From: Investor’s Business Daily
Column: Leaders & Success
Landing The U.S. Dream, By Sonja Carberry, 04/08/2010
Think it’s challenging doing business in America? Newcomers see it differently. How to make persistence pay off the U.S. way:
• See for yourself. Nastel Technologies CEO David Mavashev planned to stay in New York City for just a few years.
It was 1980, and he’d fled the communist Soviet Union for Israel, where he was recruited by a U.S. bank to work stateside as a computer programmer. “I saw freedom to do what I want and to succeed,” Mavashev told IBD. “I could never do that in the Soviet Union.”
• Start the climb. After working as a programmer and consultant, Mavashev launched his own Long Island-based software firm in 1994. Back then, angel investors were virtually unheard of. “We didn’t have any money,” Mavashev said.
• Hold on tight. On a shoestring, Mavashev’s team developed groundbreaking middleware — software that communicates between machines and applications.
“In the year 2000 and following, we had a lot of acquisition offers,” he said. “But I wanted to continue my vision.”
Instead of cashing in, Mavashev kept pushing to develop more sophisticated business software. His private firm’s solutions are now used by giants such as Fidelity Investments and Best Buy (BBY).
Last year, while most business owners took recessionary blows, Mavashev’s sales increased 25%.
“That clearly demonstrates we’re on the right path,” he said.
• Take off. Lawyer and “Immigrant Inc.” co-author Richard Herman had to leave America to fully appreciate home.
In the early 1990s, he worked in Russia advising local entrepreneurs. He was astounded by endless obstacles, from shoddy phone service to government corruption.
Returning to the U.S., “for the first time I could see the abundance and the opportunity,” Herman said. “Success is possible. In other places it’s not so possible.”
• Welcome them in. In his book, Herman argues that immigrants are driving the U.S. economy in the right direction. Look no further than Google (GOOG) and eBay (EBAY). Each has a founder with foreign roots.
“We absorb these newcomers and we’re stronger for it,” Herman said. “Our goal should be to build the most powerful team on the planet.”
• Plant a flag. “If you’re not in the U.S., in many respects you’re just not (in business) at all. That’s where the big customers are.”
So says Israeli Rony Ross, the founder of Panorama Software.
After selling her tech solution to Microsoft (MSFT) in 1996, Ross opened offices in New York City, Toronto and London.
“I was really hoping to take it to a global level … and that’s what happened,” she said.
• Stand firm. Microsoft originally wanted Ross’ entire company, but she held tight during three months of dealings.
“I didn’t sleep. I didn’t eat. I didn’t do anything except think: ‘How can I not let this ball drop?’” Ross said.
Microsoft settled for the technology and an ongoing affiliation.
“Microsoft could use a partner like us,” Ross said. “That’s why our relationship continues today.”
• Join good company. Ross says cultural differences can make doing business difficult.
But the diversity she found in the U.S. was refreshing.
“The thing is, you don’t feel like the only stranger in the room,” she said.
Tags: immigrant entrepreneurs, investor's business daily, new economy, think like an immigrant