More than 44.9 million immigrants lived in the United States in 2019 according to a Census data report. Millions of people immigrate to the USA every year. People move from different parts of the world for various reasons. Many people come to study, or work but then there are refugees escaping dangerous living conditions. In 2019, immigrant entrepreneurs made up 21.7 percent of all business owners in the United States, despite making up just over 13.6 percent of the population and 17.1 percent of the U.S. labor force. Indeed, immigrants are essential parts of US society!
Our individual life stories influence our decision making and establishment in the new country.
Famous Elon Musk, or Sergey Brins are the high-skilled immigrant entrepreneurs the whole world knows of and talks about. Yes, there are many high tech foreign-born successful entrepreneurs driving the innovation of many industries in the USA and across the globe. Furthermore, there are millions of important economy contributors between with less than college degree that grow our economy and impact our daily lives. I am talking about Asian, Latino, African, eastern European immigrants including the refugee that become small business-entrepreneurs. These are the immigrant business owners that generate millions of jobs and bring in nearly a trillion dollars in revenue.
31% Neighborhood Services ⚒🪜🧽
36% Accommodation & Food Services🛏🌮
24% Retail🛒
43.9% High-tech Silicon Valley Firms Founded by Immigrant Entrepreneurs between 2006-2016📲🕹
My favorite places to shop for groceries are various ethnic stores. I enjoy walking through the isles and try to find out how could I cook with the foreign groceries. This allows me to bring new international cuisine on my table so frequently. Maybe it’s kind of an odd interest, but I just enjoy getting lost in the stores where one isle has 50+ kinds of Asian noodles. Where I find sauces with foreign names, colors and cooking options. I see exotic fruits or vegetables that I have never tried or seen in regular grocery stores. I often visit Hispanic stores so I can practice my Spanish and buy ingredients for many Mexican dishes. I would compare the feeling to first-time visit of a new country. It's the excitement of unknown. I try chatting with the people that work at these ethnic stores, often time the owners themselves. I ask about their business, best selling products and how is the business going? These questions represent my interest and admires. Ethnic grocery stores and restaurants bring diversity and multicultural experience on our tables. They bring familiar authentic tastes to their own people that also moved away from home country and unique new options to others.
"So why did you decide to start your own business?"
"It wasn't easy, to begin with, my business, but I didn't want to be just working for somebody else all my life. I wanted to continue my ambition to continue building.
***
"I always worked so hard, long hours, also dirty jobs. I was a cook, server, cleaner, nanny, construction worker, cashier ...but never felt really appreciated. I now when I myself, but understand myself."
***
"We took a risk to move to a foreign country, we started a new life far from own home and close family members. So why not be brave to start a business that many people would need?"
***
"I finally got a job at a big American corporation, I felt I belong here and I am accepted. Then I realized, I miss the independence and authenticity! I don't dream anymore? I miss the excitement of what's next to accomplish?"
***
“I didn‘t know what to do, I never worked in this country so I had to rely on selling my own skills. I continue with the tradition of my family back home - we work hard.”
The journey of becoming an immigrant entrepreneur varies, but it is always life changing journey of the skillful ex-pats
When immigrants move to a new country, they arrive with their individual ambitions. What is common between the ambitions of all immigrants is the focus on building a new life, starting a new journey, and growing in a distinct environment. Yes, immigrants must be brave and act independently as they have to overcome many unique obstacles (language barrier, lack of support, unfamiliar culture, policies and systems). The force to get out of our comfort zone when you move to unknown place is immigrant’s strong advantage. Also the sense of the belonging have helped many immigrants to excel in networking, a fundamental skill for starting a new business. As an immigrant in order to survive you need to be problem solver that keeps moving, connecting, and constantly learning. The obstacles that immigrant are overcome can frequently change to new opportunities. Their solutions frequently become actual products and services - the niches offered by immigrant-owned businesses.
Yes, we immigrants come to the USA driven, with own desires. Influenced by our past and new experience, and inherited culture. This makes us so unique, so niche.
When I talk to my immigrant friends I notice that we tend to look back. We tend to review what have we left behind In our past. We keep comparing and evaluating what’s back there now and what is in front of us.
One of the reasons why I started my Jaxpats blog is the strong desire to share the stories of immigrant business owners. To showcase the success, stories and help them to connect and promote what they are building.
So if you are an expat and business owner in Jacksonville, Florida and surrounded area and want to be showcased on my blog & seen via social medias, I want to hear from you and work with you! You can fill out my contact form or reach out to me via Facebook.
Weather you are a small mom-and-pop shop, “starting in your own kitchen“or already have an established business I am interested. I want to write about the important diversity you and your business bring to this world!
留言