News

5250 Solar drive Ground breaking ceremony

9/27/2019

In a ceremony Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga, Deepak Anand, MPP, and prominent members of Canada’s Afghan community, Business Point broke ground on their new industrial condos.
The project, named 5250 Solar Drive, is 41-unit multi-use industrial condos based in Mississauga’s Airport Corporate Center. The project is expected to come live in the fall of 2020, when the city approves the building and new businesses move in.
Crombie was proud that Business Point chose Mississauga as the location of their units. “My business as the Mayor is to bring Businesses to Mississauga.” Crombie said. She is also happy that an Afghan community is thriving in Mississauga.
Anand lauded the industrial project’s outcome of supporting small and medium-sized businesses, who are being pushed out of the market by multi-national players.
“Global ecommerce companies such as Amazon and Spotify are buying up industrial units across the Greater Toronto Area and driving up prices.” James Hussaini, President at Business Point said. “We are building these units to support smaller companies who have nowhere else to base their business.”
Industrial units in Toronto are following a trend seen across all major cities in North America. With the rise of ecommerce, demand for industrial units is rising too. Without new industrial units to meet this new demand, traditional businesses that required industrial space feel stressed.

New development at Airport Corporate Centre

9/7/2018

Home to the Canadian Headquarters of many global companies, including Bell, Kellogg’s, Acer, Hershey’s, Sketchers and many more, Airport Corporate Centre is a vibrant hub of corporate activities.
Business Point recently released their plans to open a brand new business park. Located on Solar Drive, just south of the Toronto Pearson International Airport, the city of Mississauga has invested in the long-term future of Airport Corporate Centre by completing 2 Mississauga Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) hubs walking distance away to help provide convenient transportation and an ideal location for logistic companies.
The city is continually making infrastructure improvements to keep up with business demand and provide businesses with the most modern and best services possible.
“Mississauga is one of the fastest growing cities in the Greater Toronto Area,” said James Hussaini, president of Business Point. “And the proximity of this project to the Pearson International Airport and major highways makes it an ideal location for both investors and business owners alike.”
He said there is a rapid growth of e-commerce in Canada and this had sparked an expansion in the country’s logistics and distribution sector. “At the same time, supply [of small industrial spaces] is constrained due to a scarcity of developable land.”
The developer offers a total of 32 industrial units. “Most of our units are 1,800 sq. ft. and we have as big as 12,000 sq feet,” said James. After research, Business Point has concluded that most small businesses are looking for units around 2,000 sq. feet. “Small units are in high demand in today’s market,” he said.
“This is the only 26 feet high ceiling industrial condo project in the area,” said the Vice President of Business Point, Ahmad Elahi.
Availability of industrial space in GTA has hit an all time low at 2.1%. Sale prices and leasing rates have grown exponentially and with an average of double digit growth over the past few years. Despite the tight market for space and high rents, companies still choose to locate their distribution facilities in the GTA for fast access to the regions of high-income consumer population.
“[The project] was launched on September 5th, at Hilton Suites in Markham,” said Neelo Ahmadi, asset manager of Business Point. “Over 70% of the units were sold on that day.”

Business Point’s asset management, Neelo Ahmadi, at the company’s Airport Corporate Centre pre-launch event on Sept 5th, 2018.

Build It and They Will Come

2/6/2017

Success can be measured in numerous of ways, depending on what you call “success”.
Money, a house, a car, a strong family life, great friends, or a stable job, just to name a few, are all measuring sticks that people may use to explain what they see as success.
Success, however, is the realization of your goals, whatever they may be. Success does not define you, you define success.
What others may see as your success may actually matter very little to yourself personally. You may have money but are worried about your health. Money matters little if you cannot enjoy it.
Success requires that you enjoy what you do and have the ability to enjoy the prestige it brings.
Every step that brings you closer to your goals is a brick in the foundation of the success you build.
Real steps to finding your success:

Be open and active in the ways you find the answers to the problems that confront you
Do not focus on what cannot be done, instead increase your efforts for what can be done
Create an atmosphere of determination that breaks down the mountains that may stand in your way
Understanding and effectively communicating your purpose will help you to influence others allowing you to reach your goals quickly
Put in the time and effort, procrastination will kill your dreams of success minute by minute and day by day

Success may start as a dream but when you can build with a foundation of purpose you will achieve what others thought you could not.

How Will What You Are Doing Impact Sales?

11/28/2016

From time management to resource procurement, from employee’s well-being to customer satisfaction, and everything in-between, you should be asking yourself “how will this affect sales?” before making a decision.
- Recognize that every person within an organization has an impact on sales
- All decisions need to answer this question: “how will it impact sales?”
- Understand that there are no jobs without sales whether your job is selling or not
No Sales, No Jobs
Without sales there are no jobs. Eventually no decisions will ever need to be made (you’ll be out of business). Establishing “how will this affect sales?” as a condition of any decision, big and small, will impact your business just as much as making a decision without considering how that decision will impact sales.
Do you remember the Kevin Bacon’s “6 Degrees of Separation”? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_separation The objective of the game is to link Kevin Bacon to another actor by counting the number of personal connections it takes to get from one to another.
Decisions Are Not Disconnected From Sales
Decisions that impact sales can be seen in many way but often overlooked. The decisions we make are not disconnected from all others, instead, every decision you make interconnects. Saving money on heating bills can create a cold work environment which then chills employees and affects the disposition of customers, potentially shortening client meeting times and not allowing for full presentations thus forfeiting sales opportunities. You can make similar comparisons with every process that your business and employees goes through.
“How does my current task impact sales?” is a question that many employees and business owners do not ask simply because they don’t see sales being involved with their tasks at hand. After all, if they are not in the “selling pipeline” they may have no direct interaction with the purchaser of their company’s goods and services and fails to recognize their impact.
“How do our business methods impact sales?” This question allows you to focus on regular tasks that administration staff need to accomplish in a smooth manner that supports other departments in their workday duties. From the cleanliness of the back warehouse to the store fronts, keeping employees safe and customers comfortable impacts sales.
Measure Your Decisions As ROI of Sales Impact
“How do our leads and follow-up sales methods impact sales?” allows you to focus on how potential and current client information is handled and managed. In turn, this allows you to measure your return on investment of the resources and information you have, directly impact sales.
Summary
I believe that there are no businesses that have unlimited resources with expectations of no return on investments. Asking “how will this impact sales?” can provide a measurable direction for you to take whenever a decision is to be made.

Historic Queen’s Hotel in Unionville set to reopen

6/23/2016

After more than a year and about $2 million spent on restoration and re-construction, the Queen’s Hotel on Main Street Unionville is set to re-open.
The hotel, built in the 1870s, was damaged during a fire last March.
Since then, the owner has been working to preserve the historic building.
“This street is recognized because of this building,” said James Hussaini, president of Business Point, a co-working office space company that owns the building.
“This building is in every picture. There are a lot of emotions attached to this building.”
Preserving the bricks and mortar was the priority, for the business and for himself.
“Even I have an emotional attachment to this building,” said Hussaini, who worked in a highrise prior to starting his own business.
He remembers a photo on the wall showing the hotel in the late 19th century.
“There were no cars,” he said. “There were horses in the photo. That type of history creates an attachment.”
The cause of the fire was sourced back to a malfunctioning potlight in the ceiling of a retail store on the ground floor.
“It was a stubborn fire,” said Neelo Ahmadi, hotel restoration project manager. “It’s because it was an older building, it went quickly. Thank goodness there were no injuries.”
While there was little damage to the exterior, there was extensive smoke and water damage to the interior.
The interior of the building is brand new. The restoration process included new electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems as well as extensive fire-proofing measures.
“We want to make sure this never happens again,” Ahmadi said. “The good news is it’s all new and the outside is preserved.”
With any restoration, there were ups and downs.
While the city toed the line when it came to preserving heritage, as it should Hussaini said, he never expected the process to drag on more than a year.
At one point, their insurance company wanted to take down part of the exterior wall along Main Street.
It took about six months to settle that debate between city and insurer.
“We weren’t looking for financial help,” Huassini said. “But we thought because it was a heritage building, the process would be expedited.”
The fire and the restoration process took a toll on several businesses in the building and Business Point lost a few tenants.
But the restored building will be home to a couple of boutique retail shops on the ground level and a slew of businesses on the second and third levels including a lawyer, real estate agent, wedding planner and mortgage broker.
There was some discussion about transforming the building into an indoor mall with several small retail and boutique shops, while maintaining the historical integrity of the exterior.
The mall would have added another attraction to the street, especially during winter, Hussaini said.
But after pushback, he kept the original plan – executive office spaces and a business centre.
If all stays on track, Business Point will open by the end of the month, just in time for the summer when Main Street is at its busiest.
“We’re excited,” Ahmadi said. “We can’t wait to open again. It’s very emotional.”

Build Your Business Resume

3/7/2016

Press Release: James Hussaini Announces “Yours Independently’” His Real Estate Book That Brings Agents into a New Era of Salesmanship and Business Ownership

11/18/2015

James Hussaini announces the publication and book launch of his latest real estate book “Yours Independently”.
James Hussaini
WireService.ca Press Release (11/18/2015) Toronto, ON – December 3, 2015 marks the day that “Yours Independently” by James Hussaini is launched.
“Yours Independently” speaks to the average real estate sales professional about what is wrong with the traditional brokerage model and exposes them to the power they can harness to bring about a dramatic and positive change to their business.
“It’s not only time to lead by example, “says author James Hussaini, “but it is also time to provide the tools and motivation to real estate sales professionals so they can truly find success in their chosen career.”
“Yours Independently” will be launched on December 3, 2015 during the 1st Annual Realty Point Dinner & Food Drive in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
“I want to share the excitement of my book being published with the charitable good will of the season, “says James, “and when there are more than 850,000 people in our communities visiting a food bank every month, what can be more important to a real estate agent than to ensure their neighbours have enough to eat.”
“Yours Independently” took over two years to write, and is based on the realities that James has seen in his real estate career as technology invades the real estate industry and the ways that home buyers and sellers expectations of the customer service they receive from their realtor has shifted.
“As an industry professional I feel it necessary to offer my help and support to those real estate agents that are willing to put in the time and effort of improving their business. ‘Yours Independently’ will guide them through the steps I myself have taken, allowing them to learn from my experiences and not their own mistakes” James concluded.
More information about “Yours Independently” can be found online at www.YoursIndependently.com
Proceeds from book sales, and tickets to the launch event, will be donated to The Daily Bread Food Bank.
About the Author
James Hussaini has had a successful career in real estate and most recently founded Realty Point, an Ontario real estate brokerage franchisor that allows real estate professionals to open and manage their own independently operated real estate brokerage and provides them with the tools and support they need to find the success that drew them into a career in real estate sales in the first place.
About the Book
Yours Independently: Transform Your Real Estate Business with a New Team-based Model of Brokerage Ownership
Published: December 3, 2015
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
ISBN (Print Edition): 978-0-9939036-0-1
ISBN (Digital Edition): 978-0-9939036-1-8
Website: www.yoursindependently.com
Contact
James Hussaini
james@yoursindependently.com

Multi-tasking is Making You Less Productive

9/14/2015

A Stanford study https://news.stanford.edu/news/2009/august24/multitask-research-study-082409.html showed that people that are juggling several conversations though email and instant messaging can lose focus and control of their memory which can impact overall performance of the tasks at hand.
- Unproductive multi-tasking is more common than you think
- Prioritizing tasks can improve job satisfaction
- High level multi-taskers may have a harder time filtering out irrelevant data
The results of the Stanford study suggests that high level multi-taskers have a greater tendency towards distraction that can lead towards sacrificing performance on the immediate task at hand.
While multitasking is a generally accepted practice, and almost certainly a requirement for any small business professional, carefully defining the importance of each task at hand and allotting specific time to priority tasks increases productivity and can improve general job satisfaction.
Prioritizing your communications with project based to-do lists is a step in the right direction, allowing you to concentrate on the task at hand and not the task of the moment.
To determine the priority of a task presenting itself to you, ask yourself these 3 questions:
- Is what I am doing important now?
- Do I have all the information needed to proceed with this task?
- Am I the best person to handle this or can it be delegated to someone else?
Streamlining your tasks and, when necessary, unplugging from the constant stream of communications coming your way, is a surefire method to increasing your productivity without compromising your overall effectiveness.

How To Use: Social Media

6/29/2015

How is your Social Media exposure these days?
With so many ways to connect with customers online you want to be sure not to spread yourself too thin and allow for actual conversations to take place between yourself and current / future clients.
If you’re just starting out or you are re-evaluating where your efforts should be focused on, the best place to start is by making yourself available where your current clients are active online. Ask where you can follow them and build your online relationships. Every business succeeds with positive interactions and referrals, you just need to have the right plan to stay focused, approachable and relevant.
Here’s how Social Media sites stack up for users to give you an idea of places to focus your efforts.
Of course, it’s more important to understand where your clients are hanging out online rather than these bulk numbers but they will give you a heads up on where to start. It’s important to note that 67% of Canadian internet users visit a social networking site at least once a month (Statistics Canada, Individual Internet Use 2012 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/131028/dq131028a-eng.html
- Facebook – 17 million Canadian members. It’s estimated that by the end of 2014 92.9 Canadian social media users will have a Facebook account
- Twitter – 10 million Canadian users
- LinkedIn – 8 million Canadian users
- Pinterest – 4 million Canadian users with 66% being women, and 34% with incomes over $100k
As one method of connecting to a wide range of social media users you may want to follow the most popular brand pages https://www.socialbakers.com/statistics/facebook/pages/local/canada/brands/ on Facebook and join active conversations, just don’t promote your business on those pages, be yourself.
Avoid spammy conversations and be helpful. Create opportunities for discussion and always be courteous. The bigger goal is to increase your reach but don’t allow your business to get in the way of other’s simpler aims.

Productivity: Manage Your Inbox

3/23/2015

Is email simply a tool you use for communication or is your inbox running your business?
All too often we fall into the habit of creating our daily to-do list based on the messages we have waiting rather than managing the real priorities that our business requires.
You can increase your productivity by avoiding your inbox for the first hour of your work day and allow yourself the freedom to think about what you really need to accomplish during your day.
Instead of dealing with your email as the most important thing you do, use that first hour on planning your day with setting tangible goals in mind. There is a hierarchy to communication that will help you implement a manageable plan of action. Phone calls first, text messages second and email last. Usually this order prioritizes what your clients see as important and allows you better control of your time and productivity.
I remember reading somewhere, years ago, that email was never meant to be immediate. So why do a few unread messages sitting in our inbox overwhelm everything else we need to do?
Give yourself a break from the morning email routine you’ve fallen into and you’ll dramatically improve your daily productivity.
Here’s some handy email tips to consider:
- Use the subject line to highlight the reason for the email
- At the end of the email note a time which you would like a response and by what method (phone, text or email) depending on the urgency
- Don’t reply to email with a one-word response. Saying simply “OK” might not be enough to insure you fully understand the message.
- Be sure to answer all the questions in the email to avoid multiple emails on the same subject
- Keep your messages easily legible, use just text of one colour and one size. You can’t be certain if the email will be read on a computer, a tablet or a smartphone
The most successful people allow themselves to manage their communications, not their communications managing them.