This book gives us a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurialism in our region. – Johnathan Weinhagen, CEO and President of Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce Green Card Entrepreneur Voices: How-To Business Stories from Minnesota Immigrants is a collection of essays and digital narratives from twenty immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs living in Minnesota. Written in the tellers’ own words, these stories offer insight into immigrant entrepreneur expertise: how they did it, why they did it, and what they learned in the process.

These storytellers, who come from nineteen different countries, describe their childhoods, the reasons they left their homes, their first moments in a strange land, and the ways they’ve contributed to their new home. They’ve build multi-million-dollar companies, founded community arts organizations, developed products that support their home countries, and designed new organizations in the US based on their cultural traditions. They are social entrepreneurs, company founders, and everything in between.

Immigrants are among the most entrepreneurial individuals in our nation. They create new companies, provide jobs, and contribute to the American economic landscape. This book, along with its accompanying video narratives, memorializes these contributions. Green Card Entrepreneur Voices is an inspirational resource and how-to guide for anyone who wants to know what it takes to succeed as an (immigrant) entrepreneur in our nation.