Moving to a new country and uprooting all you know can be a difficult ordeal for anyone, particularly during your teen years.

That was the situation Jenny Rafeh found herself in.

Twenty-seven years ago at 14, Rafeh and her family left Venezuela — where her parents previously immigrated to from Syria — and moved to the United States.

Almost immediately, she experienced a culture shock.

“I’m not going to say it was easy,” Rafeh told PHILADELPHIA.Today. “It was hard. I cried for a whole year.”

She even used to ask her father when they could move back to Venezuela.

However, over time, Rafeh came to a realization.

“I thank my dad every single day because that was the best decision that he made back then because I believe this is a great country … It gives us the opportunity to grow and to be successful.”

Growth and success are two key principles to the American Dream.

It’s those same principles that she strives to help other immigrants like herself.

The Start of a New Chapter

After earning her degrees in criminal justice and behavioral health from Alvernia University in Reading, Rafeh made the decision to dedicate her life to raising her now three children. 

Around that time, she was also living in Syria for a number of years.

Upon returning to the states, Rafeh had to find work.

She soon fell into an opportunity to work as a Philadelphia school teacher for about six years. Simultaneously, she found another opportunity — this time to work with immigration lawyers.

Those experiences helped lead her to the entrepreneurial journey she is on today. 

“I always wanted to help the community, especially our immigrants,” Rafeh said. “They go through a lot, they come to this country, and unfortunately, they don’t have [much] help.”

A few years later, Rafeh started her own business — Executive Multiservices — in 2019. 

The immigration services company provides assistance to immigrants in a number of services, including filling out forms, translations, notarizations, and more.

This venture ties into her passion for helping others.

So, too, does her more recent business venture as the founder and CEO of South Philly Home Care. The latter business helps provide services to the elderly and those who need assistance with certain daily activities. 

Always Pushing Forward

Being an entrepreneur is no easy feat, as Rafeh noted that she encounters challenges on a regular basis. One of these challenges is the amount of competition within the industry.

However, her mindset allows her to not see others in the field as competition or someone to be intimidated by, but rather as people to learn from. 

“I have to see them as a teacher,” she said.

The more she is able to learn, the better she is able to help her clients and that’s the main goal as an entrepreneur. 

That reasoning is what pushes her every single day.

This is especially true to fellow immigrants, and those from the Hispanic and Arabic communities, as well.

When it comes to advice for those coming up in search of the American Dream, Rafeh gave three main pieces of advice: set clear goals, manage your expenses, and seek out mentorship.

“Anyone in any situation can achieve whatever they want. It’s all a mindset,” she concluded. 

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