We believe: new immigrants are more hands to help, not more mouths to feed.
Briico Is:
An innovative social enterprise driven by one bold vision: that every aspiring entrepreneur in the US -- especially immigrants and refugees -- have the tools and support they need to create a thriving livelihood.
Why Immigrants & Refugees
Most immigrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees to the US make that journey from a profound need or big dream. But the path to the US, as grueling as it may have been, is just the start of a much longer ordeal of achieving freedom and prosperity.
For many New Americans, building a small business is a powerful way to reach those goals. But the business support that exists is ineffective, old fashioned, inaccessible, and irrelevant.
In other words: the people who deserve the most support get the least support.
Why Small Business
The world needs small business to thrive. The future is driven by their innovation, community building, ethics, and renegade nature. There are 30 million small businesses in the US, employing almost half of the country: they are the lifeblood of every community in America.
When small business does better, we all do better. That's why supporting these extraordinary business owners in becoming more profitable, better employers, and more innovative is possibly the most important work that exists today.
Catch Us On The News
We were honored to be featured on Spectrum 1 News in July, 2023. Catch us talking about our work with asylum-seekers in New York.
Our Team
Briico is run by Emily Kerr-Finell, an entrepreneur, consultant, and facilitator.
Emily has helped thousands of small business owners grow. Her fresh approach to business has been featured by O: The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Her experience ranges from running her own product companies, to high-level corporate consulting, to business advising at the United States Small Business Development agency. She is the Founder of Briico and Wholesale In a Box.
How We Do Things
At Briico, we think differently when it comes to business. We have found:
Immigrants are not more mouths to feed, but more hands to help.
When new immigrants start legal, profitable businesses, they are the lifeblood of our economy, creating new jobs and economic opportunities.We can support any motivated new immigrant in starting a successful business.
…In less than 30 days with less than $500 investment.New immigrants’ entrepreneurial plans are dynamic and multifactorial. Most people don’t necessarily have “a business idea” but rather are looking at various options and resources and need support that meets that dynamism. Their legal status, other family members’ employment, and other factors are interrelated with their business plans, ideas, and potentials. And, they’re multiskilled, richly backgrounded people and may have many potential options to pursue.
Our clients deserve world-class support.
We honor every one of our clients’ time by using responsive, adaptive “concierge” approach. For instance communicating entirely on WhatsApp, accepting payment in cash if needed, creating videos in each person’s language, responding quickly and providing quick turnaround on information or support, and more.“Done for me” services can be important.
Of course, training and capacity building is important. But at some key junctures, it works well to provide concrete, high-touch services rather than providing "advice" in many cases.People need training at the time they need it, in a way that directly meets their situation.
This is about developing bite-sized and "just in time" education and training videos that are just the tidbit folks need at the moment they need it.
For most entrepreneurs, a “lo-hi” business opportunity is best.
…Those with low capital investments, low overhead costs, low regulatory requirements, and high potential – things like cottage food businesses, home services, and the like.
Why We’re Called Briico
You might be wondering what our business name - Briico - means.
Briico comes from the French word bricolage, which means creating something new from a diverse range of available things. It's about DIY, recombining, experimentation, making do, creative thinking within constraints, and honoring the value of whatever is we have (culturally, financially, societally, and personally) as well as what we envision.