The STory: SFU graduate
Sayenden Supramaniyam's
ambition for his online real
estate brokerage is anything
but small: "I want to revo-
lutionize the industry," he
says bluntly. Supramaniyam,
one of three co-founders (the
other two, also
SFU grads,
are based in the company's
Toronto office), started
Realtyforsale in 2013. It
provides buyers with online
listings, an assigned agent
and neighbourhood data on
schools, parks and commu-
nity services; agents get a
commission of one to 1.5 per
cent (lower than the standard
commission of two to 2.5
per cent) while buyers get
up to one per cent cash back
on purchases. The son of Sri
Lankan parents (the family
migrated to Canada when he
was a baby), Supramaniyam
says his parents' ability to
overcome challenges was
an inspiration for him as an
entrepreneur: "Their battle
was so much greater than
anything I'll face in the entre-
preneurial world."
MarkerS of SucceSS:
Realtyforsale will be opening
a second office in Vancouver
in 2015, which will employ
five customer service staff
and four real estate agents.
Supramaniyam anticipates a
nearly 100 per cent increase
in completed transactions in
2015.
—A.D. ■
bcbusiness.ca april 2015 BCBusiness 55
S a y e n d e n S u p r a m a n i y a m
co - founder and ceo,
realT yforSale Inc.
age: 25
worst advice i've
ever received
"Being told by my
cousin that you
have to be ruth-
less to succeed"
