Following what came naturally to her, Wong began holding financial planning courses and seminars out of her Brampton home for other fellow Nortel employees who lost their jobs.

Struggling with the thought of having to charge her friends for the counseling they were receiving, Wong said her new found career in financial planning was beginning to look bleak until she brought out a tray of sushi.

“All my friends started saying you should make sushi as a career,” said Wong, and with that she changed gears and set out to start a catering company.

Enrolling in the Orangeville Self Employment Assistance (SEA) program through Human Resources Development Canada, Wong received the support and coaching needed to develop a professional business plan for her small business.

“I wanted to promote the healthy and tasty side of the Asian food so it’s not just sushi I do, I also cook Tai chicken roll, Korean beef, and Chinese noodle dishes,” said Wong.

Every three months she plans to add a new dish to her menu, giving clients a larger variety to choose from.

“I want to keep it all healthy, I don’t want to go into deep frying and I want to make sure I don’t add any (monosodium glutamate) MSG to it. That is the one thing I don’t like about Chinese food or Asian food it’s the grease and the MSG— that’s what I want to change.”

Shortly after Wong completed the SEA program she successfully obtained liability insurance and completed a certified food-handling course.

“This has been a wonderful start to the new year,” she said, keeping her fingers cross more orders begin to flow in.

Sushi has become a popular dish among Canadians, but Wong said the idea of eating raw fish still turns a few stomachs.

“Anything can be made into sushi, because sushi means seasoned rice. I am staying out of the raw fish,” she said.

“I think it takes people a couple of times before they (like) the raw fish, but I use smoked salmon, smoked eel, shrimp and clam.”

Wong also makes fresh spring rolls but sticks to the healthier method of baking them rather than deep frying the rolls.

“I just want to see this business go big, go really big,” she said with a nervous laugh.

The vision chart Wong made while in the SEA program shows her overall dream of convincing people to shift from fast food hamburgers to eating healthy Asian food.

Without giving away too many of her ideas, eventually she wants to open a second company that incorporates relaxation methods, healthy eating, and good financial planning for women available all in one environment.

But despite her own busy life, Wong is still using her financial planning expertise and making time to help her Nortel friends struggling to make ends meet.

“We were all prepared,” said Wong remembering when she received the bad news from her company director.

“But still the first five minutes (after being told you are laid off), it’s the worst. It’s like getting executed.”

The only way Wong could move on and not fall into a depression was to look at the life-changing event as a new beginning, and a chance to start her entrepreneurial dreams.

“There is no time for losers,” she said smiling.

For more information about Wong’s business or for a list of prices and menu choices visit www.sushiwong.ca, e-mail chef@sushiwong.ca or call 905-459-1826.