I'm from Somalia and I came here in 1999 with my family to find a better opportunity. I wanted to create a name and a legacy for myself and for the next generation. When you are a refugee, you don't know what tomorrow brings. You don't know what you're able to make.
I had to do something about that so I decided to go to college when I was 18. I attended Mankato University and graduated with a degree in finance. Graduating from college was a dream come true, especially coming from nothing. After graduation, I started working at Wells Fargo and I was a banker for a few years.
That opened my eyes, and I learned a lot working at Wells Fargo. After a few years passed, I started my own business called Coherent Bus Company. This was one of the biggest risks I took because people didn't believe in me, and I had to convince myself that it was my true calling to be an entrepreneur. It paid off and I'm glad I took that risk. I own and operate a fleet of 50 yellow buses and minivans across the Twin Cities, largely serving charter schools. I am proud of myself and my humble beginnings.
If you believe in yourself, if you have confidence and the right people on your corner, you can turn that into reality. That's something that I have done during my time here in America. Don't let anybody else tell you that you cannot do it. My family is the reason why I really go at it every single morning and without my family, I'm nobody.
One piece of advice I would give to refugees who come to the U.S is to be open and work hard. There are a lot of people who will guide you along the way but having faith and controlling your destiny matters. I was once a refugee and I know the path it takes to become successful. It's very hard to arrive in a new country with no resources. There were a lot of challenges I faced along the road, including racism, but that didn't stop me from achieving my goal.
Empowering refugees is very critical. For example, the work that Epimonia is doing with storytelling is super amazing. Changing the narrative is a prime example of shaping how people think about refugees. I am glad that Epimonia is doing amazing work in the community.
Success is being happy. Money is not success. Peace of mind is success and so is helping others along the way. I believe that the more you give, the more you will get in life.
Changing someone's life is a success!
