The Rising Trend of 'Immpreneurs'
OpenWorks entrepreneur shares other stories of successful immigrants in franchising, including Blimpie Sub Shop, AFC/Doctors Express and SYNERGY Home Care.
By Eric Roudi
In a May 2015 Inc. magazine article titled “Small Business Growth is on the Rebound,” author Jeremy Quittner referenced a key finding from the most recent Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity that proves just how integral immigrant entrepreneurs are to the United States’ economic growth and employment rate. According to Quittner, “immigrant entrepreneurs (are) some of the most avid business creators in the U.S., and are nearly twice as likely to start a new business as native-born entrepreneurs.”
No, that’s not a misprint. Immigrant entrepreneurs, known today in some circles as “immpreneurs,” are responsible for creating twice as many new businesses as their U.S.-born counterparts. And as an immpreneur myself, I’m proud of the fact that so many fellow immigrants are taking advantage of the wonderful advantages afforded to all U.S. citizens.
Inspirational Immpreneurs Elevating Leading Franchise Brands
While the story of OpenWorks’ inception and path to success is certainly inspirational, it’s just one of hundreds that can be found when taking a closer look at leaders in franchising, a business model that allows immpreneurs to launch their own businesses without assuming all of the risks of a sole proprietor. Ruth Simon’s May 2015 Wall Street Journal article titled “Immigrants, Latinos Helped Drive Business Creation Last Year” shows that immpreneurs are certainly taking advantage. According to Simon, “immigrant entrepreneurs launched 28.5 percent of the new businesses in 2014, up from 25.9 percent a year earlier and just 13.3 percent in 1996.”
Here are three examples of incredible immpreneurs” who have contributed to the recent uptick in immigrant business owners and possess tear-jerking stories of perseverance that should motivate any aspiring immigrant to take the leap and realize their dream of business ownership.
Rohit and Rahul Arora, Blimpie Sub Shop, Long Island, N.Y.
Indian Brothers Rohit and Rahul Arora came to Long Island 10 years ago with no formal education and quickly went to work at their local Blimpie. The pair worked their way up from floor sweepers to local managers and now to business owners, learning management, operations, and sales skills from their colleagues and mentors at Blimpie. In February 2014, they went into business together, but Rohit was forced to return home to India for a kidney transplant just weeks after they opened their store. It’s been a struggle. Rahul relied heavily on his wife and family for support, but they’ve fought through tough times together and Rohit is now back at his brother’s side running a successful Blimpie store.
Dr. Samrah Mansoor, AFC/Doctors Express, Wichita, Kan.
Dr. Mansoor, a Pakistani-American, was so determined to become a doctor she convinced her traditionalist father to switch an arranged marriage so she could marry a man who supported her aspirations. Both she and her husband immigrated to the United States to pursue healthcare careers but soon realized they were working themselves into the ground. While she contended with an overwhelming and inflexible schedule as a hospitalist-physician at a large hospital system, her husband struggled with a four-hour daily commute as supervisor for the county’s public health department. Less than two years ago, the pair decided it was time for a change and launched their own AFC/Doctors Express location which allows them to pursue their passion for healthcare while setting their own schedule. They’ve enjoyed success in their first year and a half and intend to become area developers for the franchise system.
Omar Bataineh, SYNERGY HomeCare, Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordanian Omar Bataineh remembers a childhood defined by his family of four crammed in a tiny one bedroom apartment and sharing a cheeseburger meal with his brother while watching his parents go hungry. Omar’s father brought the family to the United States when the boy was five years old so he could enroll in a medical program as a resident. Even though his father worked a second job, money was hard to come by and the family struggled through hard winters in Indiana with no heat. Even when his father graduated and secured better, higher paying positions, the family was forced to move to five different states in eight years. Despite this impoverished and transient childhood, Omar decided to focus on the positive, embracing his father’s determination and dedication to the healthcare industry. Equipped with the deep understanding of hard work and commitment he took from his childhood, Omar has quickly established himself as a rising star in the SYNERGY HomeCare franchise system.
Five Tips to Thrive as a Franchise Immpreneur
While so many immpreneurs have launched their own businesses and have success stories to share, countless others just need a little encouragement to get started. Here are five tips I share with any immigrant considering business ownership.
1. Be willing to persevere and grind.
2. Don’t accept “No” as an answer.
3. Trust your skills... and your gut.
4. Set (and commemorate) goals and milestones.
5. And never underestimate the dreams and convictions of other immpreneurs!
I'm proud to be one of the many immpreneurs who contribute to the continued growth and prosperity of the franchising community. As the stories above attest, immigrants endure difficult life experiences that make them uniquely equipped to handle the challenges and uncertainty associated with business ownership.
Here’s to hoping even more aspiring immpreneurs choose to take control of their own destinies in the years to come by launching franchise businesses and using their life experiences and the U.S. capitalist economy to their advantage.
Eric Roudi is founder and CEO of OpenWorks. Find him at fransocial.franchising.org.