Leaving your home country isn’t easy. Overcoming a language barrier is hard too. Being socially isolated isn’t what most people would pick for themselves, especially while growing up. But it was overcoming all those challenges that gave Semyon Dukach the grit and willpower to reach what he wanted, like joining the infamous MIT blackjack team, founding and selling his software firm, and driving returns as an angel and VC investor. Today as the managing partner at One Way Ventures, he’s betting on other immigrants to have the same determination that brought his success.

“You have to learn a new language. Learn a new culture. Build a network from scratch without having had one already. You're more likely to figure out how to navigate the confusing environment where these bigger company executives are making deals to exclude startups. But you're okay with that, because you already have been in a place where people are excluding you and you found the way in.”

Learn more about The Journey at mission.org/thejourney.

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