You have an inspiring story of overcoming odds through vision, hard work, hustle, and resourcefulness, beginning as an 11-year-old boy in Albania. Tell us your story.
Growing up in a small town with very limited ways to have fun as a child, I had to create my own ways with my fellow friends. We enjoyed building handmade longboards, slingshots, fighting armor, and making cars and trucks out of mud or carved bricks. The fact of not having them didn’t stop me from making them and having fun with friends. This upbringing caused a mindset in me to build what I want if I can’t afford to buy it, then work hard so I can afford it. When I was thirteen years old, my family moved to Tirana, Albania, for a better life. At this time, I was actively searching for spiritual guidance, and I found The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I became a member at the age of fifteen, and at the age of nineteen, I served a mission in Louisville, Kentucky.
You grew up in Albania. How did you learn about LDSBC (now Ensign College) and make your way there?
It was while I was serving in Kentucky that I learned about LDSBC (now Ensign College) and applied. I entered the college with a strong desire to learn and it was a phenomenal experience. Many of the professors at LDSBC had such an impact on my education and mindset that they helped to shape my academic education to a level that I had not experienced before. Even to this day, my LDSBC math professor is still my mentor. With very good grades from LDSBC, I transferred to BYU, where I graduated with a Finance degree and later worked for a Wall Street firm for a few years.
Even though you have a degree in finance from Brigham Young University and worked in that field for a time, you have also transitioned to being an entrepreneur and CEO of Motomtech. Tell us how you have been led from one opportunity to another in your career journey to the present moment.
After working for the Wall Street firm, I realized that the banking field was not for me, and I decided to return to my home country of Albania and start a business in international trade and food production. I was successful in this business but quickly learned that this is an area that I would need to get out of. I sold the business, and since 2018, I have been involved in technology startups.
You have strong ties to both Albania and America. What is your vision for your company as CEO of Motomtech In both locations?
Since 2018, when I founded Motomtech, we have helped many tech startups build software applications. As a result of our efforts in building quality applications, many of the startups we worked with have raised money from investors worth over 10 million dollars. Currently, the company employs people in Salt Lake City, Albania, Kosovo, and Nigeria. Our vision is to build technology applications for entrepreneurs with a clear vision for their companies.
What are some highlights of your time at Ensign College? Do you have any advice for our current students?
I am very fortunate and blessed to have had the opportunity to be educated in one of the best institutions in the world for me, LDS Business College (now Ensign College). I loved how teachers cared for me, treated me with love and respect, and nurtured my growth potential. Here is my advice to students: "As you work hard to reach your goals, you will feel that you are spinning your wheels and going nowhere. Be consistent and persistent, and at some point, you will reach a destination that you will be very happy with."
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirgenhoxha/
