By Adriana Ermter
Photography by Boaz Allon
It’s safe to say that most of us have never laid eyes on sculptor Hidari Jingoro’s famous 17th-century artistic rendition of the adage “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” that hangs above Japan’s Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Chances are good, though, you’ve used the expression of mimicry in its current and culturally relevant form — three simian-styled emojis favoured in lieu of words in texts, Tweets and within the comment bubbles on Facebook and Instagram. For Shaminder Gogna, however, the “Three Wise Monkeys” are a modus operandi. “As a leader, you have to monkey-see, monkey-do,” he affirms, chuckling. “I can’t go on a three-hour lunch break and then tell my team to eat a sandwich at their desks. Good habits transform people and businesses into something positive.” It’s good habits that have the 38-year-old CEO of the Condoville Group of Companies hitting the gym at 5 a.m. so he can be available to connect with his team by 8:30. After eight years of overseeing the full-scale, Toronto-based real estate brokerage, alongside his co-founder and wife, Jasneet, Gogna is crystal clear about the steps he needs to take to reach his goals and lead his company with purpose. “My purpose is to help people, whether it’s my team or clients,” says Gogna. “Real estate is sales and sales is all about the energy, so I try to keep mine focused and positive so that we can be ahead of the curve.” Condoville, or more specifically Gogna and his 12-person team, stay relevant by researching technology trends and innovative solutions. In 2016, when real estate projects weren’t easily searchable or accessible online, they created and launched micro-websites promoting their upcoming ventures. Six months later, a registering system empowering interested parties to sign up for more information about new construction builds was initiated. Sales increased and the team’s dependency on cold-calling diminished. “When I first started working with Shaminder, Condoville was simply a concept,” says Mitchell Coburn, partner of marketing and capital businesses. “I saw Sham’s larger vision within the industry, and I wanted to be a part of an innovative company. Condoville is a place that allows me to utilize all my skills and stay creative.” Creativity runs the gamut at Condoville inclusive of integrating real estate apps into corporate services and building a social media presence to better connect with millennial and generation Z clients. It has also made them a standout among their peers, while winning contracts over larger and more established corporations. Currently, the Condoville team is in the process of developing solutions to simplify the sales process for realtors across North America. “This shows how powerful our small team can be,” says Sumeet Banwait, partner of marketing and capital. “We are always thinking about ways to create new services to fill in gaps in the industry.” Adds Gogna, “With trust, knowledge and motivation, anything is possible.”