Meet The Waffle Master of NYC 3

Meet The Waffle Master of NYC

Immigrant Business Statistics: Name: Thomas DeGeest Country of Origin: Belgium Emigrated to the U.S.: 1997 Launched W&D: 2007 Annual Revenue: $5 million Jobs Created: 100   Thomas DeGeest traded in his six-figure IBM job, escaped PowerPoint hell and followed his dream of bringing authentic Belgian waffles to the streets of New York City. Thomas DeGeest had a six-figure job at IBM when […]

Immigrants Create Billions For The US

By: Foulis Peacock Immigrants in the U.S. are 2x as likely to start businesses as their native counterparts generating at least $1 trillion in annual sales revenue, per the New American Economy (NAE). Driving the news: Immigration critics frequently assert that immigrants are more “likely to use public benefit programs” — positioning them as a burden on […]

Russian Immigrant Creates $80M Health Food Empire 1

Russian Immigrant Creates $130M Health Food Empire

Russian immigrant Michael Smolyansky found inspiration in a childhood drink. Today, his son Edward and daughter Julie (pictured above) lead a food empire with $130 million in annual revenue. Michael Smolyansky came to Chicago in the 1970s from the Soviet Union, a young man with a dream common to many immigrants coming to the U.S.—the chance […]

Immigrant Entrepreneur: Want to Succeed? Don't Lose Your Accent

Immigrant Entrepreneur: Want to Succeed? Don’t Lose Your Accent

One leading immigrant entrepreneur has some simple (and powerful) advice for other immigrants dreaming of starting their own successful business: Don’t hide your accent. In a wide-ranging interview with Fortune magazine, Ido Leffler, 38, who has co-founded a trio of businesses: Cheeky, a tableware company,  Yes To Inc., a natural beauty-care company, and the school […]

Fuse American Culture with Your Own to Succeed

Reema Khan: Fusing Cultures to Create Success

Immigrant entrepreneur Reema Khan explains how she combined her Indian culture with America’s to create a successful business. After getting an MBA and a good accounting job in America, Reema Khan was laid off in an economic downturn. Rather than look for something else, she started her own company, And what better business to target […]

Nordic Naturals: When You Hit a Brick Wall, Try Plan "B"

Nordic Naturals: How Supplement Giant Revamped Their Sales Strategy

How Nordic Naturals founder Joar Opheim revamped his sales strategy—and what you can learn from his pivot. When Norwegian immigrant Joar Opheim, the founder of Nordic Naturals, started to market his fish-oil supplements in the 1990’s, health food stores and vitamin retailers seemed like the ideal target. So, he began pounding the pavement, talking up […]

Indian Immigrant Threads Her Way To Success In The US 1

Brow Bar: Indian Immigrant Threads Her Way To Success In The US

Immigrant Business Statistics: Name: Reema Khan | Country of Origin: India | Immigrated to US: 1996 | Business name: s.h.a.p.e.s. Brow Bar | Location: Chicago, IL | Emigrated to U.S.: 1996 | Annual Revenue: $14 Million | Jobs Created: 350 Indian immigrant Reema Khan turned an ancient beauty technique from her home country into a […]

Desi Mom Diaries: Bringing Up Baby in America

Desi Mom Diaries: Bringing Up Baby in America

Deepika Jain, shares what she’s learned about raising children in America. When you’re a new, financially insecure immigrant, raising a child isn’t easy. This is especially true if your new country is vastly different culturally from your home country, as is the United States compared to India.   My husband and I arrived in USA […]

HomeVestors

‘We Buy Ugly Houses’ Helps Immigrants Succeed In Real Estate

The ‘We Buy Ugly Houses®’ franchise helps entrepreneurs move into real estate “We Buy Ugly Houses®.” You’ve seen that slogan, which is up on billboards and other advertising platforms around the country. It’s catchy, fun and provocative. But as a business strategy, it’s also hugely effective—and the basis for a very successful franchising model. HomeVestors […]