight. We had great fun for 14 days,” smiles Sameer.
He says he will lap up if more film roles come along in the future.
“Yeah, they’re sort of fun. I love films and I think some future roles would be right up my alley,” he says.
Expanding on his year-end appointment as chairman of the Mississauga Board of Trade, “I have probably become the youngest person to hold this position. I am very excited about my role. My term will last one year. I joined them five years ago as a director and became vice chairman last year.”
What got him this responsibility?
“I don’t know,” he smiles. “Maybe they thought of my value to this institution. Frankly, my association with the Board has helped me with personality development, grow my network and share my experiences with others and learn from others.”
Comprising 19 members from small, medium and large industries, he says, the Mississauga Board of Trade (MBoT) helps local businesses with networking, connecting with other businesses and lobbying with all levels of government.
Amid his crowded corporate and family life, does he miss something?
He says his time is indeed very tight these days but he does not miss anything.
As we wind up our conversation, the season’s first snow begins to fall in big, big blobs.
Rising from his chair, the young hotelier looks through the picture window and says. “This year has been great for us and we want to keep up the same momentum in 2024. As chairman of the MBOT, I also look forward to reaching out to the Indian market and expanding business opportunities between our two countries in February 2024.”
He is a man to watch in the New Year.
Father Kuldeep Sharma on Sameer: I thought it was the right time to pass on the baton to Sameer. He has now enough in terms education and background in the hotel business to steer the Crown Group of Hotels on his own.
Over the last 10 years, he has got enough exposure. He has the experiencing of selling and buying hotels. He is very good at number crunching and reading the balance sheet.
More than anything else, Sameer is very sharp in reading the trends in his business. he can project where things will after what time.
For me, all these skills in him were strong indicators that he can handle the business independently.
Apart from his business skills, Sameer is very good at networking. He knows everybody in the hospitality business. Over the years, we have acquired various brand names in hotel business, and he knew all the people in those chains.
He is a natural for this business and he enjoys what he does. I am very sure he will take our business to new heights.
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