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 Abhijitt Sankar Roy and Dev Mitra of Matrix Venture Studio, a boutique consulting firm that helps immigrant entrepreneurs to build and grow their businesses in Canada.
Roy and Dev left behind established careers in India to start over in Canada. But it seems the "starting over" gene was a feature not a bug, because after a couple of years in corporate Canada, these two humans resigned and launched Matrix Venture Studio.
What I found interesting, or more like mind-boggling, was that they launched their business in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this conversation, Roy, Dev, and I chat about leaving secure cushy jobs to work on their business, how to vet founders by looking beyond the balance sheet, why Canada's conservative investment culture needs to change , and their advice for other immigrant entrepreneurs on building a business from the ground up.
Key Takeaways
Fall in love with the boredom: Success often is just consistently doing the same things over and over again until they become second nature. The most successful people have fallen in love with the boredom of their process.
Canadian investors need to do better: Canada's investment scene is too conservative, often acting more like lenders than partners. An investor who only wants to join after you're revenue-positive for five years isn’t an investor.
Your network is everything in Canada: I feel like this lesson keeps popping up again and again. Networking is crucial to your long-term success, especially if you are an entrepreneur starting out in a new country. Building the right connections helps you understand the nuances of the business landscape.
Your past is important but don’t turn it into a crutch: Many immigrants show up with a sense of entitlement based on their past successes. To succeed, It’s important to accept that you be receptive to the new ecosystem’s expectations and understand that you are starting fresh.
Official Links
Connect with Dev Mitra on LinkedIn
Connect with Abhijitt Sankar Roy on LinkedIn
Speak to them about launching your business idea
Roy and Dev’s Media Diet
One newsletter you’d never miss: Forbes Leadership & Business and the Betakit newsletter
One immigrant entrepreneur that inspires you: Andrew Carnegie and Ajay Virmani, CEO Cargojet
One podcast you regularly listen to: The Tony Robbins Podcast and The Joe Rogan Podcast
Any books or resources that have significantly shaped your entrepreneurship journey:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
One Ask
If you got value from this episode, please forward it to one immigrant entrepreneur you know.
