New American entrepreneurs are pivotal to a bourgeoning and thriving U. S. economy. Despite making up just over 13.6 percent of the population, immigrant entrepreneurs made up 21.7 percent of all business owners, created 8.0 million jobs, and generated $1.3 trillion of sales in 2019 in the United States.

However, due to lack a robust entrepreneur infrastructure supporting the new American entrepreneurs, many new Americans encounter enormous challenges because of their backgrounds, such as access to the capital/financial markets, understanding business regulations and laws, navigating government resources for entrepreneurs, and encountering language barriers.

The purpose of this symposium is to encourage immigrants to start their businesses through highlighting the successful stories of other new American entrepreneurs and providing resource information on helping immigrants to start and grow their businesses. In addition, discuss how the community can provide a diverse, equitable, inclusive environment to foster more successful new American entrepreneurs.

Program

To help New American entrepreneurs to overcome these challenges, the symposium will be informative and inspiring for all current and want-to-be entrepreneurs. It will be a great forum for people to connect with accomplished entrepreneurs, resource contacts, and sharing innovative ideas. 

Panel I: Inspiring Entrepreneur Stories: James Gray of Quadrobot moderated. Chris Naidoo of Sigma International and Grace Lee of Ashford Connex share their insights and lessons learned on building a business. They shared a little about their journeys on how they overcame the challenges to encourage other new Americans to follow their American dreams.

Panel II: Providing government/community Resources Information: Roberto Torres of the City of Detroit moderated. Romy Ancog from the SBA, Danasia Neal from the City of Detroit and Abdul Muhit of GEDC shared information on federal, state, and local resources, available to entrepreneurs in their journey.

Panel III: Build a DEI&B Community for New American entrepreneurs: Gracie Xavier of Global Detroit moderated. Wendy Holmes of Comerica and Robert Turfe of General Motors share what creating a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging program can mean to strengthening an organization.