The Entrepreneurial Spirit of the Greek Immigrant in Chicago, Illinois: 1900-1930
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Others were motivated by the freedom they believed they would gain. By owning their own businesses they would be free from the domination of others. Their pride in their own ethno-religious culture simply would not tolerate anyone telling them what to do. Some even chose working for themselves at a lower profit, if that be the case, than working for others at higher wages. George Sedares, an immigrant who arrived in Chicago in 1922 and devoted most of his life to the ice cream manufacturing business, discussed this dominating trait in the Greek character:
We are not an ordinary people. We are progressive and ambitious. We were not satisfied merely to have something to eat everyday and get by. We wanted to accomplish things. We wanted financial independence. Pride, independence, and money---all those things go together. When somebody else tells you what to do, you lose your pride.
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About the Book
Greek immigrants came to Chicago in droves in the early 1900s, and most of them made immediate contributions to the city.
Greek men grew up learning that they’d need to own and operate their own businesses to be successful. As a result, most of them were tough, individualistic and hard working.
The fact that they were raised in poor and remote mountain villages, where mere survival was considered an accomplishment, contributed to their character, personality, and individualism.
When a shop owner was asked why he was successful, he replied, “Just hard work—that’s all. Nobody can move you, no matter how strong they are.”
He was among the Greeks who worked and struggled to open up their own businesses, with names like The Petropulos Range Co., the Collias and Menegas Restaurant, and Rusetos and Company Ice Cream. Other company names were based on Greek cities or mythological and historical characters.
Celebrate the history of a hardworking people, and learn lessons about business and life by studying The Entrepreneurial Spirit of the Greek Immigrant in Chicago, Illinois: 1900-1930.
About the Author
Alexander Rassogianis earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Elmhurst College and a master’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin. He taught history in Chicago for more than fifteen years and served as a compliance officer for the U.S. government. He is the author of Return to Glenlord: Memories of Michigan Summers.