Futura Talks

Starting a business is not just about incredible ideas and vision. It also requires a lot of hard work.

Today we are joined by Sheryl Song, the CEO and Co-Founder of Ryna, a co-living and apartment rental platform that leverages technology to make renting & living easier for the new generation of renters. 

Starting Ryna has been an exciting journey and Sheryl is here with us today to share not only her journey but the lessons learned along the way. 

Episode Highlights

03:08 - The passion of a young Sheryl

06:23 - Adapting to new environment and culture

10:11 - Sheryl’s early career years

23:25 - How Sheryl started her business, Ryna

32:08 - How Ryna is disrupting the rental market in Canada

About Sheryl

Sheryl Song is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ryna, a co-living and apartment rental platform that leverages technology to make renting & living easier for the new generation of renters. Sheryl is also the chair of the board for Street Haven, the oldest women’s shelter in Toronto. She is the recipient of The W. Galen Weston Top Entrepreneur Award and EY Women in Tech Award by NEXT Canada. She was also named as The Peak's "2022 Emerging Leaders for Startups and Tech" as one of the up-and-coming young leaders shaping Canada's economy, culture, and society. 

Learn more about Sheryl and her business by visiting their website https://www.theryna.com/ (https://www.theryna.com/)

Connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherylsong/ (@Sheryl Song)

You can also follow Ryna on

https://www.instagram.com/therynaofficial/ (Instagram)

https://www.facebook.com/therynaofficial/ (Facebook)

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ryna/ (LinkedIn)

About Farrah:

Farrah is driven by her  purpose which is to elevate leaders that aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Farrah looks to challenge the status quo, advocate for progress and find ways to level the playing field so that leaders from diverse backgrounds can have a seat at the table and a platform to be seen and heard. 

 

Farrah is the Founder & CEO of Futura Funds, which was founded with the purpose to elevate women who aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Women who have bold dreams but often lack the resources, support and access to capital to bring their ideas to life. Our aim is to level the playing field so they have access to the resources and support to not only succeed but to thrive.

Know more about Farrah and Futura Funds by visiting the website www.futurafunds.ca

Connect with Farrah on Instagram @futurafunds [https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/ (https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/)]

And also on LinkedIn @Farrah Khimji [https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/)]

Get in touch with Farrah by sending an email at [email protected]

Thank you for listening! Please don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review as your feedback really matters to us. You can also listen to Futura Talks Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast [embed podcast show links] and other podcast platforms available to you.

Full show notes are also available on our website https://futurafunds.ca/ (https://futurafunds.ca/)

As promised, today’s episode picks up from Episode 5 where I continue to unpack all that I have learned from the failures in my life – the lessons that have been an important part of my personal and professional journey. There have been so many things that I have learned along the way that I decided to make this a 2-part episode so I can give each lesson the airtime it deserves.

So today I want to round out the lessons I have learned from my failures with 4 more big ones that have really helped me to learn a lot about myself! 

Episode Highlights

01:36 - Recap from the first part of this episode

03:40 - Failing to please others is not a failure

08:20 - Failed relationships can lead you to living more authentically

15:16 - You are not defined by your failures or your successes

22:32 - Failure is a necessary ingredient for innovation

About Farrah:

Farrah is driven by her  purpose which is to elevate leaders that aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Farrah looks to challenge the status quo, advocate for progress and find ways to level the playing field so that leaders from diverse backgrounds can have a seat at the table and a platform to be seen and heard. 

 

Farrah is the Founder & CEO of Futura Funds, which was founded with the purpose to elevate women who aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Women who have bold dreams but often lack the resources, support and access to capital to bring their ideas to life. Our aim is to level the playing field so they have access to the resources and support to not only succeed but to thrive.

 

About Futura Funds:

While women start businesses at faster rates than men, less than 2% of female founders hit $1M in revenue and less than 18% ever hit 6 figures. In addition, they receive less than 3% of venture capital funding with less than 1% to minorities (men & women combined).

Futura Funds aims to  change this by helping female entrepreneurs to:

1) Grow & scale by preparing the company for investment raises and by connecting them to their ideal capital partners

2) Stay ahead of the curve by adopting an innovation mindset to continually unlock new opportunities

3) Overcome challenges and navigate mindset roadblocks they face through individual and group coaching programs

Our overall aim is to support founders throughout their entrepreneurial journey by giving them the tools, resources and advice they need to succeed.

Know more about Farrah and Futura Funds by visiting their website www.futurafunds.ca

Connect with Farrah on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/ (@futurafunds)

And also on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/ (@Farrah Khimji)

Get in touch with Farrah by sending an email at [email protected]

Thank you for listening! Please don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review as your feedback really matters to us. You can also listen to Futura Talks Podcast on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futura-talks/id1621081750 (Apple Podcast), https://open.spotify.com/show/6T4b0ZIu9P9HSgdy0e3EmS?si=34ca6309dd4f4f98 (Spotify), https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vZnV0dXJhLXRhbGtzLw (Google Podcast) and other podcast platforms available to you.

Full show notes are also available on our https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwimutrZiJ34AhU4nFYBHTdWAwsQFnoECAoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffuturafunds.ca%2F&usg=AOvVaw2XOZrppfGR9mY0kdBUUq5S (website).

Owning a home is so much more than just having a roof over your head. It's a place to call your own, to raise a family, and to build wealth.

We are joined today by Amy Ding, a former finance professional with a deep-rooted passion and expertise in real estate and product. Her entire career has been related to real estate in different ways ranging from proptech founder to capital markets experience covering the real estate sector. She’s also a licensed realtor who knows the ins/outs of the home purchasing journey. 

Episode Highlights:

02:13 - Amy’s teenage years and aspirations

05:46 - Pivoting her career from accounting to joining RBC Ventures

11:58 - Light bulb moment for Amy to start her business, Requity Homes

15:12 - How Requity Homes helps their clients

24:01 - How Requity Homes is different from other home ownership companies

More about Amy

Amy Ding is the Founder and CEO of Requity Homes a tech enabled real estate platform that creates a fair, feasible and flexible new path to owning a home.

You can learn more about Amy and her business, Requity Homes through their website http://www.recuityhomes.com (www.recuityhomes.com)

Connect with her on LindkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-ding-cfa-cpa-ca-4598b8a4/ (@Amy Ding)

You can also follow Requity Homes at

https://www.instagram.com/requityhomes/ (Instagram)

https://www.facebook.com/RequityHomes/ (Facebook)

https://ca.linkedin.com/company/requity-homes (LinkedIn)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx35PeGtkNLkqSRlt8LI1Zw (YouTube)

About Farrah:

Farrah is driven by her  purpose which is to elevate leaders that aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Farrah looks to challenge the status quo, advocate for progress and find ways to level the playing field so that leaders from diverse backgrounds can have a seat at the table and a platform to be seen and heard. 

Farrah is the Founder & CEO of Futura Funds, which was founded with the purpose to elevate women who aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Women who have bold dreams but often lack the resources, support and access to capital to bring their ideas to life. Our aim is to level the playing field so they have access to the resources and support to not only succeed but to thrive.

Know more about Farrah and Futura Funds by visiting the website www.futurafunds.ca

Connect with Farrah on Instagram @futurafunds [https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/ (https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/)]

And also on LinkedIn @Farrah Khimji [https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/)]

Get in touch with Farrah by sending an email at [email protected]

Thank you for listening! Please don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review as your feedback really matters to us. You can also listen to Futura Talks Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast [embed podcast show links] and other podcast platforms available to you.

Full show notes are also available on our website https://futurafunds.ca/ (https://futurafunds.ca/)

So, as you can probably tell by now, I like to engage with topics that you’ve likely heard lots about and put my own spin, share my personal journey with it or take an entirely different approach and today’s topic is no different - today I would like to talk about the big “F” word - failure!

I thought the best way for me to unpack today’s topic is to share the lessons I have learned from the “failures” I have experienced in my life. Lessons that help me deal with the day-to-day setbacks or so-called failures to the bigger more monumental ones – lessons that have helped me to keep going after feeling like an utter failure – or worse a disappointment to others and myself. 

Episode Highlights:

02:41 - Lessons that help me deal with the day-to-day setbacks

04:57 - Lesson number one - Failure is in the eye of the beholder

08:17 - Lesson number two - It’s better to fail than to succeed 100% of the time

14:52 - Lesson number three - It’s better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all

About Farrah:

Farrah is driven by her  purpose which is to elevate leaders that aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Farrah looks to challenge the status quo, advocate for progress and find ways to level the playing field so that leaders from diverse backgrounds can have a seat at the table and a platform to be seen and heard. 

Farrah is the Founder & CEO of Futura Funds, which was founded with the purpose to elevate women who aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Women who have bold dreams but often lack the resources, support and access to capital to bring their ideas to life. Our aim is to level the playing field so they have access to the resources and support to not only succeed but to thrive.

About Futura Funds:

While women start businesses at faster rates than men, less than 2% of female founders hit $1M in revenue and less than 18% ever hit 6 figures. In addition, they receive less than 3% of venture capital funding with less than 1% to minorities (men & women combined).

Futura Funds aims to  change this by helping female entrepreneurs to:

1) Grow & scale by preparing the company for investment raises and by connecting them to their ideal capital partners

2) Stay ahead of the curve by adopting an innovation mindset to continually unlock new opportunities

3) Overcome challenges and navigate mindset roadblocks they face through individual and group coaching programs

Our overall aim is to support founders throughout their entrepreneurial journey by giving them the tools, resources and advice they need to succeed.

Know more about Farrah and Futura Funds by visiting their website www.futurafunds.ca

Connect with Farrah on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/ (@futurafunds)

And also on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/ (@Farrah Khimji)

Get in touch with Farrah by sending an email at [email protected]

Thank you for listening! Please don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review as your feedback really matters to us. You can also listen to Futura Talks Podcast on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futura-talks/id1621081750 (Apple Podcast), https://open.spotify.com/show/6T4b0ZIu9P9HSgdy0e3EmS?si=f8d569b203b6413a (Spotify), https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vZnV0dXJhLXRhbGtzLw (Google Podcast) and other podcast platforms available to you.

Full show notes are also available on our https://futurafunds.ca/ (website).

We are joined today by Monika Jaroszonek, the Co-Founder and CEO of Ratio City. Helping city builders and planners reduce inefficiencies in the planning process and focus on building exceptional solutions.

After 15 years of working as an architect handling millions of square feet of mixed use development, Monika was searching for a better solution to mock-up designs and create efficiencies in the city planning and building process.  Monika, along with her co-founder, Erin, saw an opportunity to harness technology to create a data-driven solution for city builders that would be accessible and transparent.

Episode Highlights

02:44 - Monika’s childhood that strengthened her passion for real estate

08:24 - Monika’s journey from being an architect to a CEO of tech company

10:55 - How Erin skills sets complimented Monika’s to form their partnership

13:08 - How Ratio City helps its clients

More About Monika

Ratio.City was founded by Monika Jaroszonek and Erin Morrow to help city builders and planners reduce inefficiencies in the planning process and focus on building exceptional solutions.

Monika and Erin’s shared background in urban planning and development made them intimately aware of the challenges faced in the preliminary planning phases. As a former architect, Monika handled millions of square feet in mixed-use development and needed a faster way to mock up designs, so she partnered with Erin to found Ratio.City. Ratio.City is now trusted by some of Canada’s largest REITS, real estate developers, municipalities and land use professionals and Monika and her team at Ratio.City are poised for their next wave of global expansion.

You can learn more about Monika and her business, Ratio City through their website https://www.ratio.city/ (https://www.ratio.city/)

Connect with her via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/monika-jaroszonek/ (@Monika Jaroszonek)

You can also follow Ratio City at

https://www.instagram.com/ratio.city (Instagram)

https://twitter.com/RatioCity (Twitter)

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ratio-city (LinkedIn)

About Farrah:

Farrah is driven by her  purpose which is to elevate leaders that aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Farrah looks to challenge the status quo, advocate for progress and find ways to level the playing field so that leaders from diverse backgrounds can have a seat at the table and a platform to be seen and heard. 

Farrah is the Founder & CEO of Futura Funds, which was founded with the purpose to elevate women who aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Women who have bold dreams but often lack the resources, support and access to capital to bring their ideas to life. Our aim is to level the playing field so they have access to the resources and support to not only succeed but to thrive.

Know more about Farrah and Futura Funds by visiting the website www.futurafunds.ca

Connect with Farrah on Instagram @futurafunds [https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/ (https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/)]

And also on LinkedIn @Farrah Khimji [https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/)]

Get in touch with Farrah by sending an email at [email protected]

Thank you for listening! Please don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review as your feedback really matters to us. You can also listen to Futura Talks Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast [embed podcast show links] and other podcast platforms available to you.

Full show notes are also available on our website https://futurafunds.ca/ (https://futurafunds.ca/)

Let’s talk about Imposter Syndrome – it’s a term that many of us have heard, in fact, many highly successful women like Arianna Huffington, Serena Williams, Jessica Alba and even Lady Gaga have shared that they have experienced this syndrome at different points in their careers.

Today, we are going to review the term imposter syndrome but more importantly, we are going to teach you how to stop using it as your crutch and instead, take back the power over this debilitating term so you can start thriving in your life and business!

Episode Highlights:

00:43 - My definition of imposter syndrome

03:50 - How I decided that it’ll no longer be my crutch

04:32 - Imposter Syndrome history; to fully understand the term

05:30 - The first time I felt and experienced imposter syndrome

10:00 - Lesson I’ve learned in my journey about beating Imposter Syndrome

18:05 - How you can start overcoming Imposter Syndrome today

About Farrah:

Farrah is driven by her  purpose which is to elevate leaders that aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Farrah looks to challenge the status quo, advocate for progress and find ways to level the playing field so that leaders from diverse backgrounds can have a seat at the table and a platform to be seen and heard. 

 

Farrah is the Founder & CEO of Futura Funds, which was founded with the purpose to elevate women who aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Women who have bold dreams but often lack the resources, support and access to capital to bring their ideas to life. Our aim is to level the playing field so they have access to the resources and support to not only succeed but to thrive.

About Futura Funds:

While women start businesses at faster rates than men, less than 2% of female founders hit $1M in revenue and less than 18% ever hit 6 figures. In addition, they receive less than 3% of venture capital funding with less than 1% to minorities (men & women combined).

Futura Funds aims to  change this by helping female entrepreneurs to:

1) Grow & scale by preparing the company for investment raises and by connecting them to their ideal capital partners

2) Stay ahead of the curve by adopting an innovation mindset to continually unlock new opportunities

3) Overcome challenges and navigate mindset roadblocks they face through individual and group coaching programs

Our overall aim is to support founders throughout their entrepreneurial journey by giving them the tools, resources and advice they need to succeed.

Know more about Farrah and Futura Funds by visiting their website www.futurafunds.ca

Connect with Farrah on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds (@futurafunds)

And also on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/ (@Farrah Khimji)

Get in touch with Farrah by sending an email at [email protected]

Thank you for listening! Please don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review as your feedback really matters to us. You can also listen to Futura Talks Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast and other podcast platforms available to you.

As the saying “Instead of begging for a seat, build your own table” goes, chasing your dreams and finding luck is not for a faint of heart, especially for entrepreneurs. And the only way for you to start doing what you feel is best aligned with your passion is to start building your table.

I had a chance to have a wonderful conversation with Lori Suba, the President and Broker of Scout Real Estate. After more than 15 years of the corporate grind working as a broker in the Commercial Real Estate Industry - Lori decided to launch her own boutique brokerage firm. I met Lori a few years ago and was blown away by her story, having worked in the commercial real estate industry myself, where it is often cutthroat, highly competitive and male-dominated, it is not an environment that is easy to succeed in, let alone thrive. But for Lori, this is exactly what motivated her to start Scout and it is what inspires me most about Lori and her story.

Episode Highlight:

01:14 - A little about Lori as a child and her inspirations

04:08 - A major surgery that led her to change her trajectory from taking education to entering business school

08:45 - Taking the leap on starting her business Scout Real Estate

18:41 - Scout Real Estate and how it serves clients

31:22 - Laurae Spindler and creating the Leasing Out Loud podcast

More about Lori:

With over 19 years of commercial leasing expertise, Lori understands the unique challenges facing

the market and can help you capitalize on opportunities. With a focus on service, relationships and

solutions, Lori takes care of her clients to ensure they realize the best results.

You can learn more about Lori and her business, Scout Real Estate through their website https://scoutrealestate.ca/ (https://scoutrealestate.ca/)

Connect with her as well on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-suba/?originalSubdomain=ca (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-suba/?originalSubdomain=ca)

About Farrah:

Farrah is driven by her  purpose which is to elevate leaders that aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Farrah looks to challenge the status quo, advocate for progress and find ways to level the playing field so that leaders from diverse backgrounds can have a seat at the table and a platform to be seen and heard. 

Farrah is the Founder & CEO of Futura Funds, which was founded with the purpose to elevate women who aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Women who have bold dreams but often lack the resources, support and access to capital to bring their ideas to life. Our aim is to level the playing field so they have access to the resources and support to not only succeed but to thrive.

As I go along in my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve learned a lot of things about myself, my clients and how purpose is so integral to all that we do. 

Entrepreneurship can sometimes be a lonely journey and that’s what encouraged me to start this podcast.

I aim to share what I have learned and continue to learn along my journey as an entrepreneur. There have been so many things I wished I had known before launching my business and I want to share these learnings with all of you in the hopes that they will help you along your journey – whatever stage you may be at.

Episode Highlights:

02:48 - My journey in life and struggles in finding my purpose

09:22 - Me saying yes to everything even it didn’t align to my vision in life and in my career

11:36 - The framework I use in finding my purpose that generates income

16:41 - My tips and exercise that you can follow in finding your purpose both in life and in business

About Farrah:

Farrah is driven by her  purpose which is to elevate leaders that aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Farrah looks to challenge the status quo, advocate for progress and find ways to level the playing field so that leaders from diverse backgrounds can have a seat at the table and a platform to be seen and heard. 

Farrah is the Founder & CEO of Futura Funds, which was founded with the purpose to elevate women who aspire to be agents of change and innovation. Women who have bold dreams but often lack the resources, support and access to capital to bring their ideas to life. Our aim is to level the playing field so they have access to the resources and support to not only succeed but to thrive.

 

About Futura Funds:

While women start businesses at faster rates than men, less than 2% of female founders hit $1M in revenue and less than 18% ever hit 6 figures. In addition, they receive less than 3% of venture capital funding with less than 1% to minorities (men & women combined).

Futura Funds aims to  change this by helping female entrepreneurs to:

1) Grow & scale by preparing the company for investment raises and by connecting them to their ideal capital partners

2) Stay ahead of the curve by adopting an innovation mindset to continually unlock new opportunities

3) Overcome challenges and navigate mindset roadblocks they face through individual and group coaching programs

Our overall aim is to support founders throughout their entrepreneurial journey by giving them the tools, resources and advice they need to succeed.

Know more about Farrah and Futura Funds by visiting their website https://futurafunds.ca/ (www.futurafunds.ca)

Connect with Farrah on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/futurafunds/ (@futurafunds) and also on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-khimji/ (@Farrah Khimji)

Get in touch with Farrah by sending an email at [email protected]

Thank you for listening! Please don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review as your feedback really matters to us. You can also listen to Futura Talks Podcast on https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/trailer-welcome-to-futura-talks-podcast-with-farrah-khimji/id1621081750?i=1000558749789 (Apple Podcast), https://open.spotify.com/show/6T4b0ZIu9P9HSgdy0e3EmS?si=y_zWeZLLTW2nPMHRQfqTuA (Spotify), https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vZnV0dXJhLXRhbGtzLw?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwi458yn8rD3AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBQ (Google Podcast) and other podcast platforms available to you.

Grab your favorite drink (coffee or wine) and join me every week as we share these stories with you so you can find yourself in them and realize that the path of entrepreneurship is accessible to anyone that has the desire to choose it! Whether you are in a corporate role, considering a path of entrepreneurship or already on your journey – this podcast will leave you motivated to act and inspire you to be the leader of your own Futura!