Welcome to Unfiltered w/ PORCH, where we explore what it means to be an immigrant entrepreneur from the POV of the immigrant.
In this episode, I'm speaking with Mario Meyer, Founder & CEO of Reyem Tech, who believes becoming an immigrant entrepreneur is a “double leap of faith.”
Mario moved to Canada from Brazil and launched his first business the day he landed. Literally. He started talking to lawyers in Canada six days before he boarded a plane to Toronto, Canada.
Two months later, COVID-19 slammed into the world.
In this conversation, Mario and I chat about why networking must become your "second profession" as an immigrant entrepreneur, how he built relationships at 3-4 events per week for years, and the power of referrals versus cold outreach.
Key Takeaways
Consistency beats intensity when networking: Three years of showing up to 3-4 events weekly helped Mario build a network that delivered leads into his sales pipeline 60 days after launching his second business.
Spend time understanding the business culture: The Canadian business culture runs on trust, referrals, eye contact, and handshakes. Learn the nuances. Ask questions. Join communities that expose you to these cultural subtleties in a safe space.
Don't overthink the small stuff: Focus on what generates revenue now, not whether you should bank with TD or RBC when you don't even have clients yet.
Make networking your second business: As immigrants, we had 30-40 years to build networks in our home countries. In Canada, you know nobody. Networking is essential to your business’s survival. It’s not optional. Mario's biggest contract came from a referral from someone he met at an event two years prior.
Official Links
Connect with Mario Meyer on LinkedIn.
Looking for a fractional CTO, speak to Mario
Mario’s Media Diet
One immigrant entrepreneur that inspires you: Leandro Rubio Faria, Founder & CEO, Starbem
One podcast you regularly listen to: This Week in Tech (TWiT)
Any books or resources that have significantly shaped your entrepreneurship journey: Like a Virgin from Richard Branson
One Ask
If you got value from this episode, please forward it to one immigrant entrepreneur you know.
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