An Interview With Vicky Colas
Prepare for difficulty — I knew coming to the United States would be hard, but I didn’t know just how hard it would be. If you’re embarking on a new journey, try to find people who have been down a similar road before, learn from both their triumphs and their challenges and start preparing for the highs and lows that could be in your future.
Is the American Dream still alive? If you speak to many of the immigrants we spoke to, who came to this country with nothing but grit, resilience, and a dream, they will tell you that it certainly is still alive. As a part of our series about immigrant success stories, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrey Sokurec, co-founder and CEO of Homestead Road.
When I immigrated to Minnesota from Belarus in 2004, I had no money and knew very little English. But that didn’t stop me from carving out my own version of the American Dream.
After working 14-hour days as a loan officer and spending any extra time I had reading books, learning about business and talking to mentors, I saw an opportunity to make my dreams a reality when the real estate market collapsed in 2008. Without any money of my own, I found a way to buy my first investment property and make a $12,000 profit by flipping it. That’s when Homestead Road was born, and today we’ve sold more than 1,000 homes and have been added to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for two years in a row. We’ve recently expanded to Milwaukee and Tampa and have bigger plans for the future.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up in Belarus with a family of high-achievers. Most of my relatives were either doctors, engineers, lawyers or had some other type of degree. I didn’t know it at the time, but we were also very poor; not compared to our neighbors but to other people across the world. Still, looking back at my childhood, I never felt unlucky. We didn’t have money to buy toys like LEGOs, but we were always finding something to keep us entertained. During my younger years, the concept of socialism was all around me — this idea that we were a part of something bigger than ourselves. But that idea came crumbling down in 1991, and everything I knew turned upside down. Around this time, the Chernobyl disaster also took place 100 miles from my home. Families from across Europe started inviting kids from the area to live with them during the summer, so I spent several months living in places like Spain and Italy. These experiences allowed me to see firsthand how little my own family was able to earn or achieve. It was then that I became determined to find a way to live with more financial freedom than my family was able to have.
Was there a particular trigger point that made you emigrate to the US? Can you tell us the story?
I originally had no plans of emigrating to the U.S., but after borrowing money from my brother for a business that ended up failing, I had to look for ways to pay him back. I applied for the green card lottery and ended up being accepted. I met my brother in Minnesota, where he had been for a couple of years at that time. My original goal was to work hard for two years, repay my loan, save up enough money and then return to Belarus.
Can you tell us the story of how you came to the USA? What was that experience like?
When I arrived here in 2004, my first few months were horrible. I felt lost in a new country where I knew very little English, had no friends and no money. On top of that, I was working in my brother’s construction company doing manual labor that I wasn’t good at and didn’t enjoy. After spending seven years in college, I was determined to find an opportunity to match my financing and banking background. So the next year, I got a job as a loan officer and worked 12-hour days trying to maximize my commissions. I’d spend my time outside of work at the local library trying to gain as much business insight as I could because I was determined to find a way to start my own successful business one day and give myself more financial freedom. I knew that the U.S. was the best place in the world to make this happen so I kept reading, learning and eventually meeting mentors who helped me see a path forward.
Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped make the move more manageable? Can you share a story?
I can’t imagine what my first few months in the U.S. would have been like without my brother by my side. Not only was he patient with me as I worked to pay him back over 18 months, but he also gave me a place to live and the support I needed to get on my feet. As an immigrant, I think it’s vital to have at least one person you can turn to for all of the questions and concerns you’re going to have. For those who plan to emigrate somewhere and don’t have someone they can turn to, I’d suggest they find an online group and connect with someone who’s been down a similar path before and is willing to answer questions to help guide them through the process before they arrive.
So how are things going today?
Today, things are going well for both myself and my family of five. But I can’t deny that the first five years here were very rough. I can completely understand why many immigrants can’t make it and eventually go back home. Emotionally, it’s very tough to move away from your family and friends and join a country and culture you’re completely unfamiliar with. The biggest challenge for me was overcoming the language barrier. In those early days, it was easy to feel like no one understood me. When I couldn’t fully express my thoughts, I felt as if people started thinking I wasn’t smart, and that was a big blow to my self-esteem. But once I learned the language more and more each day, I started to feel more confident. If you plan to emigrate somewhere and don’t have someone you can turn to, I’d suggest you find an online group and connect with someone who’s been down a similar path before and is willing to answer questions to help guide you through the process before you arrive
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I’m passionate about telling my story — the hardships and the successes — to help others realize their full potential. I’m often telling people that in order to take care of your life and family, you first have to take care of yourself. It’s like when you get on an airplane, during an emergency they say before you help others, make sure to put on your mask first. It’s a simple idea but often ignored: we can’t truly help others if we aren’t taking care of ourselves.
My message of becoming the best possible version of yourself recently manifested into my first book. “Total Financial Awakening” is a fable that’s loosely based on my own self-discovery and entrance into the real estate investing industry. Whether people work in real estate or have a vision for a work-life balance that gives them more freedom, I want to share my message so people can see that the American dream doesn’t have to mean being overworked, over-tired and in massive debt. Entrepreneurs have the ability to control their own destiny, as long as they’re willing to put in the hard work, try, fail and try again.
You have first hand experience with the US immigration system. If you had the power, which three things would you suggest to improve the system?
From a system perspective, my experience was mostly a positive one. Although things are different today for many people trying to emigrate, these struggles aren’t something I experienced firsthand. I appreciated the fair opportunity to apply for a green card and then get selected. I also like that our country allows people with special gifts or talents to be considered for unique opportunities here.
Can you share “5 keys to achieving the American dream” that others can learn from you? Please share a story or example for each.
- Prepare for difficulty — I knew coming to the United States would be hard, but I didn’t know just how hard it would be. If you’re embarking on a new journey, try to find people who have been down a similar road before, learn from both their triumphs and their challenges and start preparing for the highs and lows that could be in your future.
- Find your support — I was lucky enough to have my brother as a strong support for me during my early days in the U.S. As I continued to learn about myself and the country, I started reaching out to people who today I call my mentors. We all need people in our corner who we can learn from and call on when we need motivation or guidance.
- Keep learning and reading — Every successful person or business owner has a story to tell and a story to learn from. I took this to heart and read as many biographies as I could. I soaked in all of the information to help me understand some of the challenges, decisions and outcomes that were common in different people’s journeys throughout history.
- Don’t let bad events define you — As someone who failed on their first business and had to swallow my pride and find a way to pay my brother back, I can see how it would be easy to get down on yourself and give up. But I’m so glad I didn’t let my early obstacles stop me from trying. They helped me build my resilience and ultimately start a thriving, growing business and achieve the sort of freedom I used to dream about.
- Follow your own dream — Your dream doesn’t have to come from someone else’s ideas or what society expects from you. Many Americans work too hard, spend too much and keep thinking these things will eventually make them happy. Creating a plan and following your dreams will almost always lead to better results.
We know that the US needs improvement. But are there 3 things that make you optimistic about the US’s future?
One thing that makes me feel good about the future of the U.S. is our commitment to philanthropy. Overall, people here are generous with their time and money and genuinely want others to succeed. Those with more helping those with less is something I admire and take part in myself now as well.
Second, the U.S. truly is a melting pot and has diverse cultures unlike anywhere else in the world. It’s important to meet people from different cultures, backgrounds and walks of life. When we open our minds to see others’ perspectives, it helps us become stronger people and a strong country.
Finally, I believe that the U.S. has earned the name as ‘the land of opportunity.’ As a person who came to this country with almost nothing, I’m living proof that there are opportunities for anyone willing to try. Sometimes you may need to explore a few opportunities before the right one lands, but the fact that they’re available is already quite special.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, especially if we tag them.
I would skip the meal and opt for a chess game with Arnold Schwarzenegger. His outlook on life and the principles he holds closely are similar to my own, and I’ve also heard he’s quite good at the game. I’d like to see him in action and happily challenge him to a match whenever he’s available.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Andrey Sokurec of Homestead Road: I Am Living Proof Of The American Dream was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.