Q: What is your motto?
Shahraz: Reach for the stars not the moon, that way if you fall short you still land on the moon.

Q: Where is your favorite B.C. destination?
Shahraz: Penticton.

Q: If you could do it over again, you would...
Shahraz: Do it all over again! No regrets!

Q: What do you like to do in your leisure time?
Shahraz: Spend time with my family and loved ones.

Q: What’s your favourite vacation?
Shahraz: Anywhere with great food!

Q: What’s the best advice you have ever gotten?
Shahraz: Don’t listen to pessimists.

Q: What was your favourite subject in high school?
Shahraz: Woodworking.

Q: What was your career aspiration when you were 20? How close did you get?
Shahraz: Entrepreneur. I started at 18.

Q: What was your first full-time job? How did it help prepare you in your later work?
Shahraz: Stock clerk, I realized that I could never work for anyone.

Q: What is the best business book you’ve ever read?
Shahraz: Going for it by Victor Kiam.

Q: What is the biggest mistake you’ve made in your working life?
Shahraz: Leasing instead of buying real estate.

Q: What was the best decision you’ve made in your working life?
Shahraz: Finally buying commercial real estate!

Q: What’s your advice for achieving work/life balance?
Shahraz: Remember that money can’t buy you health or bring back your loved ones once they pass away, so take time to enjoy your loved ones and take care of your health.

Q: What are the most important character traits for being a successful entrepreneur?
Shahraz: Persistence.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a young entrepreneur what would it be?
Shahraz: Make sure you enjoy what you do, it should be your passion.

Q: What is the thing that most entrepreneurs tend to overlook that they should be most focused on?
Shahraz: Cost of doing business.

Q: What is the biggest challenge being an entrepreneur in today’s economy and rapidly changing technological environment?
Shahraz: Today’s entrepreneur has to be a jack of all trades and must keep learning. Even in the traditional jewellery industry, we must keep up with computer animation and design and learn CAD as that is becoming essential in jewellery design and manufacture.

Q: What is one piece of advice you would offer to an entrepreneur who is setting up their business for the first time?
Shahraz: Cut your projections in half and multiply your costs by two. If your business plan still looks sustainable, go for it!