Choosing a New Home

Mohammad Rakhshan (Makan) first visited Prince Edward Island in the summer of 2018 to look at the prospects of living here with his family. He travelled from Toronto to PEI, stopping at places in between – Halifax, Montreal, Moncton, Fredericton – and realizing that PEI was the most appealing choice. The family eventually settled in August of the following year.

Although originally from Iran, Makan studied obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Dubai with concentrations in management and marketing. He went on to Switzerland where he got an MBA in international business.

Building a Successful Business

He chose to settle in Canada because of its stable economy, safety, and openness to immigration. Makan was engaged in the furniture and mattress manufacturing in Iran and had his own plant, but had also worked for a mattress company for over fourteen years and was a general manager. This made the choice of what business to establish in Canada simple. His mattress and furniture store, Sleep Concept, is based in Montague and is available online as well.

He lives in Charlottetown, but being accustomed to living in bigger cities, the daily 45-minute drive does not faze him. “Building a business in Canada is doable when I compare it to other countries. There is room to grow and there is room for more people to come in. Immigrants are welcome,” he says. Makan met with a PEI Connectors program officer before starting his business and received information and resources to help him find his footing. Of the time spent on the Island so far, he says, “We are happy with the place; we like PEI and our business is going well.”