Page 19 - INSIGHT MAGAZINE_October 2024

“It’s going to get really bad in the next
year or so because a lot of their work
permits are expiring. I don’t know if they
(businesses) realize they’re going to lose
all of that in the next two years,” she says,
adding many temporary foreign workers
have also built lives in Canada.
“Many have spent the last five years here
and have Canadian born kids but cannot
stay. That’s why I think it’s important for
us (Weber Immigration) to go deep and
provide really good quality service.”
Olena believes the Canadian government
needs to ensure the immigration system
is putting the right quantity of people in
the right sectors, and that it is not done
CORY & OLENA WEBER in a reactive method.

Her parents have retained several The Burlington native joined her, at “We do need to allow in more
storefront properties in the city’s first, as a temporary solution when her immigrants, but it needs to be
downtown and try to visit their daughter workload began to increase. done smartly and in a more
when they can. Her old sister also owns “I had 30 immigration files in my hands, regulated flow,” she says.
her own business. which is a lot, and he was like, ‘OK, I’m But as she waits for things to change,
“My parents are very entrepreneurial, going to help you to process the files’. So, Olena has made career changes of
and I think it’s the only thing I knew how he started by being my legal assistant,” her own. Besides managing Weber
to do,” she says. “I actually felt so out of says Olena, noting her team now includes Immigration, she also produces a
place when I was working for somebody a full-time legal assistant. successful podcast targeting small
else because it feels like whatever you’re The couple – who have a son - primarily businesses and has dedicated more of
doing is actually not being productive.” work remotely from their home in her time operating a business coaching
Turning to her own experiences Cambridge, even before the pandemic, service.
navigating Canada’s post-secondary and but have retained an offsite workspace “When you start a business, it’s all kind
immigration systems, Olena became an in Mississauga where Olena can conduct of fun because you are very motivated.
education consultant helping others in-person consultations. But when it becomes kind of repetitive
from the Ukraine, including friends, “I need that human interaction,” she and you realize this is your life now, that
find their way in Canada working in says. “I get energy from just having those initial drive can start to wear out then
partnership with Sheridan and Fanshawe face-to-face conversations.” it becomes really difficult to control
colleges. and suddenly it starts impacting your
“Unfortunately, there were and still are Building those strong connections with actual health,” she says, describing her
clients is important to Olena and her
decision to expand her entrepreneurial
international students who come to team at Weber Immigration, which on aspirations, noting that monetary gain is
school here because of certain agents its website refers to itself as a ‘boutique not the final goal.
and wind up being sent to colleges in immigration firm’.
strip malls,” she says, adding ensuring “I think of business ownership as a
newcomers made the best decisions was “Rather than aiming to go viral on journey, so I’m trying to approach it
a strong motivation. “I still remember the Instagram, you need to build a deep more as a journey even in terms of
first paycheque I received from Fanshawe connection with your audience and setting goals. Of course, monetary goals
College and thinking, ‘Wow, I’m being need to actually make sure you’re are great, but not everyone needs a six
paid for sharing my experiences and helping people,” she says. “So, we’re or seven-figure salary. Maybe your goal
helping others’.” purposely keeping our practice very is freedom and to have more time with
small but very high quality, with high- your family. There are different levels of
With a desire to take her business quality representation and customer success, and the definition of success is
to another level, Olena became a service which is very important because different for every person.”
registered immigration consultant immigration is super stressful.”
in 2016. She was joined by her With changes to Canada’s immigration
husband, Cory, who also became policies, Olena says the situation for
a licensed immigration consultant workers and businesses is becoming
in 2021 after stepping away even more stressful as they struggle to
from his work in the aerospace retain talent and workers face the loss of
manufacturing sector. their livelihoods.

www.cambridgechamber.com Fall 2024 19