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On the Ask Canada Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah podcast, host Evelyn Ackah interviews her client and fellow entrepreneur, Nikhil Dwivedi. Nikhil shares his background and motivation for immigrating to Canada. He founded EYP Creations in India and wanted to expand his business in Canada. Nikhil discusses the success of his company, which manages artists and YouTube channels in the music industry. He also highlights the growth of Punjabi music internationally and the opportunities he sees in Canada. Nikhil praises Evelyn and her team for their support and guidance throughout the immigration process. He emphasizes the importance of choosing the right immigration lawyer and having a good team. Nikhil also shares his positive experience in Canada including the weather, the people, and the opportunities available. He advises future immigrants to be prepared for hard work and to learn the language before coming to Canada.
Connect with Nikhil Dwivedi:
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Here are the key takeaways from Evelyn Ackah's podcast interview with Canadian immigrant entrepreneur Nikhil Dwivedi.
Nikhil’s journey reflects the opportunities and challenges of immigrating to Canada, emphasizing the importance of preparation, support, and a proactive approach to integrating into a new country.
- Nikhil Dwivedi’s Background:
- Founder of EYP Creations in India, established in 2014.
- Over nine years of entrepreneurial experience in the music and entertainment industry.
- Holds a BBA and MBA from the Indian Institute of Planning and Management.
- EYP Creations manages 32 artists and over 150 YouTube channels, collaborating with major companies like Meta, Spotify, and Apple Music.
- Motivation for Moving to Canada:
- Expansion of Punjabi music internationally prompted the move.
- Desire to explore opportunities in the Canadian music and entertainment industry.
- Evelyn Ackah’s legal expertise facilitated the incorporation of the business and immigration process.
- Immigration Experience:
- Positive experience with Canada’s welcoming environment, weather, and opportunities.
- Importance of hard work and being prepared for the challenges of a new country.
- Acknowledges the significant Punjabi community in British Columbia as a support system.
- Advice for Prospective Immigrants:
- Importance of learning English for daily communication and integration.
- Need for thorough preparation and understanding the effort required to succeed.
- Emphasis on choosing the right immigration professionals to avoid pitfalls.
- Support and Guidance from Evelyn Ackah:
- Evelyn’s legal support was crucial in navigating the immigration process.
- Highlighting the value of a good team and professional guidance in achieving successful immigration outcomes.
- Future Plans and Recommendations:
- Suggestion for Evelyn to set up educational initiatives in India to guide potential immigrants.
- Continued collaboration and networking to support business growth and integration in Canada.
About Evelyn Ackah
Evelyn Ackah is the Founder and Managing Lawyer at Ackah Business Immigration Law. With offices in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver, we work with individuals and business owners from all over the world who want to cross borders seamlessly. For more information on immigration to Canada or the United States, Ask Evelyn Ackah at Ackah Business Immigration Law today at (587) 854‑3821 or email Evelyn directly at contact@ackahlaw.com.
The Ask Canada Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah podcast, hosted by Calgary Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah, was named the #1 Best Canada Immigration Podcast in 2023 by Feedspot.
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Transcript
Evelyn Ackah:
Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Ask Canada Immigration podcast, Evelyn Ackah. Today, I have the pleasure of having one of my clients and also a colleague in terms of entrepreneurship, Nikhil Dwivedi. Thank you so much for joining us, Nikhil.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Thank you, Evelyn. Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to me also.
Evelyn Ackah:
Oh, thank you. I'd like to give you guys the overview of Nikhil's background. He is a client. And as I said, he's also a colleague in terms of he's also an entrepreneur. He has more than nine years of entrepreneurial experience, and he founded EYP Creations in India. And he also immigrated to Canada by way of setting up a Canadian entity, so he can grow the business in Canada. And that's how we got to know each other. He has a very impressive background, a BBA, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Planning and Management. And he's done a lot on social media, and he's done a lot in the film and music industry. And so, I'm very honored to have you join us today. Thank you for giving us your time, Nikhil.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Evelyn Ackah:
Can you tell us a bit about your background, and what was the motivation for you to look to Canada, Nikhil?
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Yeah. So, I'll just give a brief about the company when we started. We started EYP in 2014. I was graduating basically at that time. And me and my wife, we both were studying at that time. And we always had that spark in us that we will not go and do any sort of jobs right now; we should start our own venture. Because we didn't have that much money, so we started identifying the spheres where we can work in the sphere of some service industry. We both were very much keen. We used to listen music and we were a big fan of music, Punjabi music specifically. So, that is how we started EYP.
Currently, if you talk about EYP in 2024, we are the biggest artist management as well as content marketing, music distribution company of Northern India. Currently, we are managing 32 artists in total and all of them are big, big stars out here, as well as we are managing more than 150 YouTube channels. We work with all the multinational companies around the globe, from Meta, Spotify, Apple Music, all of them.
In last five, seven years, the Punjabi music has grown in multiple parts of the world. Our music suddenly has gone into an international scale, and it is no more a regional language. And we have been doing multiple things in terms of international associations. So, three years back, after seeing the growth of Punjabi music, we thought of why not to move to Canada and explore the opportunities here in the sphere of music and entertainment.
That is how we got connected, and you have been a great support pillar in terms of executing and implementing everything there, right from our status, right from the kind of support you have extended in each and every time. We have been on and off so much on multiple things, but you have been a great support.
Evelyn Ackah:
Wow, I-
Nikhil Dwivedi:
So, yeah, that's the company now, the same sort of business we have started there, and we are going to expand our wings in multiple parts of the cities in Canada. Yeah.
Evelyn Ackah:
That's so great. When we met, you needed us to help you incorporate because you were on the vision and we talked about all the options for you. And the intra-company executive is a great option, which you were very successful. We incorporated. We transferred you. Then your family's come, and obviously, you're going to move to permanent residence and on to citizenship. And so, it's been such a pleasure and a blessing to have great clients that appreciate what we do, that we care about. We want to make sure they're happy.
Go ahead.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
The best thing about you, Evelyn, is that we get along so well, the same kind of entrepreneurial vibe where the other person understands your vision, from where you are coming from. It's not just the residency which I wanted at that time. It's just the vision which I had. Then you really guided us well, which actual space I should get in and the right kind of immigration I have to do. So, all of that was a great support. There was no stress that I have to do this kind of documentations. And you have a great team, Evelyn.
So, I'm a very firm believer, even in India also, that if you have a good team, the growth is then immense. The kind of team you have, the kind of follow-ups and the kind of... I just got an email from them, stating multiple things. So, they do hang on and-
Evelyn Ackah:
I'd follow up on the thing that's in process.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Yeah. So, that is something which every entrepreneur needs, and I'm really impressed the way they are working.
Evelyn Ackah:
Well, thank you so much. I will share the feedback with our team because they are the ones that make it happen and I'm just the face, but they are the incredible people behind us and we always love to hear from clients that are happy because that's the goal. We all want to satisfy people. I mean, one thing that you know is, even when people talk to me and they say, "Where should I go, which province?" is you know I always want to think about you're coming.
As an immigrant myself, I was born in Ghana, grew up in Vancouver, but I remember it's hard. It's hard to immigrate even if you're a professional and educated. And so, we talked about which city, which province, where you had the best chances of moving and converting and having success, affordability. I try to give that kind of feedback and just guidance. Obviously, if you don't have family or connections to a specific place, then it's like you have no idea where you want to start your business. And so, I think that-
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Absolutely, and you know-
Evelyn Ackah:
... that's my goal, is to help.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Lawyer is like a family doctor in terms of all the legal things. So, if you don't have the right... Because my father is a lawyer, I know how much importance of a lawyer in terms of guiding you, in terms of making sure that you reach to another level. It is very, very... And specifically, if you talk about immigration, people are... It's scary out there, and I've seen people struggling so much when they are in the wrong hands, spending so much of the money and they are not getting the right kind of output because they don't know which category they have to apply, which all places.
I think I don't have... I was so much comfortable. I did not have to struggle for even a minute because I was in the right hands. You guys were there and you guided us the right way. So, this is something which I wanted to share with the audience also that they have to very wisely choose in terms of immigration with whom they are associated. So, right firm, right lawyer, right kind of team is the only way out. Sometimes, people, they try to save some few hundred, 200, $500 just to make sure that they can save this $500.
But spending on their own, I don't think this is the right way to approach, and the right kind of people who have the knowledge, who have the base, who have the experience, and who have studied this particular sphere. So, that's the reason. Evelyn, I think you are doing wonders and you have been... I keep seeing posts also, which you all do on social media that these many numbers, the kind of visas, the kind of PR applications which you guys given. That's the experience.
Evelyn Ackah:
I appreciate that. I appreciate that because, as you know, even we've worked with thousands of people from India probably in my last 24 years of practicing law, and we don't want them to go to an agent or an immigration consultant that is not experienced. Because when they come to us after, it's sometimes impossible to fix or it's going to take more time and more money. So, we always say, even if it's not me, do your research, find a good lawyer.
You did. You asked for references. You had a colleague. That's how you find the right person, is usually referrals or you do your due diligence because we don't want people being taken advantage of. And then when they come to us, we can't erase the mistakes that have been made. We have to try to figure out new strategies to go forward, and their success is limited because of that. So, I appreciate that you said that for sure. Yeah. Good.
So, tell me, Nikhil, what have been some of the challenges you've had moving to Canada? Let's talk about the immigration experience because no matter how many people you know, how much guidance, support you have, it's all new. It's like finding a place to live, bringing your family, meeting people. How has it been?
Nikhil Dwivedi:
For me, it's been a great experience because being an entrepreneur, your home is where the business is. That's my approach towards any place which I'm moving in. So, I started my business in Chandigarh. I moved to Mumbai. I moved to multiple other cities, and it's the same experience which I'm going to Canada. But as Canada, I would say I see people speaking a lot of negative things, but I love that country.
Evelyn Ackah:
Me too.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
And it's been an amazing experience. Number one, the weather. Number two, the kind of people and-
Evelyn Ackah:
You like the cold? You like the cold?
Nikhil Dwivedi:
I loved Vancouver because it is almost similar to what we guys have here in Chandigarh. It's just a small difference. And that snow in Vancouver, it's not that hard. So, I love the weather.
Evelyn Ackah:
Good.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
I love the vibe of the city, and I love the opportunities which this country has. It's very important to say that there are no jobs, nothing. But I think there are multiple jobs available, multiple options available out there. You just have to crack the right thing, and education plays a very important role. Skill plays a very, very important role. If you don't have skill, you don't have job anywhere anyways. So, I had amazing experience in terms of immigrating to Canada. And even my family, they are loving the vibe out there. And slowly, steadily, we have been started. And the kind of rules, regulations which Canada has, we have started to inculcate that in ourselves.
Evelyn Ackah:
Good.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
And right now, I'm really happy to be there.
Evelyn Ackah:
Good. I'm really happy to hear that because sometimes integration can be challenging. It depends. I think having a business means maybe you're out more. You're more forward facing. You're out there as opposed to you just sit in your house and you immigrate, and you don't get to network or meet with people. And also, we have a large, as you know, Punjabi community in BC. I grew up there. So, it's very nice to be landing in a place where there's a community, where you have the Indian community and the people in the music industry. Even just recently on the Junos, the person that won was I think, I believe, he was singing that kind of music, that you know-
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Karan Aujla, yes. He's a good-
Evelyn Ackah:
Yeah, and I mean this is the first time ever. I was like-
Nikhil Dwivedi:
He's an amazing guy.
Evelyn Ackah:
I was like, my God, this is like Canada's really changing and it makes me happy to see that we're embracing different cultures even at the level of the awards. That was huge, right? Huge win. Yeah.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Yeah. So, that is the reason. Not only entertainment, I would say food industry because my brother is into the same business. He owns multiple Wendy's and Subways out there. So, I have seen so much opportunities for people, and I've seen people growing right from a job of internship to a job of general manager out there in the same company within a period of five, seven, eight years. Then IT is booming out there. Toronto, it's doing amazing. Calgary, it gives really a shock when I see Calgary five years before. And now, I see Calgary, what it has been now, it's amazing.
So, I think this is pretty much required to guide the people, to tell the people because all sort of negative things are going around that "Don't come, don't come, and there are no opportunities out there." It's just that you have to choose the right way of going, as well as the right skill which is required out there. So, these two things-
Evelyn Ackah:
You sound like an immigration lawyer, Nikhil. I'm going to hire you.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
I've been following you.
Evelyn Ackah:
I'm trying. I'm trying to keep up with you. I need all the social media that you have. I really was so disappointed I couldn't go to the... Nikhil had invited me to a comedy show that I was so excited to go to and ended up that we went to the Philippines to meet some of our remote team. And so, I missed that opportunity but next time for sure. Working with clients who are business owners really makes me happy because on top of you understand me, we talk the same language, we have the same sensibility, it also means that I can help grow with you, and you also understand the challenges of running a business. And so, is there any... Yeah.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
I have a suggestion, Evelyn. See, I live in India and I see a lot of things out here. I would like you to set up something out there in India also, because out of hundred people, only two or three are able to go there and then talk to professional companies like you. But there are not much professionals. There are companies out here also. I have some friends which are doing amazingly good out here.
Evelyn Ackah:
That's a great idea.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
There is so much of education which I feel that you can provide out here, guiding them in the right sphere. So, that is something which I look forward that maybe in the coming years you can set up things here and you can guide.
Evelyn Ackah:
I'd be happy to. I'd be happy to because you want to make sure people get what they need. And sometimes, as you said, education, even the resources, I mean, we're hearing, I mean I'm getting more calls from students who are struggling here in Canada because they came and then the programs change. I just feel so sad for them whether they're from Ghana, like I talked to one yesterday, Nigeria, India, they're coming with a goal and a dream, and then the rules change or the financial impact is even higher than they expected.
So, I would love to be able to give people a guidance before because then they get here and they're putting themselves in a tough situation. So, yeah, I'm happy to look at ways we can do more networking together. I think when you have a client that gets you and understands you and supports you, I want to try to support you as best I can. So, I'm just very grateful, Nikhil, that you've given us your time.
Is there anything you want to say about your experience moving to Canada, more like tips for people, let's say, coming from India? Obviously, you need money. We know that. And having education helps. But beyond that, what do you think they need to help them integrate successfully as quickly as possible?
Nikhil Dwivedi:
The dream which they think out there in India or any other country and the kind of effort or hard work they have to put in, I think they have to be prepared before they come there. They should know what exactly is happening out there. It's a beautiful country. Everything is great, but on the same page, you have to really work hard out there. Sitting at your home, you have multiple comforts. You have parents around, and you have multiple other things which are a support system out here. You have the friends, the same language.
So, I think hard work is something which they should be prepared for. Second, I feel is where we guys lack is the language. Before coming there, they must learn the right language-
Evelyn Ackah:
Excellent.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
... which is English in terms of communicating out there. And I have seen people struggling so hard because they don't know English, and they have been struggling even to get on buses, even to get on trains or small, small things which happens with us. So, I think two, three things. If they do it, I'm going to say that things would be much easier for them and they can adjust very well.
Evelyn Ackah:
I agree. As an immigrant, I feel like sometimes we are so motivated and we are working the hardest. And I'm not disrespecting Canadians, but when you have the opportunities that's given to you, you always appreciate it more. My parents came. My dad was a mechanic. He came for opportunities; didn't have education back in the '70s. Both my sister and I are lawyers, and it's because we were ingrained on us, education, education, education. Take advantage of opportunities. And I think immigrants, when they come, they want to take advantage of the opportunities to be successful in the country.
So, I think those are all wonderful pieces of advice. The language piece is important too, Nikhil, because you need that for the PR. You need that for the citizenship, and we need-
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Everything.
Evelyn Ackah:
Yeah, yeah.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
I think you need that for living only, daily life. You have to go to grocery store, you have to speak in that language. You have to go to multiple other places. People, they lack confidence if they don't know that language.
Evelyn Ackah:
Exactly.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
So, that is something that gives you a confidence also. You are more outspoken and then you interact more. You get better opportunities also.
Evelyn Ackah:
Yes, it's true. I have a client whose wife we brought from Cuba. And when you come as an adult and you have to learn English, it's so hard. So, maybe starting from home, doing the courses there. Because when you come here, you can't integrate if you don't speak strong language, English or French, wherever you end up. Right?
Well, thank you so much, Nikhil. I'm so grateful for you for spending time with me. And as I said, I'd love that I can highlight a client and a happy client, but also a business owner. And anybody who wants to learn more about EYP, we're going to have the details of your website and how to contact you as well if they're interested in learning more about your business and maybe opportunities to work together. I'm very grateful. Thank you so much, Nikhil.
Nikhil Dwivedi:
Thank you very much, Evelyn. You have a great day, and thank you very much for all the support you have extended to our family.
Evelyn Ackah:
It's been my pleasure. Honestly, I'm so excited for you. Thank you.
