Simon Mass
The route to Schulich and Canada was noteworthy for Simon Mass (MBA 1995). He graduated during a global recession in the U.K. and decided to further his education with a master’s degree and looked across the pond for the right program, the right situation, and a great place to live and study.
The opportunities that occurred while still in his final year of the MBA program is when he “fell into the world of real estate investing”.
“I uncovered an industry that allowed me to combine my desire for independence with my ability to link a number of interests in one career,” said Mass. “I knew that I enjoyed aspects of finance, design, architecture, and marketing, but real estate investing allowed me to get all of that at once. I made an almost immediate transition from postgrad student to businessman with my initial successful foray into investment.”
The foundation that was built at Schulich has culminated with a business that has grown to a firm that has done $25 billion in revenue over a 20-year timeframe.
In 2019 Mass used the chaos during the Toronto Raptors playoff run that resulted in an NBA Championship as a marketing opportunity. He made a statement to a publication that was speaking to him about the marketplace that he would give NBA super star Kawhi Leonard a $5 Million penthouse condo if he would continue playing for the Raptors.
“The resulting media frenzy was incredible and surprising, but it also teaches you about the power of organic media and authenticity in your message,” Mass recalls. “People liked this and wanted to talk about it because it was genuine and a real thing.” Ongoing conversations where had with the Raptors organization up till the night before Kawhi made his final decision to go to the LA Clippers. At all times, Mass maintained his promise to support the Raptors organization and the City of Toronto with his generous investment.
Building off the Kawhi Leonard situation, subsequent marketing programs have been built by TCS to continue to grow the brand. First, in 2022, TCS joined forces with global comedic superstar Russell Peters to become TCS’s brand ambassador; Mass and Peters conducted a press tour through Toronto and filmed content where Russell opens up about his investing past, pandemic times, and what it’s like to be a Canadian global sensation.
Then TCS developed and curated a video interview series with top leaders in various industries in Toronto, including Jon Love of KingSett Capital and local sports celebrity and hero, Pinball Clemons. The result was a 7-part professionally produced series that told some great stories and showed many positive perspectives on the future of Toronto and why it’s revered as a world-class city; episodes were released throughout 2023.
In 2021, Mass and TCS created scholarships for Ontario post-secondary schools that are known for their business and real estate programs and that program included York University. Mass talks about the rationale for the program, “We believe in encouraging the softer skills of business. Charisma, professionalism, smarts, and thinking on your feet are all traits of industry leaders and game changers,” he added. “We also want to hear from the students and be an active partner to the schools, not simply provide the funding and walk away. If we can help in any meaningful way, then we will.”
The result was the implementation of The Condo Store Leadership Award to benefit incoming Master of Real Estate and Infrastructure (MREI) students or MBA students specializing in real estate and infrastructure. Mass notes that it’s not just real estate but TCS is looking to support the next generation of leaders in whatever field they end up in. The goal of the program is to improve innovation, skill sets, and overall motivation to create and succeed.
In 2024, Mass opened a new office for his company, TCS Miami, to bring the same tried and true real estate investment platform that created the pre-construction sector in Toronto to South Florida.