One Immigrant’s Story
“You can start with nothing and you can make it happen, but you need to have that drive inside of you.” George Jeha*
Ever notice the Braille buttons in an elevator? Or how about the sign near Scotia Square that welcomes you to downtown Halifax? Those are just two examples of the many innovative products created by George Jeha’s company, Eye Catch Signs Ltd., located on Maynard Street in Halifax.
"You can start with nothing and you can make it happen, but you need to have that drive inside of you," says George. The first incarnation of Eye Catch opened in 1978 when George, born to Lebanese and Egyptian parents, started making antique storefronts and interiors in Cairo, Egypt. He and his wife Elizabeth decided to move to Canada in 1987. At first, George sought out engineering jobs — he has an electronics and communications engineering degree — but there were none available.
He took his portfolio of Eye Catch work to local sign shops and was hired within a week. Five months later, he started Eye Catch Signs with next to nothing — a few hand tools and a six square foot storage space in his apartment. "You’re going to have to be creative in your thinking and seek opportunities," he advises. "Don’t give up."
The size of his client list, contracts, projects, and workspace grew slowly but steadily from there. "Things take time. It’s not easy, but it can happen," George says. "You’re going to have to understand the market and how Canadians do business. You have to promote yourself, prove yourself, and put your own money up first before anybody else will give you any."
By 1996, Eye Catch Signs occupied a 12,000 square foot shop and employed 24 people. At that time, George saw an opening in the domestic and international markets for Braille and tactile products following the passage of various legislation such as the American Disabilities Act. Finding that kind of a niche in the market and offering a high quality product is part of what makes Eye Catch an international success.
Having a unique product isn’t enough, George cautions. "You’re going to have to have some protection on it, whether you have a patent or a trademark. If you don’t have protection, it can get lost on the global market." He also recommends that entrepreneurs hire the best lawyers and accountants they can afford from the start.
In 2003, Eye Catch Signs has 35 employees, including George’s wife Elizabeth and brother Michel, and is a leader in Braille and tactile sign production. "I don’t personally produce signs anymore," says George. "I’m playing the role of the coach. I have a team that I can delegate to, and trust that the work is going to come out the way I want."
Thanks to George’s patented technologies, Eye Catch can turn around projects in two weeks that would take most sign manufacturers six to eight weeks to complete. "We’ve got departments that all link and work tightly together, and everything is computerized. Our system can handle big quantities and multiple projects at the same time. We have customized machines that nobody else has."
After all these years in the sign business, George says the drive to succeed continues to motivate him. "The clients are coming back with more complicated issues and the challenge is still there. You’re going to go the extra step and do whatever it takes to get there," he says. "This is what gets me up in the morning."
*This story is one of 19 profiles of immigrant entrepreneurs in Everything Ventured, Something Gained, published by the Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association.
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