Embracing Intersectionality: The Remarkable Entrepreneurial Journey of Moe Egeh
Moe Egeh
As the month of Ramadan brings a sense of renewed spirituality and reflection among Muslims worldwide, we celebrate the accomplishments of entrepreneurs like Moe Egeh, whose journey showcases the importance of embracing intersectionality in Canada's business landscape. Moe's role as the founder and owner of Hibiscus Realty, the only Black-owned real estate brokerage in Ottawa, illustrates the power of resilience, determination, and perseverance to conquer adversity.
Born in Djibouti, a small country in East Africa, Moe immigrated to Canada over 30 years ago. Having earned a Master's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Université Blaise Pascal in France, he had a strong academic background. Still, the challenging economic times made it difficult for him to find a job in his field. This led him to pursue a career in Information Technology, where he worked for 12 years before entering the world of real estate.
As a first-generation Somali-Canadian, Moe possesses a keen awareness of the pressures that newcomers face in assimilating into Canadian culture. However, he has learned to adapt and thrive in his adopted country. Inspired by his experiences as an immigrant and the desire to help others, Moe set up his own brokerage, Hibiscus Realty, in 2018. Named after the beautiful flower that signals the change from winter to spring, Hibiscus Realty symbolizes hope and new beginnings for many who encounter barriers in the real estate market.
Moe shared, "My wife and I bought our first house in 1999 and I was disappointed with the service I received. And because my wife and I are heavily involved in the community, we saw the barriers immigrants were facing in buying a home.” He added, “For an immigrant, there is no other dream than owning a house. I wanted to help people realize their dream of home ownership and provide impeccable customer service so that's how I got into real estate."
Moe is a firm believer that networking is one of the most crucial forms of support for Black entrepreneurs. As a result, he is actively involved in the Black and Muslim communities and sponsors various initiatives. "Networking is the backbone of every business,” he explained. “Networking, networking, networking! Whenever I go to an event, I always get one customer." Apart from networking, Moe suggests that BEKH should provide additional training in areas such as business planning and help facilitate access to financing.
Moe stated that employment is one of the major obstacles for Black people in Canada, particularly newcomers to the country. Many struggle to secure jobs in their respective fields, often resorting to working multiple jobs to make ends meet. “I think things are improving now, but when we arrived, it was very, very tough,” he says. “At the time, the most challenging thing for us was finding a job.” Being at the intersection of multiple identities has also presented unique challenges for Moe when conducting business with financial institutions. Despite his expertise as a FINTRAC compliance officer for his company, which makes him knowledgeable in financial regulatory requirements, his religion has caused him to undergo increased scrutiny by banks. He noted, "When you get a wire transfer from a Muslim or as a Muslim, they ask you more questions than necessary. And sometimes they freeze your money for a few days, and you get a lot of questions because you have a Muslim background or the person who sent you the money is Muslim." Although Moe did not need a loan to launch his business, he acknowledges it can be difficult for a Black person who is new to this country and lacks family or collateral. However, he feels that every bank should be willing to provide financing if an individual meets the necessary financial criteria.
Moe's positive outlook remains unshaken by any challenges that come his way. Rather than being hindered by obstacles, he views them as opportunities for growth. Having this mindset has proven critical to his success as a Black entrepreneur in the real estate sector, which has historically lacked diversity. To prospective home owners and entrepreneurs, he offers three key pieces of advice: plan ahead, don't wait for things to come to you, and go for what you can afford.
During the holy month of Ramadan, we are reminded of the triumphant spirit of Black immigrant entrepreneurs such as Moe Egeh and their significant contributions in fostering equity and inclusion within the Canadian business ecosystem.