For as long as the expression “The American Dream” has been around, it’s been linked to the ideal of the immigrant striver, crossing storm-tossed seas to make his way in the land of opportunity. Hearkening back to the Revolution, the U.S. profited by the arrival of entrepreneurial immigrants drawn to America’s lack of class lines and its unencumbered opportunity for advancement. Immigrating to America and making a fortune has long been an integral part of the American Dream and examples abound of success stories like Henry Kissinger and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But, sometimes the stories of immigrants that make the greatest impact are the ones closest to our lives. Gabriel Grozav, a Romanian immigrant living in Riverside, CA and making waves as an up and coming entrepreneur, is one such story.

Gabriel came to America from Romania when he was 10 years old. His parents, along with his 5 brothers and 3 sisters, arrived in 1990 hoping to provide their children with the chance to experience the opportunities that America promised its citizens.

After finishing school Gabriel, like most of us, began to wonder what would come next. He tried going to a local Junior College and attended DeVry Technical Institute for a few Quarters, but neither of these held his interest. He envisioned a career where he would have the freedom to make his own hours but would still afford him a high quality of life.

One day while in his car, Gabriel heard an advertisement for 1-800 DRYCARPET, a new type of carpet cleaning service that didn’t rely on water. The ad also announced that this growing company was looking to expand into Riverside and needed motivated, energetic people to become Agents. Upon hearing the ad, Gabriel decided this could be what he was looking for.

Three years later, having established himself as one of the most successful Agents in the company, Gabriel is poised to become the premiere Franchisee for the recently licensed 1-800 DRYCARPET Franchise. “This comes as no surprise to us, we’ve known Gabriel would transition from Agent to Franchisee beautifully. And, today Mr. Grozav is involved with franchise training and support” Says Greg Cantrell, President and CEO of 1-800 DRYCARPET, “He has shown great initiative and been a huge asset to our DRYCARPET family.”

Currently Gabriel operates two trucks and manages three other Field Agents, so for him, the leap to business owner won’t be a stretch. The chance to be his own boss and make more money certainly appealed to his entrepreneurial spirit, “I know that the service I provide through 1-800 DRYCARPET is superior to everything else on the market today” Says Gabriel, “So I am very excited to be involved at the ‘ground floor’ level.”

With his success and a newly acquired Franchise business, Gabriel’s future is looking brighter by the day. Hearing about these examples of Immigrant Exceptionalism, learning from our peers and knowing the American Dream is alive and well is a constant source of inspiration to us all.

For more on Gabriel, 1-800 DRYCARPET services or franchise information, please visit our website: www.drycarpet.com.