Merging Immigrant Perseverance With Education For Female Entrepreneurial Success

Female entrepreneurship is on the rise, and when it comes to the female immigrant population, they appear front and center in the trend. A Think Immigrant article indicates that although many associate the U.S. immigrant entrepreneur journey with men, the reality is that a considerable percentage are women. The 2021 annual National Women’s Business Council report reveals that 38.6% of all immigrant business owners are women. Even more informative is how female non-citizens represent 1.5 million women business owners in the U.S. and 11.5% of all women business owners.

College is often a diving-in point of opportunity for female immigrants, where more than one of four holds a bachelor's degree or greater. Current statistics show that American colleges now have a striking gender imbalance, with women outnumbering men by 3-to-1 on most campuses. According to the New York Times, this shrinking gap might change the economy and the face of the American workforce in the next decade.

Opportunities abound for women in education. However, switching from college to a career faces hurdles for leadership positions moving forward. Harvard Business Review cites that although women make up more than half of workers in the economy, when it comes to positions of power, only 8% lead Fortune 500 companies, with less than 1% representing women of color. The number gap may be closing, but getting top jobs remains a challenge for women.

The quest to rise the ranks involves an added workplace battle against certain biases and a resilient determination to succeed. Even in female-dominated industries, there are biases to overcome, not to mention the industries with less female representation.

Amela Smailbegovic represents a U.S. college-educated female immigrant entrepreneur who confronts the female barrier inside her industry. A successful real estate owner with operations in the USA and Europe, Smailbegovic has been in the property game for 15 years and has made a name for herself in the timeshare real estate model.

"I've faced a lot of adversity, from my home country to when I immigrated to America, but none of my experiences have derailed my success,” says Smailbegovic. “I'd argue that I may not have been successful without them. While hardships were never pleasant, the chisel shaped my character and brought me to where I am. The real estate industry is still largely male-dominated, and there are some obstacles women have to surmount in this space, but I'm a testament to all women that no one but yourself can stop your success."

This reporter sat down with Amela Smailbegovic to learn more about her immigrant journey, educational path, and being a successful woman business owner in the real estate sector.

Rod Berger: Talk about your journey as an immigrant into the U.S. and your beginnings before entering the property market.

Amela Smailbegovic: Being an immigrant, which is a big flex for me. I'm originally from Croatia, well, Yugoslavia, to be technical. The war in the early ’90s split it up into five countries, including Croatia. I was born in 1985. My family moved to America in 1994, and settling wasn't easy because we didn't leave our country with much of anything.

Back in Croatia, my dad was a successful attorney, and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps, so I did just that. I went to Elon University in North Carolina and completed two degrees in philosophy and political science. By then, we had moved to Florida, where I got my first job as a paralegal. It was a nice job too, but eventually, I felt the need to move on.

Berger: How did your transition into real estate happen?

Smailbegovic: It was a lucky break. At the time, my mom worked for David Siegel, a popularly regarded figure as the timeshare king in the real estate space. My mom was an executive architect at Siegel’s Westgate Resorts. She urged me to consider a career in timeshare real estate, and the concept made sense to me, so I decided to put my legal career aside and try it out, especially because there weren’t many women doing it.

I started working at Westgate and moved up in the industry ranks, and became one of the top performers. Now I'm a top manager at a major hotel powerhouse. I've been blessed to grow to the point where I have a team of seven to ten top-notch agents at every given time who sell for me, and we take in anywhere from $30 million to $40 million every year, which is not common in the industry.

Berger: In your opinion, what is the state of female entrepreneurship in your industry and beyond? Is the growing number of women in college impacting female entrepreneurship in any way?

Smailbegovic: Well, it’s better than it was 10 years ago. However, there is still a lot of work to do. A college education is not affecting the numbers as much, especially in industries where they are needed.

I’ve noticed two things female entrepreneurs often lack: a belief that they can do it in less familiar industries and the ability to be comfortable in male-dominated spaces.

College education does breed more female entrepreneurs, but most still operate in female-dominated clusters like fashion, cosmetics, and similar spaces. Women have a lot to offer in other industries. The female mind needs to contribute more in areas like construction, sales, and manufacturing.

Berger: Do you consider yourself an inspiration for aspiring female entrepreneurs? Does it factor into why you chose real estate?

Smailbegovic: I try to be. I always try to educate and encourage other women to get into entrepreneurship. I do my best to make them believe that they can.

Berger: Why did you choose the timeshare route instead of the commercial or residential space? Some contend that it is a more difficult choice with baked-in problems to handle.

Smailbegovic: No route in this industry is easy, plus I'm also in the commercial and residential markets, so I'm talking from experience. Timeshare just happens to be my mainline portfolio. One of my main reasons was that timeshare is one of the most profitable niches in real estate and is basically recession and pandemic proof, as our numbers in 2020 proved. But it's very segmented to Florida (Orlando), Vegas, and Hawaii. These are the main hubs of timeshares in the country.

It's a lot of work and operates very differently from commercial and residential. The skills needed are different, and the types of clients are different. It's a distinctive landscape.

Berger: You mentioned you also have commercial and real estate property. I imagine that divides your time.

Smailbegovic: I do. I have rental properties back in my home country, and I return home at least once a year to check things. I also have a rendering company that I started with my mom. So many projects are going on at once. I still have dreams and ambitions, companies to create, and people to empower.

Berger: Would you say that your entrepreneurship spirit and ambition come from a mindset forged in the challenges of immigrating and finding a certain resolve?

Smailbegovic: Yes, it comes from being both a woman and an immigrant. I've had to fight much harder to be relevant and have my voice heard in this industry. There aren't as many women making it big in real estate compared to our successful male counterparts.

The ironic thing is that while men have the numbers, the most successful people in real estate are women. That's proof that women can excel in this industry, but they must be ready to put in the work. I've always had the underdog mentality, the fighter who leaves it all in the ring because they've got nothing to lose. I think resilience is the most important trait for women entering this business and other industries. It takes a sheer, unrepentant commitment to push through the gender-sensitive glass ceiling and lay down their market.

We just have to be intentional as women, keep our personal and business records clean, stay accountable to ourselves, and brace ourselves to handle the ‘nos’ when they come because they will. Grit and mental toughness is half the journey. The rest will happen eventually as long as you never give up.

Berger: I can see that resilience and focus are major drivers of your business success.

Smailbegovic: It will take deliberate steps, of course, to stay focused. You must determine if your success is more important than what distracts you. For now, I'm just focused on my business, and my resilience is never waning.

I'm always thinking of the next business to start and ways to expand my personal and business networks. I plan to start a brokerage firm and continue real estate work back home in the next few years.

As women continue to occupy higher ed in ever-growing numbers, the opportunities for career growth are as numerous as there are sectors to enter. Overcoming the challenges of workplace dynamics remains an ever-present hurdle that has the potential to lessen as more women enter leadership positions in more male-dominated professions.

Amela Smailbegovic's advancement in real estate acts as an example that there's no current male-dominated industry that women can't disrupt. Added to her arsenal is a mindset derived from an immigrant grit and resilience.

In 2019, the percentage of new businesses started by women was 28%, and in 2021, barely two years later, the percentage stood at 49%, according to the World Economic Forum. Female-led entrepreneurs are indeed rising and major industries where women are less represented appear set up as the next ceiling to break.

Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.