Sometimes the biggest businesses grow from the smallest seeds—a basement workshop, a snowboard shop, or a makeshift lab. For many international entrepreneurs in Canada, humble beginnings often sparked world-changing ideas.
Let’s wander through four incredible journeys of vision, craft and relentless determination that continue to shape Canada’s economy today.
Frank Hasenfratz
Born in Hungary and trained as a machinist and toolmaker, Frank Hasenfratz fled to Canada as a refugee during the 1956 uprising. Settling near Guelph, Ontario, he worked in local factories and quickly noticed major quality issues in fuel pump production.
Rather than accepting poor standards, Frank launched his own one-man machine shop from his basement in the mid-1960s. He named it Linamar—after his wife Linda and daughters Nancy and Margaret. That small operation grew into Linamar Corporation, now a multi-billion-dollar global automotive and industrial manufacturer employing more than 30,000 people worldwide.
Frank’s journey shows us that precision and persistence transform expertise into enterprise. His focus on quality turned a basement workshop into a global powerhouse.
Tobias (Tobi) Lütke
Growing up in Germany, Tobi left formal school early to complete a computer programming apprenticeship—giving him deep expertise in coding. After immigrating to Canada in 2002, he settled in Ottawa and opened a snowboard shop. Frustrated by poor e-commerce tools, he built his own platform using Ruby on Rails—the first of its kind at the time.
This internal tool became what we know as Shopify today. What began as a modest retail solution evolved into one of Canada’s most valuable technology companies, powering millions of online stores globally and employing thousands.
Tobi’s leap underscores how solving your own pain points can lead to innovation with global reach. His technical skill and creative problem-solving launched a company that redefined online entrepreneurship.
Karim Hakimi
Iranian-born Karim Hakimi honed his lens-grinding skills in Germany and Switzerland before immigrating to Canada. In Toronto, he set up a small lab in a former hotel dance hall using rebuilt equipment and began selling affordable lenses door-to-door to optometrists.
His first storefront, named Hakim Optical, opened in Mississauga, offering $8 glasses—far cheaper than competitors—and one-hour service. By 1985, Hakim Optical had 27 stores. Today, it’s Canada’s largest independent optical chain with over 150 locations nationwide, more than 600 employees, and 40 million pairs of glasses sold.
Karim’s path proves how technical mastery combined with operational savvy can build a national brand from the ground up.
Karla Briones
At 18, Karla Briones immigrated from Mexico to Ottawa, watching her parents rebuild their lives from scratch. After studying journalism and public relations, she pivoted to entrepreneurship, co-owning Global Pet Foods franchises, Freshii restaurants, and founding SEENwear apparel and KB Consulting, which supports immigrant and BIPOC founders.
Karla also founded the Immigrants Developing Entrepreneurs Academy (DEA), advises at Invest Ottawa, and teaches at Algonquin College. Her network of ventures and programs continues to empower others to succeed.
While Karla’s skill equipped her with the knowledge she needed to successfully scale businesses, she also understood people and their needs, and leveraged that knowledge to create something just as powerful. Karla’s story highlights the power of empathy-driven entrepreneurship—using lived experience to create opportunity for her community.
The Common Thread
Whether their craft was machining, coding, lens-grinding, or community building, each founder started with a skill they refined through discipline. They spotted problems others ignored, solved them creatively, and scaled their solutions into thriving enterprises.
From basements to global companies, these immigrant founders turned personal expertise into collective prosperity. Their ventures generate jobs, foster innovation, and strengthen the Canadian economy.
When international entrepreneurs thrive, so does Canada. Every great journey begins with one skill, a clear vision, and the courage to act.hese immigrant founders turned personal expertise into collective prosperity. Their ventures generate jobs, foster innovation, and strengthen the Canadian economy.
When international entrepreneurs thrive, so does Canada. Every great journey begins with one skill, a clear vision, and the courage to act.