“It’s sad because we have done great projects for our customers. We have created great promotional videos for businesses like coffee or chocolate companies. Our business was growing, but this violence problem ruined everything. When our equipment was stolen, it took away our desire to start over in the same place. It’s really sad,” says the young woman.
“Despite everything, we worked hard to get going again afterwards and our customers were very supportive. One of them even gave us a computer, but the most important thing was not so much the computer but the things that were in it,” she emphasizes.
In short, this simple theft completely turned his then-thriving business upside down.
To make it easier for her to enter Canada, Eliana Piedrahita decided to study, while her partner, also an experienced computer scientist, was able to come along as a specialist.
They settled in Montreal, where she completed a DEC in business management.
“Even as a student, I wanted to discover Canada. I think Quebec chose me because it was the only province that could accommodate us quickly thanks to the study program. I also looked at Vancouver, but the cost of living was way too high,” she explains.
In addition to her native Spanish, Eliana performed very well in English when she arrived here in 2018. The most difficult thing for her was learning French.
“I had to learn it in the evening because I studied at CEGEP all day. After class, I left college and went to downtown Montreal to franchise from 6 to 9 p.m. That’s difficult when you don’t even have time for dinner.”
The young woman is happy that she could rely on her partner because he was able to find a job straight away and at least she received a salary. “I came to Canada with the promise of studying there. I had no choice to do them,” she argues.
After completing their management training, the couple began analyzing the real estate market across Quebec in search of a home. They really didn’t like apartment life in Montreal. And in Trois-Rivières they found the rare pearl.
“We came to Trois-Rivières, me and my partner, because the houses are cheaper and we could have something bigger. I have a big family, you know: a dog and two cats,” she says with a laugh.
– Eliana Piedrahita
“It’s beautiful and peaceful here and we can both work from home. We had this opportunity after COVID. Before it was impossible. “You had to physically go to work,” she says.
When they arrived in Quebec, the couple tried to retain their South American clients by offering them online services and meeting them via Zoom.
However, Colombian money and Canadian money do not have the same value at all. By changing the country and therefore the currency for the transactions, the couple realized that they would lose. Despite everything, Eliana continues to offer some services to her most loyal customers, “but it’s not the same anymore,” she says. A realignment of the business was therefore necessary.
Your design company is now casting a wide net. “We can design books, create videos and even applications. “After the Corona crisis, the design changed because now everyone needs an app for something, for example to connect with a doctor. And then comes artificial intelligence, which also needs to be learned and integrated. Videos can now be created using artificial intelligence. Anyone who owns a mobile phone can easily create videos. Technology is changing, so we have to improve everything,” explains the entrepreneur.
She is therefore in the process of specializing in UX/UI design. “UX means user experience. For example, we can create an app design that greatly simplifies the steps my grandmother or mother needs to take to see a doctor. We need to democratize information, and that’s my passion, even before I made corporate videos,” she explains.
Eliana Piedrahita has also created an application designed to make life easier for immigrants who don’t yet speak French, by helping them with things like finding housing, getting a social security number, or getting transportation – all in their native language. “It is my new idea that I would like to sell to the government or to Desjardins. My application is ready. I’m now knocking on every door to sell it.”
Eliana is enjoying her new life in Quebec despite the harsh winter. “Winter is a quiet time that forces us to stay indoors during extreme cold. At the same time, it’s the perfect time to learn new things, cook and reconnect with yourself. As a result, I developed a real passion for nutrition. And then everything changes so quickly here, especially when it comes to the climate. So if there’s one thing Quebec has taught me, it’s to adapt,” she says.