I Wish Everybody Was an Immigrant!

Let’s think about what Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Arianna Huffington, Steve Jobs and many others have in common. They represent almost?30% of the US entrepreneurs?but only 13% of the population. Similarly,?one-fourth?of the technology and engineering companies have at least one immigrant co-founder.

Research shows that selection and?discrimination?against immigrants are the main reasons behind this phenomenon. According to the recent study made by HBR, cross-cultural experiences increase immigrants’ capabilities and make them more open-minded. Being part of different cultures, they encounter new products, services, customer preferences, and communication strategies.

What makes immigrants more successful than others?

Many aspiring entrepreneurs cite lack of network, language barriers and cultural differences as barriers to starting a company. However, in my conversations with many?successful?immigrant entrepreneurs, there are several key advantages to being a foreign-born entrepreneur. Here are some advantages I would like to urge aspiring entrepreneurs to consider.

1.?You have cross-cultural experience you can leverage upon.

Experiencing different cultures allows?foreign-born entrepreneurs to synthesize?the uniqueness of different cultures and use them to their?advantage, and to create a hugely successful global business.

2.?Your hunger for success is your biggest advantage.

Immigrant entrepreneurs are used to working longer hours, pushing harder and reaching for the extra milestone. As a foreign-born entrepreneur, you have had to overcome various challenges and barriers to staying in a foreign country, to assimilate locally, and to give up what you have already achieved in your home country. As a result, you have become stronger and more used to the ups and downs of entrepreneurs. Therefore, you will be more resilient and hungry to achieve success and to complete what you have set out to do.

3.?You can use your roots as leverage for your business.

Many foreign-born entrepreneurs have been able to leverage their cultures, food?and diverse background to start a successful business.

Therefore, as you consider your next step to either start a business or to work for someone, please re-think the various advantages you can leverage. Conventional wisdom may suggest that it is better to take the safe route or even return to your home country to pursue your entrepreneurial dream, but before you choose that route, remember that you can readily tap upon the unique strengths that you possess.