Ray Nosrati

You need to take risks. Success is waiting for you on the other side of fear, so don’t be afraid to grow.

Ramtin Ray Nosrati is an Iranian born entrepreneur who moved to the United States at a young age, settling near his grandparents in Sherman Oaks, California. Even as a child Nosrati’s eye for design and a love of construction led him to appreciate Southern California neighborhoods and architecture, particularly the charm of Pacific Palisades.
As a young man, Nosrati used his entrepreneurial spirit to start a venture that eventually provided him with the capital to start Huntington Estate Properties. In 1998, he started a retail wireless business that subsequently grew into a nationwide wireless telemarketing company. Nosrati sold the business in 2002 and began to invest in land and real estate in the Inland Empire. He bought chicken ranches, subdivided the land and built housing developments and tract homes. He began building custom homes in the San Fernando Valley and eventually opened an office in Pacific Palisades. In the years since, he has built luxury homes throughout the Palisades, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, and Bel Air.

Nosrati stands out amongst other builders by being the owner, designer, and contractor for Huntington Estate Properties. From foundation to finishing touches, his experience and hands-on approach have been a successful formula for each project. Working hand-in-hand with architects, Ramtin designs homes to maximize every lot. Ramtin and Huntington Estate Properties have earned a reputation for specializing in Southern California’s beautiful hillside properties, and also as a creative entrepreneur who has become the go-to designer and builder for some of the world’s largest influencers and celebrities.

Each Huntington Estate Properties project is one-of-a-kind. Taking pride in the attention to detail and custom-designed features found in his homes, Nosrati enjoys creating “wow factors” for each project, such as old-Hollywood style screening rooms, private bowling alleys, indoor pools, and secret rooms. The houses built by Huntington Estate Properties have been purchased by celebrities, professional athletes, and Fortune 500 CEOs, often chosen because of the exquisite design detail and superior craftsmanship.

Where did the idea for Huntington Estate Properties come from?

As a child, I remember looking at pictures of beautiful homes in magazines and driving around with my parents looking at houses, various construction projects and being able to appreciate the work. I think I was just blessed with an eye for design.

From there I believe I was destined to be a visionary. As I designed, planned and built, I quickly stood out as an owner, designer and the contractor for each project. I built each home as if my family and I were going to be living there ourselves. This kind of thought process allowed me to create innovative and playful environments with an eye on luxury and packed with amenities.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I usually wake up around 5:30 and work out with my trainer in my home gym. I have breakfast with my kids, drop them off at school and then head to the office to get an overview of my day. I meet with staff and discuss projects, then I head out to our various project sites to make sure everything is running smoothly. Having a routine and a schedule definitely helps productivity, especially for creatives and entrepreneurs.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Being on site helps me to be creative. It allows me to see things from a different perspective and be able to incorporate new ideas and/or additional design elements. I look to see what can be done from an engineering standpoint, or what the technology available will allow us to do.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Cannabis rooms are going to become the modern-day cigar lounge or wine cellar. We are also going to be seeing a lot more indoor spas and salons, complete with barber chairs and space for make-up artists, and hair stylists.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I make my wife and kids a priority. Remembering why I do what I do and who I am doing it helps me to be more efficient. I don’t want to spend the day running in circles. I would rather put in solid, productive work hours and then get home to my family.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would take a chance and build big projects sooner. Early on in my career, I was building nice tract homes out in the Inland Empire. It was a risky move to go from that to building a huge, luxury home in Pacific Palisades. Nothing ventured nothing gained, but it paid off.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I believe that cannabis rooms are going to become as commonplace as wine cellars and cigar rooms. Several years ago this would have been considered very taboo, but because of my ability to analyze and predict trends in design and consumer demand, I am confident that these types of rooms will be requested more frequently.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

You need to take risks. Success is waiting for you on the other side of fear, so don’t be afraid to grow.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

The right team is essential in order to scale any business. This is especially true in my industry, where there are so many moving parts. Plus deadlines and so much red tape in the building process. In order to produce the level of quality we want to provide for our clients, it is essential that I have the right people on my team.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

Early on, I was trying to do a lot on my own, way more than I could handle. I was hiring the wrong people for my team. Once I surrounded myself with a great team, it made all the difference in the world.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

You’re only as good as the weakest link in your team. Make sure you surround yourself with quality people.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

Buying lunch for the construction guys at one of the build sites.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

We have our own custom software system that keeps track of all kinds of things. It tracks designs, renderings, the ordering of materials, timeframe of construction and even deadlines. It definitely helps to keep us organized and on schedule.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

“Scale or Fail” by Allison Maslan. It doesn’t matter what industry you are in if you want to grow your business you need to build a team and create systems that help you move your vision forward

What is your favorite quote?

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
Muhammad Ali

Key Learnings:

• Everything is a lesson – never stop learning
• Don’t forget where you came from
• Don’t be afraid to take risks
• Stay humble

Connect:

Instagram @ramtin_ray_nosrati