Foreign Entrepreneurs Finding the American Dream

Moschini is a big believer in the potential for the U.S. marketplace to make dreams comes true. "America is a wonderland of opportunities for entrepreneurs. It is a country that offers endless possibilities for individuals with the talent, drive and determination to make things happen," she says.

Two Perspectives, One Goal

Vienna native Sascha Ghods and Russian business partner Alina Jidkova started online jewelry vendor Be My Pearl in 2005.

About four years ago, while Ghods and Jidkova were traveling in Asia, they visited a local market, where they conceived of their business idea.

Ghods always viewed the U.S. as the land of opportunity. He came to the U.S. when he was 18 and put himself through San Diego State University, where he eventually earned a B.A. "I always saw the U.S. as the county [where] if you work hard, you can achieve anything you want," says Ghods.

Neither Ghods nor Jidkova were in the jewelry business previously, but both did their homework. "We researched the businesses, did a lot of work, looked at the numbers and saw it was something we could do," says Ghods.

They found that starting a business in the U.S was much more streamlined than in other locations. "In other countries, there is a lot more bureaucracy. In the U.S., you have a dream and a passion, just pick it up and go for it," says Ghods.

In addition, taxes here are much lower than in much of Europe, where in some cases 50% to 60% of one's income is taxed, says Ghods.

Managing a U.S.-based online business is also easier, because English is widespread. "If I run a Web site in Austria, people in other parts of Europe would not be able to understand it. Here in the U.S., it doesn't matter if someone is in the middle of Texas or Los Angeles," Ghods points out.

Their work has paid off: Be My Pearl's first year's sales were $500,000, says Ghods, and this year's sales are expected to be about $700,000.

Starting a business in the most favorable environment is always a good idea, but still, being a successful entrepreneur is not necessarily dependent on where you grew up or even where you've relocated. Drive, ambition and persistence are what's needed -- in any language.