by Anna Staritsina
Seeing opportunity in adversity is a philosophy that we at The Opportunity Lab, adopt in the way we work, live and guide our clients. One experience that exemplifies this skill is migration: someone leaving the comfort of familiarity and embarking on a challenging journey for the chance to create a more fulfilling and safe life in new surroundings. In the U.S., immigrant population is over 41 million and immigrants and their American-born children make up a quarter of our overall population. Immigration is an integral part of American history, economy and culture. So how do foreign-born professionals adjust and contribute to the entrepreneurial space?
Last month was International Migrants Day and I was honored to speak at a panel discussion with New Women New Yorkers (NWNY) – a fast-growing non-profit organization dedicated to empowering local young women immigrants. It was inspiring to meet a group of driven, accomplished and courageous individuals beginning their life here with support from NWNY.
Creating opportunities and starting anew is an innate quality for those who’ve made the move from abroad. Perhaps this explains why, according to research, foreign-born Americans are twice as likely to start their own business (and create jobs along the way) than those born in this country.
Leveraging curiosity, setting challenges for one’s self, and being flexible in changing situations are some of the essential skills many immigrants acquire as they adjust to their new home. As an immigrant myself, I’ve learned some valuable lessons from the experience. After leaving my family behind in Russia at the age of seventeen, I had no choice but to adapt to my surroundings. Since working my way through college and graduate school, I’ve realized the power we all have to create our own circumstances. Foreign-born U.S. residents often find themselves obtaining subsequent degrees because the education they received abroad may not be easily transferrable; as such, many must learn and master time management as they balance work, family and school. Acclimating to a new country is a learning-intensive process.
Most of the NWNY panelists came from an immigrant background and are succeeding in senior leadership positions across fields like technology, finance, strategy, education and film. In our conversation, confidence came up again and again as an important value. It plays a significant part in empowering new immigrants to enter the dynamic, entrepreneurial arena. In our discussion, we addressed the need to recognize a foreign-born professional as someone who is bringing a unique set of skills and perspectives with them, rather than someone in need of charity.
Continuous innovation is at the core of business sustainability. At OppLab we often say that opportunities are easiest to identify when a situation is examined in a new light, or from a new perspective. One of the key advantages immigrants have in the entrepreneurial world is that, coming from the “outside”, they are able to identify new prospects for innovation. A foreign-born entrepreneur doesn’t succeed despite being an immigrant - she succeeds because she is one. When recognized as an opportunity for growth, vulnerability gives us strength, and difficulties make way for creative and smart business solutions.
Source:
U.S. Census Bureau's 2013 American Community Survey (ACS)
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states
Seeing opportunity in adversity is a philosophy that we at The Opportunity Lab, adopt in the way we work, live and guide our clients. One experience that exemplifies this skill is migration: someone leaving the comfort of familiarity and embarking on a challenging journey for the chance to create a more fulfilling and safe life in new surroundings. In the U.S., immigrant population is over 41 million and immigrants and their American-born children make up a quarter of our overall population. Immigration is an integral part of American history, economy and culture. So how do foreign-born professionals adjust and contribute to the entrepreneurial space?
Last month was International Migrants Day and I was honored to speak at a panel discussion with New Women New Yorkers (NWNY) – a fast-growing non-profit organization dedicated to empowering local young women immigrants. It was inspiring to meet a group of driven, accomplished and courageous individuals beginning their life here with support from NWNY.
Creating opportunities and starting anew is an innate quality for those who’ve made the move from abroad. Perhaps this explains why, according to research, foreign-born Americans are twice as likely to start their own business (and create jobs along the way) than those born in this country.
Leveraging curiosity, setting challenges for one’s self, and being flexible in changing situations are some of the essential skills many immigrants acquire as they adjust to their new home. As an immigrant myself, I’ve learned some valuable lessons from the experience. After leaving my family behind in Russia at the age of seventeen, I had no choice but to adapt to my surroundings. Since working my way through college and graduate school, I’ve realized the power we all have to create our own circumstances. Foreign-born U.S. residents often find themselves obtaining subsequent degrees because the education they received abroad may not be easily transferrable; as such, many must learn and master time management as they balance work, family and school. Acclimating to a new country is a learning-intensive process.
Most of the NWNY panelists came from an immigrant background and are succeeding in senior leadership positions across fields like technology, finance, strategy, education and film. In our conversation, confidence came up again and again as an important value. It plays a significant part in empowering new immigrants to enter the dynamic, entrepreneurial arena. In our discussion, we addressed the need to recognize a foreign-born professional as someone who is bringing a unique set of skills and perspectives with them, rather than someone in need of charity.
Continuous innovation is at the core of business sustainability. At OppLab we often say that opportunities are easiest to identify when a situation is examined in a new light, or from a new perspective. One of the key advantages immigrants have in the entrepreneurial world is that, coming from the “outside”, they are able to identify new prospects for innovation. A foreign-born entrepreneur doesn’t succeed despite being an immigrant - she succeeds because she is one. When recognized as an opportunity for growth, vulnerability gives us strength, and difficulties make way for creative and smart business solutions.
Source:
U.S. Census Bureau's 2013 American Community Survey (ACS)
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states