SAN ANTONIO – It’s been more than a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, forcing many families to leave their country.
Hundreds of those refugees moved to San Antonio in hopes of rebuilding, and on Wednesday, many of them attended a free seminar to learn more about starting a small business.
“These folks never thought they would one day be living in San Antonio and losing everything they worked for back home,” said Olena Khrystyuk, Ukrainian San Antonio board member.
Ukrainian refugees hoping to learn more about starting businesses in the United States were invited to attend a free small business seminar hosted by Geekdom, Frost Bank and Ukrainian San Antonio.
“There is a huge need and hunger from these refugees to, to be incorporated as part of our city, but also to get that support and those resources that are available for all so that they can take advantage of them,” said Mari Zavala, director of partnerships at Geekdom.
Attendees learned about the programs Geekdom offers entrepreneurs and startup founders. Frost Bank shared insights on small business banking practices and how businesses obtain credit.
“When refugees come through San Antonio, they’re really getting help establishing themselves, finding a place to live, looking for jobs, but it’s really challenging for a lot of folks to look for jobs because many of them cannot find equivalent job level here in San Antonio, in United States, so many have thought about opening up a business,” said Khrystyuk.
Part of the challenge is also for Ukrainian refugees to learn the business jargon and legalities that come with ownership in the U.S.
“We wanted to provide a platform where they can learn about the banking services and how to operate and maneuver financing, and access to capital to start off a business. But also, we wanted to include the legal side because it’s completely different the way they’re used to doing business back home. We really want to educate and provide all of that knowledge so that they better navigate the space,” said Zavala.
“There’s a lot of resources they don’t quite know that exist in San Antonio through Geekdom and Frost. We’re very grateful; it’s very informative,” said Khrystyuk.
It is estimated that 400 to 700 Ukrainian war refugees now live in San Antonio and with Geekdom’s help, Khrystyuk said one of their organization’s goals is to build a network of local Ukrainian business owners that can support one another in the future.
“A lot of them have the basic understanding of that entrepreneurialism spirit. I feel like it’s very transferable. As long as you have the spirit and mindset and you have the right tools, you can make anything come true,” said Khrystyuk.