New Brokerage Firm Fills Market Void

LOS ANGELES—A new brokerage firm has entered the market. SharpLine has officially launched and has planted roots in Downtown Los Angeles. The firm will focus on the retail and industrial sectors with a platform that serves owners, investors and occupiers. The firm's president and founder Barbara Armendariz says that the firm will fill a void in the market for direct service brokerage regardless of geographic location.

“I identified an unmet demand to streamline clients' business needs by being the single point of contact,” Armendariz tells GlobeSt.com. “My strategy for doing that is by building a large diverse team that can make deals happen regardless of geographic scope. Ultimately, all my motivation evolved into SharpLine, an entrepreneurial company where the sky is the limit for both the brokers and our clients.”

Armendariz is starting the firm with ambitious goals. She plans to complete $80 million in transactional value over the next 12 months and will hire six new brokers. Start-ups are always a risk. No brand recognition is the biggest challenge to overcome,” she adds. “The greatest reward is knowing that hard work and determination is in my DNA. While I'm wearing multiple hats to grow my new business, working late evenings and weekends, I know that I'm really building something incredible.  I'm building a company that will become a dominant firm in Southern California within the next ten years. Name recognition will cease to be a challenge.

Armendariz herself is a veteran retail specialist with 12 years in the business and a client roster that includes 99¢ Only Stores, Dollar Express, Rite Aid, Comerica, and Starbucks. To round out the platform, she has tapped industrial expert Kevin Herron as SharpLine's VP. Formerly of CBRE, he has experience in investment sales, property management, leasing and land acquisitions.

The firm will also give opportunities to women looking to start a career in brokerage. Armendariz says that mentorship is essential to a successful career. Find as many coaches, mentors, and roll models as you can and make them a part of your growth and professional development,” she says. “I have been very fortunate to have people who inspire me, coach me, challenge me and encourage me to grow. CBRE's top retail broker once told me that the only thing that would keep me from growing were my own limiting beliefs. When I am in doubt, I think of what he taught me in just one meeting.”

LOS ANGELES—A new brokerage firm has entered the market. SharpLine has officially launched and has planted roots in Downtown Los Angeles. The firm will focus on the retail and industrial sectors with a platform that serves owners, investors and occupiers. The firm's president and founder Barbara Armendariz says that the firm will fill a void in the market for direct service brokerage regardless of geographic location.

“I identified an unmet demand to streamline clients' business needs by being the single point of contact,” Armendariz tells GlobeSt.com. “My strategy for doing that is by building a large diverse team that can make deals happen regardless of geographic scope. Ultimately, all my motivation evolved into SharpLine, an entrepreneurial company where the sky is the limit for both the brokers and our clients.”

Armendariz is starting the firm with ambitious goals. She plans to complete $80 million in transactional value over the next 12 months and will hire six new brokers. Start-ups are always a risk. No brand recognition is the biggest challenge to overcome,” she adds. “The greatest reward is knowing that hard work and determination is in my DNA. While I'm wearing multiple hats to grow my new business, working late evenings and weekends, I know that I'm really building something incredible.  I'm building a company that will become a dominant firm in Southern California within the next ten years. Name recognition will cease to be a challenge.

Armendariz herself is a veteran retail specialist with 12 years in the business and a client roster that includes 99¢ Only Stores, Dollar Express, Rite Aid, Comerica, and Starbucks. To round out the platform, she has tapped industrial expert Kevin Herron as SharpLine's VP. Formerly of CBRE, he has experience in investment sales, property management, leasing and land acquisitions.

The firm will also give opportunities to women looking to start a career in brokerage. Armendariz says that mentorship is essential to a successful career. Find as many coaches, mentors, and roll models as you can and make them a part of your growth and professional development,” she says. “I have been very fortunate to have people who inspire me, coach me, challenge me and encourage me to grow. CBRE's top retail broker once told me that the only thing that would keep me from growing were my own limiting beliefs. When I am in doubt, I think of what he taught me in just one meeting.”