HARD WORK RESULTS IN SPECIAL HONOURS
Patient new Canadians persevere, prosper
If they’re consistent in their hard work and their approach to life, that’s how they will succeed.
JOHN HALANI
ETHNO BUSINESS COUNCIL OF B. C.
Developing a successful business is hard work — especially as a new Canadian. “It’s a long journey,” said Durga Soma, who works at her husband’s Richmond company, Advance Machines Ltd. “We need to go through so many channels, we have to adjust.”
“It’s hard work, it’s a struggle.”
The Somas moved from India 25 years ago and started Advance Machines Ltd. in 1996. They started with two employees and now have 12.
“We’re growing bigger and bigger and bigger everyday,” said owner Eswar Reddy Soma.
Their company, which specializes in manufacturing aircraft tools, is one of five local businesses receiving a B. C. New Canadian Entrepreneur Award.
The awards — organized by the Ethno Business Council of British Columbia — recognize the achievements of successful new- Canadian entrepreneurs, and will be presented to recipients at the 21st annual awards ceremony Thursday at Vancouver’s Hyatt Regency Hotel.
“It’s ( an) honour …. We feel so good. It’s hard work and dreams come true,” said Durga.
But it certainly wasn’t an easy dream to bring to fruition.
“A lot of difficulties — sometimes financially, not enough money to just buy another machine,” said Eswar.
“( And) your education you bring from ( your home country),” added Durga. “You need to really upgrade here too and then sometimes they don’t recognize it right away.”
“Finding a job in the same field, it’s not easy, so you have to really prove yourself …. ( My husband) worked so hard, I can say around the clock.”
The awards serve to demonstrate that success is possible for struggling new immigrants.
“We make it a point to show the public there are some immigrants who come, they work hard, they succeed and they start small and then they grow,” said John Halani with the Ethno Business Council of B. C. “The idea is to encourage entrepreneurship ... so others can see how they’ve succeeded and also try to become entrepreneurs.”
But it’s certainly not an easy feat.
“When they come they really don’t know anybody and they struggle hard,” said Halani. “Sometimes these people even start without the staff — mother and father, or son, they start on their own, they gradually grow and then look for workers.”
Halani’s advice is to have patience.
“Success doesn’t come overnight,” he said. “If they’re consistent in their hard work and their approach to life, that’s how they will succeed.
“Sometimes you don’t need a lot of capital — it’s just you get the niche in the market.”
And that’s part of the reason for award recipient Laura Cuner’s success. She is president of Burnaby’s Avafina Commodities, which sells organic ingredients to food manufacturers.
“The organic industry is growing,” said Cuner, who moved from Argentina in 2007. “Being part of that movement helps us and gives us a boost.”
Cuner’s key to success is to not even consider yourself an immigrant.
“I never thought that being an immigrant was going to be an obstacle — I never thought it would be, so it never was,” she said. “Leaving your culture behind, leaving your family behind, leaving everything behind and learning the language … it’s a struggle, it’s a challenge, but adversity always makes you stronger.”
“Immerse yourself in a new society and also embrace the culture that you’re in.”
And if you continue to struggle, Durga suggests finding local associations in your field.
“Go to the right place and get their advice and do what you have to do,” she said. “They can direct you instead of ( you) struggling on your own.”
Tickets for Thursday’s awards ceremony are $ 100 and can be purchased by calling 604- 6876631 or visiting ethnobc. org@ gmail. com.