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The Keys to Successful

Immigrant Entrepreneurship

tarting a company is a challenging but worthy endeavour. This can be
especially so when you are an immigrant, but if this is your dream then don’t
let anything stop you. Kim Kardashian once said “If you find something you
S are really passionate about, figure out a way to make that your job. Then you
will be happy. If you aren’t doing what you want to do, you will be frustrated.”
Our company, ALSF. Alternative Legal Service Firm Incorporated, opened
three and a half years ago in February 2018. ALSFI is a bilingual (English and
French) firm providing family mediation and commissioning of Oaths. We do
representation as legal agents before the Alberta Provincial Court, the Alberta
Human Rights Commission, the Alberta Workers Compensation Board,
and the Appeal Commission for Alberta Workers Compensation Board.
We also provide consulting services with regards to immigration in
partnership with Express Lane Immigration. Our immigration consultant
serves clients in Alberta and around the world.
An entrepreneur is nothing without credibility and visibility, and
an immigrant woman entrepreneur finds it difficult because she is
living and doing business in an environment where she typically has
no connection, so it will be harder for a client to trust her. This is
especially true of legal services.
The owner of ALSFI arrived in Canada around 2014 with an
international background as a lawyer. Unable to get a job in Canada
with her international background in law, she enrolled in a legal
assistant training course at CDI College and graduated in 2015.
This still did not help her to get a job in a law firm. However, she
did not give up on her dreams because of the challenges. She
decided to volunteer with many legal organizations and law
firms, which helped her to better understand the legal system in
Alberta and better sell legal services as an independent paralegal
or legal agent. The hunger for success and the passion she has
for providing legal assistance and services motivated her to
start ALSFI.
Another good reason for starting the business was to be
a voice to voiceless immigrants who are facing challenges
integrating into Canadian society. She wanted to impact
their lives and give them hope. She is deeply passionate
about legal services and facilitating access to justice for
families in Alberta. In fact, that passion drives her to
business, and business will drive her to success.
From this story what we can say is that the keys to
successful immigrant entrepreneurship are as follows:
Passion, resilience, good character, confidence, and loyalty.

BANYK CHIA, LEGAL AGENT

ALSF.ALTERNATIVE LEGAL SERVICE FIRM INC

banykchia@alsfi.com I 780-752-1777
alsfalternative-legal-service-firm.business.site

Irene Lay Photography
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