591 – From Survival to Sustainable Business with Neri Sillaman

Immigrant entrepreneurs often build businesses to last, and their approach to resilience, hospitality, and value creation offers powerful lessons for any small business owner.

Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/591-neri-sillaman-survival-to-sustainable/

In this episode, Henry Lopez talks with Neri Karra Sillaman, author of Pioneers: Eight Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs, about what immigrant entrepreneurs can teach us about building businesses that endure.

Neri shares her remarkable journey from growing up in a Turkish minority family in communist Bulgaria, being forced to flee as refugees, and helping her family rebuild their lives and livelihoods in Turkey. She explains how those early experiences shaped her view of entrepreneurship, not as a career choice, but as a means of survival that later evolved into a powerful business philosophy.

Drawing from her family's business experience and her formal business education, Neri discusses several of the core principles from her book, including resilience, authentic hospitality, cultural bridge-building, and a focus on long-term value rather than short-term profit. She explains how immigrant entrepreneurs often leverage past hardship, adaptability, and deep human connection to create businesses that last across generations.

Whether you are an immigrant entrepreneur or a small business owner looking to build something sustainable, this conversation offers practical insights on trust, perseverance, and designing a business for longevity.

This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run, grow and exit your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com