| Immigrant entrepreneur: | Mamba Hamissi |
| Company: | Baobab Fare |
| Place of birth: | Burundi, East Africa |
| Employees: | 18 |
Show notes
Mamba Hamissi is originally from Burundi, East Africa. His wife was an activist and her life was threatened. Many times people were either killed or put into jail if they went against the government. We’re in 2021, and there is still civil war happening in East Africa.
They decided to flee the country and applied for refugee status with any country that will take them. America was the first one to give them refugee visa, but his wife was the only one that was accepted. They decided to get separated and Mamba knew that he will one day join his wife. What he didn’t know was that he was going to miss his twins birth.
His pregnant wife left Africa and was living a shelter and had no idea when she was going to see her husband again.
Mamba missed his twins birth, and only came to the US when they were 2 years old. He came not speaking any English at 35 years old. Mamba and his wife launched an East African restaurant Baobab Fare without having any knowledge or experience in business.
Their journey to immigration and entrepreneurship is quite remarkable.
Quotes by Mamba
The only way to get out of the situation was to go to school, which was not possible, because we didn’t have asylum, or to create a business.
We didn’t have any background in business, we didn’t have any credit scores.
In the beginning it was growing by itself. The only ads we are using now is Google ads.
I didn’t have anything, I had to come and start my life from scratch.
I made a mistake by listening to a lot of people.
Listen to people but be the last person to make the decision.
Before you hire someone, you go in and do their job. By the time you do that job, you know you will need someone in that position.
Be the first to come and be the last to go.
If you’re running a business, be there.
I believe that the business you created by yourself, if it’s yourself, you’re the expert for that business.
It’s not easy but it’s possible.
Work hard, it’s not going to be easy.
If you’re an immigrant, remember, someone is in your country who wishes to be in your position.
Work hard as you’re thinking, or as if you’re in that position of someone who is in your country, because you don’t want to go back there.
