I'm Karla Briones and I help new immigrants open businesses that survive past the startup phase. How do I do that? Well, I am an immigrant myself - born in Mexico - and remember feeling overwhelmed when I wanted to open up a business in Canada and realized I had no clue how to do it. None whatsoever.
As new immigrants, we face many challenges in learning a new culture, new legal/tax systems, new language, new climate, new everything. I break it all down for you (except the weather part, that one you just have to accept) and help you understand how business is done in Canada. You want someone to take you by the hand and provide the support you need in order to make your business dream a reality.
When my parents and I arrived to Canada, we all started from scratch. My parents were the owners of a veterinary hospital in Mexico but started selling gas contracts from door to door here to put food on the table. My dad had to recertify his qualifications and never gave up on the dream of being a business owner once again. I understand how frustrating this can be - when you realize that all your hard work from back home is not worth much. But you know what? It is. As an immigrants, you know how to work hard to get what you dream of - afterall, you made it into Canada already. You just need someone to assist in making your next dream a reality.
Eventually my parents opened up the Montreal Road Animal Hospital in Ottawa and their dream came true. However, the process was difficult - the lack of guidance, know-how and the huge difference of opening and operating a business in Mexico than in Canada made it a slow and painful process. We made a lot of mistakes, but in the end we did it.
In my late 20's my husband Shawn and I opened two Global Pet Foods - pet food retail shops. Six years later, I branched out from retail and opened Freshii - a healthy restaurant. And just recently, my best friend and I launched Frida's Attic, a fun distributor and retailer of one-of-a-kind Mexican designs.
During all this time, I have made mistakes, learned from them and have grown as a new Canadian and entrepreneur. I went from immigrant to Immpreneur. With experience in retail, restaurant, distribution, franchises, medical business and business strategy, I am passionate in empowering other immigrants such as yourself to open up successful businesses the “Canadian” way.
A recent study showed that 30% of Canadian Small and Medium Enterprises are owned by new immigrants, however we take three times longer to open them than those born in Canada. I want to accelerate the time it would take you to open yours, increase that percentage and help you stay in business for many years to come.
Connect with me and tell me how I can help you open up your business in Canada.
As new immigrants, we face many challenges in learning a new culture, new legal/tax systems, new language, new climate, new everything. I break it all down for you (except the weather part, that one you just have to accept) and help you understand how business is done in Canada. You want someone to take you by the hand and provide the support you need in order to make your business dream a reality.
When my parents and I arrived to Canada, we all started from scratch. My parents were the owners of a veterinary hospital in Mexico but started selling gas contracts from door to door here to put food on the table. My dad had to recertify his qualifications and never gave up on the dream of being a business owner once again. I understand how frustrating this can be - when you realize that all your hard work from back home is not worth much. But you know what? It is. As an immigrants, you know how to work hard to get what you dream of - afterall, you made it into Canada already. You just need someone to assist in making your next dream a reality.
Eventually my parents opened up the Montreal Road Animal Hospital in Ottawa and their dream came true. However, the process was difficult - the lack of guidance, know-how and the huge difference of opening and operating a business in Mexico than in Canada made it a slow and painful process. We made a lot of mistakes, but in the end we did it.
In my late 20's my husband Shawn and I opened two Global Pet Foods - pet food retail shops. Six years later, I branched out from retail and opened Freshii - a healthy restaurant. And just recently, my best friend and I launched Frida's Attic, a fun distributor and retailer of one-of-a-kind Mexican designs.
During all this time, I have made mistakes, learned from them and have grown as a new Canadian and entrepreneur. I went from immigrant to Immpreneur. With experience in retail, restaurant, distribution, franchises, medical business and business strategy, I am passionate in empowering other immigrants such as yourself to open up successful businesses the “Canadian” way.
A recent study showed that 30% of Canadian Small and Medium Enterprises are owned by new immigrants, however we take three times longer to open them than those born in Canada. I want to accelerate the time it would take you to open yours, increase that percentage and help you stay in business for many years to come.
Connect with me and tell me how I can help you open up your business in Canada.