In this blog post I will discuss a Canadian native, Kevin Smiley. Smiley is a young entrepreneur who the company SuraiTea Inc., Smiley has made it his company’s mission to provide job opportunities for recently displaced Syrian refugees in the Canada region. SuraiTea Inc. is a tea packaging business employing arriving Syrian refugees in hopes of creating high value jobs for these families. The company also aims to create a sustainable source of donations from SuraiTea Inc. to the not-for-profit organizations active in the refuges settling process. Kevin Smiley’s company mission and goals are very admirable to me because I would like to be an entrepreneur who emulates such values. Smiley has created an environment which creates value to all members involved with his corporation. His employees are new aliens desperate for a source of income, a means to provide adjustment for themselves and their families, his company also provides an excellent level product in quality to his customers. In many ways the company’s true value does not truly lie in the level or quality of the product but in the difference made in the lives of these Syrian refuges. This twenty-seven-year-old entrepreneur proves that even with the simplest idea great value can still be provided to society. His achievement and contribution was then recognized with his company winning Ottawa’s Social Impact award in 2016.
This was special to read about. It is so cool how the world of entrepreneurship can be used to make such a direct, important impact. There is a beauty in the fact that a company like this can impact refugee’s, even without any direct connection between product offering and impact, there is still resources that can be allocated to their chosen cause.
I think this is such a fascinating and unique idea that has a very specific goal or vision. The idea of having a cause bigger than yourself is very evident here and I think that he must have a lot of intrinsic motivation pushing him to help Syrian refugees with the intent of letting them land on their feet. I think this is a great idea and n even better person behind the business. Great job!
This is such a cool idea to not only have a product but the business itself has a goal of helping Syrian refugees. The motive and drive is so pure that I can see this business growing. I love it when people build a business off of an idea that can actually help people.
It is so cool to read about how Kevin Smiley had an innovative idea and the drive to create a company that would help refugees. By creating jobs for the Syrian refugees, he is providing them the opportunity to earn money and learn skills that will be beneficial to turning their lives completely around. I find it very inspiring when people are driven to create something that is not solely aimed at benefiting themselves, but that is aimed at solving a problem and helping those in need.