Matthew McDonald is my guest in this podcast episode. We talk about Matthew’s love for relocation and travel, and how he runs his immigration firm from Argentina. We also open up about the emotional aspects of the RCIC profession, how to create deep and meaningful relationships with your clients, and how to respect boundaries in the client/RCIC relationship.

Check out Matthew’s LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmcdonaldlinkedin

🚀My RCIC Business Accelerator: https: www.olenaweber.com/business-accelerator

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law.

https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-1690ac0e-60a5-44f5-94e2-dce32193b4b1

Maria Alfaro is my guest in this podcast episode. We talk about Maria’s business experience as the owner of English for Canada School as well as her work as a copywriter for several RCICs.

Tune in to hear our discussion on SEO, Google Ads, posting blogs on the website, and pivoting the business during challenging times.

Some of Maria’s courses that I usually recommend to my clients:

Complete CLB 9 CELPIP Course (which includes 2 paid practice tests worth $40): 

https://courses.englishforcanada.com/courses/CELPIP?ref=d1ef56 (https://courses.englishforcanada.com/courses/CELPIP?ref=d1ef56&coupon=weber50)&coupon=weber50 (https://courses.englishforcanada.com/courses/CELPIP?ref=d1ef56&coupon=weber50)

CELPIP Speaking & Writing Course. It doesn't include the practice tests: 

https://courses.englishforcanada.com/courses/CELPIPSolution?ref=d1ef56&coupon=weber10

You can connect with Maria here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariacalfaro

🚀Sign up for RCIC Business Accelerator Waitlist: https: www.olenaweber.com/business-accelerator

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law.

https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-1690ac0e-60a5-44f5-94e2-dce32193b4b1

Welcome to the new episode of “Talk with Olena” podcast.

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on social media platforms that are best for immigration consultants in Canada.

Big disappointments with Instagram, why I'm thinking about switching, and how other platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube compare.

Can you guess which platform I dislike the most? :)

Sponsored by IMM Seminars, this episode comes with a special offer for my listeners: a 15% discount on CPDs. Check the link below to grab it. https://shorturl.at/et079

Free workshop for improving your consultation page – https://shorturl.at/wBLM2

In today’s episode, I’m sharing with you my 6-Step Guide on how to launch a promotional marketing campaign to boost your sales in just two weeks. From goal setting to specific types of content and celebration, I’m giving you my ‘behind the scenes’ of running Weber Immigration.

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Use your promo code OLENACHATS to earn your CPDs with a 15% discount here:
https://imm-seminars5.mybigcommerce.com/ 

Subscribe to my email list not to miss my future free challenges and helpful tips for boosting your business.

https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-newsletter

In this episode of the Talk with Olena podcast, I provide some useful tips for financial management for immigration consultants in Canada.

The sponsor of the podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law and practices. 

Free Workshop on Financial Management: https://www.olenaweber.com/registration-page-55f89ddf-bc0d-4e3a-9e64-dfef0af4a5ec

I’ve been doubting whether I should publish this video as it may seem too outspoken and raw. But I did hit the “publish” button at the end, so you can listen to my honest story.

In this episode of the Talk with Olena podcast, I dive deep into my personal journey as an immigration consultant in Canada. From the adrenalin rush of starting my own practice to facing the challenges of burnout.

Proudly announcing IMM Seminars, the sponsor of my podcast.

Make sure you hit the link to get your PROMO CODE from IMM Seminars to earn your CPD hours with a discount.

Workshop: "5 Strategic Changes to Your Consultation Booking Page for Better Results" - click the link.

How do you manage your consultation schedule? Do you allow your appointments rule your schedule? Or are you being intentional with your schedule? 

In this episode I am sharing:
- Couple of updates about being nominated for an award and getting a sponsor for this podcast
- I talk about my new free workshop that you can access by clicking here
- How I organize my consultation schedule
- I plan to try my new schedule "week on, week off"

Thanks for listening to this episode and I will see you next week! You can visit my website here: www.olenaweber.com
Instagram @olenaweber.rcic 

Welcome to the FIRST episode 🎉 of my podcast about running an immigration firm in Canada. In this episode, I am sharing my three major mistakes I made when I started my business.

Here's what I talk about in this episode:
- My take on building policies for communication with your future, current, and former clients.
- Why I am against using WhatsApp (or any other messenger) for communication with customers.
- Hiring a virtual assistant to handle initial inquiries.
- Finances, accounting, bookkeeping, and compensating yourself as a business owner.

Today's guest is Oleg Schindler, RCIC, Chair of the Association of Ukrainian Canadian Immigration Consultants and my very good friend. One thing that surprises me the most is how busy Oleg is with all the different projects and businesses! Oleg runs several immigration practices and also has a company that provides marketing services to RCICs. He really makes the most of the 24 hours in a day!

You can check out Oleg’s marketing services for RCICs here: https://schindlerconsulting.me

🚀Sign up for RCIC Business Accelerator Waitlist: https: www.olenaweber.com/business-accelerator

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law.

https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-1690ac0e-60a5-44f5-94e2-dce32193b4b1

In this video, we chat with Howard Brown about his career path from working in a Visa Application Center to starting his RCIC career. Howard shares his experience balancing a full-time job while running an immigration business and gives his thoughts on future trends in the immigration industry.

🚀Sign up for RCIC Business Accelerator Waitlist: https: www.olenaweber.com/business-accelerator

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law.

https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-1690ac0e-60a5-44f5-94e2-dce32193b4b1

Josh Schachnow is joining me for this episode of the podcast to share his exciting business journey as an immigration lawyer and his transition to a tech firm CEO. In this episode, we talk about all the challenges of managing an immigration practice. Josh shares why he quit his immigration law business and what his platform Visto has grown into over the last several years!

Learn about Visto and book your demo: https://visto.ai/
Discount code: WEBER10

🚀Sign up for RCIC Business Accelerator Waitlist: https://www.olenaweber.com/business-accelerator

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law.

https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-1690ac0e-60a5-44f5-94e2-dce32193b4b1

Welcome our guest, Rhea Patel, RCIC, from TNC Immigration. Rhea is an extraordinary entrepreneur who went from having no job to running a multi-figure revenue immigration firm. We hope you enjoy gaining insights from Rhea’s business journey!

🚀Sign up for RCIC Business Accelerator Waitlist: https://www.olenaweber.com/business-accelerator

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law.

https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-1690ac0e-60a5-44f5-94e2-dce32193b4b1

Thank you for listening to my podcast!  
 
Watch my workshop “5 strategic changes to your consultation booking page” on how you can improve your intake of consultations: https://www.olenaweber.com/pl/2148294666  

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law. https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-1690ac0e-60a5-44f5-94e2-dce32193b4b1 

Thank you for listening to my podcast!

Watch my workshop “5 strategic changes to your consultation booking page” on how you can improve your intake of consultations:https://www.olenaweber.com/pl/2148294666

The sponsor of the Talk with Olena podcast is IMM Seminars. Follow the link to receive a 15% discount on CPDs from IMM Seminars, improve your knowledge and expertise in immigration law. https://www.olenaweber.com/opt-in-1690ac0e-60a5-44f5-94e2-dce32193b4b1

Welcome to the new episode of "Talk with Olena" podcast. Shocking news today!

My immigration business, Weber Immigration, is leaving Instagram. Yes, that’s right. We have 80K followers and we are going to completely revamp our marketing strategy, and Instagram will not be part of it.

Do you want to know why I am shutting it down? Listen now to hear my thought process behind this decision.

Enrolment to RCIC Business Accelerator 2.0 is closing on Friday at midnight. If want to fully revamp and improve your immigration business – join today!

Hi there!

A special “Talk with Olena” podcast episode is here.

I dedicate it to immigration practitioners who are new to the RCIC license. Check my 5 tips that will guide you from a beginner to the CEO of your own successful immigration firm.

Remember, your path to a successful practice is about sustainable growth, not speed. Tune in now and share your thoughts with me! 

As promised, find more information about my RCIC Business Accelerator 2.0 program HERE.

The sales open on April 15.

The start of a program is April 30.

Hope to see you there!

This is the roadmap I wish I had when I was starting.

In this episode of Talk to Olena, I walk you through the exact stages of building and scaling a successful immigration business, from your first dollar to $500,000 in annual revenue.

Real numbers, clear markers, and the path I’ve followed (and now teach inside my Business Container amd 1:1).

We’ll break down:
✨ What to focus on at each revenue stage
✨ When to hire your first VA or legal assistant
✨ Why burnout happens in the scaling stage and how to avoid it
✨ How to go from 0 to 6 consultations/week
✨ What it actually looks like to pay yourself $300K/year
✨ And how to design a business you actually want to run

Whether you're just getting licensed, stuck at $4K/month, or already making six figures, this episode will help you figure out exactly where you are and what to do next.

👇 Let’s connect:

📍 Message me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-weber/
🖤🤍Business Container for Women Who Lead: https://www.olenaweber.com/container

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome & why this roadmap matters
02:45 – Defining your “why” before scaling
07:00 – What a $500K/year RCIC practice looks like
10:10 – Stage 1: Pre-Starter (revenue = $0)
13:00 – Stage 2: Starter ($4K/month)
15:30 – Stage 3: Take-Off ($10K/month)
21:00 – Stage 4: Scaling ($15K–30K/month)
35:15 – Stage 5: Freedom ($500K/year & 30-hour weeks)

In this episode of Talk to Olena, I sit down with Trami Szarabura, a newly licensed RCIC, legal professor, and mom of two toddlers, who launched her immigration practice just 36 days ago. This is a raw, honest conversation about what the very beginning of building an immigration business really looks like.

No sugar-coating, just real growth, visibility wins, imposter syndrome, and what it takes to start something from scratch.

🎥 Whether you’re 30 days or 3 years in this episode will inspire you to stay consistent, trust your voice, and build something you're proud of.

👇 Let’s connect:

📍 Chat with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-weber/
📌 Apply to work with me: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevWPQg-4QpiPjEwWT2OfqJXATL5hofsJa-k-Xb9T0hcQ6dRg/viewform

👇 Here’s what we talk about:

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & meet Trami
01:55 – Conestoga’s Immigration and Refugee Case Management program
07:30 – How RCICs can hire an intern from the program
09:10 – Trami’s May 1st business launch
12:20 – Imposter syndrome in your first month
14:50 – What helped her push through the fear
17:00 – Visibility vs. processes in a brand-new business
18:00 – Choosing TikTok as her marketing platform
21:10 – Posting daily while raising two kids
24:30 – First TikTok goes viral—then what?
28:20 – Community-building through content
30:00 – How to avoid attracting the wrong audience
33:00 – Views vs. consultations: what really matters
35:30 – Her 3 biggest lessons from 30 days in business
41:15 – What’s next: 6-consultation/week goal
46:50 – Why visibility ≠ conversion (and how to fix it) 49:10 – Trami’s advice to new RCICs

In this episode of Talk to Olena, I sit down with Shafoli Kapur, RCIC-IRB, life coach, and spiritual powerhouse, who built her immigration practice from the ground up after moving to Canada, navigating many different challenges, and starting over (more than once).

We talk about:

✨ Saying no with integrity and attracting the right clients
✨ From TikTok experiment to fully booked practice
✨ Scarcity mindset vs. abundance (and how to shift)
✨ How grief, divorce, and purpose shaped her business
✨ Energy, intention, and why she never markets her approvals
✨ Building a 13-woman team from scratch and running it with heart

This conversation is deep, inspiring, and real. Whether you’re in year one or year ten of your business, you’ll walk away feeling seen, grounded, and reconnected to why you started.
👇 Let’s connect:
📍 Chat with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-weber/
📌 Apply to work with me: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevWPQg-4QpiPjEwWT2OfqJXATL5hofsJa-k-Xb9T0hcQ6dRg/viewform

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & how it all began
01:00 – Shafoli’s early life, immigration, and hustle
06:20 – Starting a business during financial struggle
10:00 – Her first RCIC clients & early lessons
14:00 – The viral TikTok that changed everything
18:00 – Building trust through social media
19:00 – Growing a 13-woman team & finding purpose
24:30 – From loss and divorce to spiritual awakening
28:30 – Saying no with integrity—and why it matters
34:30 – Work-life harmony vs. balance
39:00 – Scarcity vs. abundance mindset in business
43:30 – The role of energy in immigration practice
47:40 – Spiritual beliefs, intention, and legacy
50:00 – Closing thoughts & where to connect

In this episode of Talk to Olena, I sit down with Angelica Potes, an RCIC based in Kitchener, Ontario, who’s been running her business while raising her baby daughter.

We talk honestly about what it’s like to grow a firm from scratch, how it feels to be isolated in the early years, and the power of community and support.

We also dive into:

✨ Taking action instead of overthinking
✨ Building your business around your strengths
✨ Why accountability and consistency matter more than motivation
✨ Trusting yourself even when things feel messy

00:00 – Intro & Angelica’s story

02:00 – Running a business with a newborn

04:00 – Overcoming isolation in the early years

08:00 – The mindset shift that changed everything

11:30 – Angelica’s superpower: effortless collaboration

14:00 – Taking action vs. overthinking

18:30 – Why community and accountability matter 

21:30 – Her best advice to her past self

👇 Let’s connect:

📍 Chat with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-weber/

📌 Apply to work with me: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevWPQg-4QpiPjEwWT2OfqJXATL5hofsJa-k-Xb9T0hcQ6dRg/viewform

Talk to Olena is an unfiltered podcast for RCICs and immigration lawyers who are building their business. I’ve been a business owner for 12 years, and I’ve been through it all: from having no clients and hustling non-stop to having too many clients and burning out.

I’ve gone through hiring and firing, struggled with team management, faced operational challenges in case processing, struggled with how to serve clients well without losing myself.

Being an entrepreneur is hard, but being an immigration practitioner and CEO at the same time is even harder.

So in this podcast, I’m sharing all of it in a very real and unfiltered way.

👇 Let’s connect:

📍 Chat with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-weber/

📌 Apply to work with me: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aJ-oY-LEcyFB8MTSQQZXnddXapjXI_iHnvvd69lpI1M/viewform?edit_requested=true

Talk to Olena is an unfiltered podcast for RCICs and immigration lawyers who are building their business.

I’ve been a business owner for 12 years, and I’ve been through it all: From having no clients and hustling non-stop to get business to having too many clients and burning out.

I’ve navigated hiring and firing, struggled with team management, faced operational challenges in case processing, wrestled with how to serve clients well without losing myself.

Being an entrepreneur is hard.
Being an immigration practitioner and CEO at the same time - even harder.

So in this podcast, I’m sharing all of it in a very real, unfiltered way.

👇 Let’s connect:

📍 Chat with me on LinkedIn:    / olena-weber  
📌 Apply for RCIC Business Container:https://www.olenaweber.com/container , my 6-month business program for immigration practitioners who want to take their business to the next level without burning out.

Talk to Olena is an unfiltered podcast for RCICs and immigration lawyers who are building their business.

I’ve been a business owner for 12 years, and I’ve been through it all: From having no clients and hustling non-stop to get business to having too many clients and burning out.

I’ve navigated hiring and firing, struggled with team management, faced operational challenges in case processing, wrestled with how to serve clients well without losing myself.

Being an entrepreneur is hard.
Being an immigration practitioner and CEO at the same time - even harder.

So in this podcast, I’m sharing all of it in a very real, unfiltered way.

👇 Let’s connect:

📍 Chat with me on LinkedIn:    / olena-weber  
📌 Apply for RCIC Business Container:https://www.olenaweber.com/container , my 6-month business program for immigration practitioners who want to take their business to the next level without burning out.

Talk to Olena is an unfiltered podcast for RCICs and immigration lawyers who are building their business.

I’ve been a business owner for 12 years, and I’ve been through it all: From having no clients and hustling non-stop to get business to having too many clients and burning out.

I’ve navigated hiring and firing, struggled with team management, faced operational challenges in case processing, wrestled with how to serve clients well without losing myself.

Being an entrepreneur is hard.
Being an immigration practitioner and CEO at the same time - even harder.

So in this podcast, I’m sharing all of it in a very real, unfiltered way.

👇 Let’s connect:

📍 Chat with me on LinkedIn:    / olena-weber  
📌 Apply for RCIC Business Container:https://www.olenaweber.com/container , my 6-month business program for immigration practitioners who want to take their business to the next level without burning out.

Talk to Olena is an unfiltered podcast for RCICs and immigration lawyers who are building their business.

I’ve been a business owner for 12 years, and I’ve been through it all: From having no clients and hustling non-stop to get business to having too many clients and burning out.

I’ve navigated hiring and firing, struggled with team management, faced operational challenges in case processing, wrestled with how to serve clients well without losing myself.

Being an entrepreneur is hard.
Being an immigration practitioner and CEO at the same time - even harder. So in this podcast, I’m sharing all of it in a very real, unfiltered way.

👇 Let’s connect:

📍 Chat with me on LinkedIn:    / olena-weber  
📌 Apply for RCIC Business Container:https://www.olenaweber.com/container , my 6-month business program for immigration practitioners who want to take their business to the next level without burning out.