Name: Shahram Shaida
Title: Founder and chief brick, Allbricks
What I do: I, along with my team, sell stability, comfort and freedom; we happen to deliver it in a box called a home. We’re making home ownership a reality again for millions and enabling more people to benefit from property investment.
Why I got into the property industry: After personally experiencing how broken the current rental, mortgage and home buying process is, I decided to make it my life mission to solve the global housing crises and reverse the fading dream of home ownership.
How I did it: I founded Allbricks, which has uniquely unitised residential property to democratise wealth creation through home ownership. By removing the mortgage model and creating a crowdfunding approach, we’ve made something better than a mortgage for home buyers, better than a buy-to-let for investors, and creating new unique investment opportunities for institutional investors.
My first proper job: I wanted things that cost beyond my pocket money, so it was a necessity that I got a job as soon as I possibly could. Those early challenges instilled in me a powerful work ethic. My first work experience was stacking fruit in a supermarket’s grocery section at 14. It planted the seed of understanding the power of hard work and that I needed to create more for my life.
My first big break: There has been no single big break for me, just consistent hard graft, day in and day out. Timing, persistence and creating luck through hard work are how you create breaks. But if I had to pick a moment that changed my future, it was when I found my first angel investor, who accepted the crazy vision I had to go up against the mortgage industry.
My inspiration(s): My family. I grew up in a challenging war-torn part of the world that would and could make anyone bitter. But instead, with grace and warmth, they installed in me from a very young age that we have a duty to help those less fortunate and taught me what true unconditional love and support are.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Between the ages of 10 to 18, my family moved countries four times, and I attended six different schools. I only learned to speak English at the age of 10, and the brutal reality is that you can’t help but fall behind when you have that much disruption in your life. At senior school, all I wanted to do was study and work in computing, but unfortunately, I didn’t make it into the university course I wanted because I didn’t pass the exam. I was devastated. But that feeling of not being good enough has driven my daily obsession with doing more and self-improving. It lit a fire beneath me, and this experience is at the heart of my passion for my company. When I say the words “I want Allbricks to deliver stability”, this is why, because I know the impact of not having stability in your life.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: My greatest business achievement has been launching Allbricks and watching the first home buyers express their gratitude that a new solution might solve their home-buying challenges. My proudest personal moment to date is my daughter. She makes me proud every day as the amazing human being she is.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That all landlords are bad and all tenants are bad.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: I’ve met a lot of “fly by night” chancers who damage our industry. They only want to make a quick buck from property and don’t create lasting beneficial opportunities. We’ve unfortunately created an industry where we need to be reminded of the human aspect. Here we are playing with people’s homes, safety and security, but many people in our industry only look at the situation financially. We need a better balance.
When I became interested in ESG: I believe in conscientious capitalism as the way forward. With wealth should come responsibility and a duty to improve our neighbourhoods, communities, and the world. Money should not be the end goal; money should be a tool to facilitate a better outcome.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: I’m a ‘minority’ founder, and I’ve worked hard to ensure that I’ve got a diverse and unique team. I don’t believe in giving people special attention; I believe in giving people the same fair attention. You’ll be amazed and disappointed how many times people don’t read past my name and put me in the “too hard to pronounce” and therefore do business with bin. It’s a challenge and hopefully as we have more diversity and acceptance a situation that doesn’t have to be status quo. I’m focused on making sure Allbricks is part of the solution. One of our core values at Allbricks is equity. We recognise that everyone doesn’t begin in the same place in society. Some people face adverse conditions and circumstances making it more challenging with the same effort to achieve the same goals. We believe in levelling the property buying and investing process. Ensuring that everyone is provided with what they need to succeed.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: I would like to have enabled a million people to live in their own homes.
My main career goals right now: To raise our next round of seed investment to grow Allbricks due to the phenomenal demand by customers since launching – our goal is to make that a process that everyone can participate in as well as much as we can within the rules around investment. I’m also busy engaging with institutional investors to invest in property through Allbricks so we can grow even faster. Beyond that, I’m focused on building the team and the team culture I want for my business. I know that establishing this now is critical for healthy growth later.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: I’d invite my mum. She was a tiger mum who pushed me so far beyond my comfort zone that I didn’t even know what a comfort zone was. She passed away before I started Allbricks. I know she’d love what we’re doing, and I’d love the opportunity to tell her in person. I know she would be proud.
What I do in my downtime: There is very little downtime in the life of a founder, but when I do get the opportunity, I spend it with family, playing squash and the odd poker night with friends.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: I’m not sure what other job I could or would be doing now – the startup world, however crazy it is, is an adrenaline rush. I love being an entrepreneur, and I’m sure I would be in another startup doing something I felt was making a positive difference in the world.
My advice for someone just starting out: Prepare to be tested beyond your wildest imagination, and chances are you will be broken financially, mentally, spiritually, and physically at some point. But if you can survive that and achieve your goal, nothing in the world comes as close to doing something you love day in and day out and watching the change you dreamt of become a reality.
My motto/mantra: This will be on my gravestone: “Nothing in my life went to plan A, but I always dragged “success” across the line kicking and screaming with an ear cut off and a gun to its head” (figuratively speaking, of course).
