Young Man from Spain Finds True Love, Home, and Calling in the United States

| Apr 14, 2022 | Firm News, iForeign Born

Meet Quenan E. García Martín.

He’s a Spanish foreign born living in United States and founder of Lion IQ Solutions, Inc., which does credit consulting for individuals and firms. Quenan said he liked Ohio from the first moment he arrived here as an exchange student attending Buckeye High School in Medina during his junior year (2010-2011). His host family was very kind to him and he felt very accepted and welcomed. He loved to play soccer, and even though he virtually knew no English when he first arrived, he acquired it quickly. After being here four months he had mastered it enough to make himself understood, and by six months he was bilingual.

“I woke up one morning and turned on the radio and found—very much to my amazement—I could fully understand the English being spoken. In fact, from then on, I started to think and even dream in English.”

After completing his junior year, Quenan returned to his family in Granada, Spain (located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains), but he knew he wanted to further expand his horizons and thus planned to return to the United States to attend college. To be sure, he considered attending universities in Oregon and New York, but eventually decided to enroll at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio, 60 miles east of Columbus.

From 2013 to 2017 he attended Muskingum as a Physical Therapy major, but says it just didn’t feel right to him. Fortunately, he received good advice from one of his professors who suggested he consider majoring in business because the opportunities available to him upon graduation would be abundant. He decided to focus his education around International Business/Business Management/Marketing with a minor in Spanish, which he now considers an excellent choice.

Another decision he’s glad he made was joining the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, whose purpose is to engage men of integrity, further develop their intellect and enhance community involvement. With a legacy built on acceptance and trust, each brother realizes his highest potential through a lifelong experience of service and excellence.

Upon graduation, Quenan had initially planned to either stay in the United States or find a job in Europe with a global enterprise. Ultimately, the United States won, out largely for three reasons:

1. He felt the United States was where he belonged.

Ever since his high school experience here, Quenan says he psychologically felt more at home in the United States than he did after returning to Spain.

2. The United States offered so many opportunities.

Quenan’s personal growth (both financially and spiritually) and desire to help others achieve their dreams were key factors in his decision to stay in the United States. Although he still loves his homeland of Spain, he says advancement there is based primarily on connections, whereas in the United States, it is based on hard work and perseverance.

3. He met a beautiful young woman.

When Quenan first met Kayla, she was a Biology major at Ohio State University. They got married and he says he couldn’t be happier.

Kayla currently is taking time off from school to help Quenan launch Lion IQ Solutions, Inc. Since he has a business background, he does the consulting. Kayla is invaluable in terms of running the business. Quenan considers her his full equal in the enterprise, and they love working for themselves.

“We wake up each day excited, with energy, and consider the experience of having our own business to be awesome.”

In terms of the beginnings of Lion IQ Solutions, Inc. itself, Quenan readily admits he didn’t learn much about financial credit in any of his business classes, so naturally he and Kayla got quite a jolt when they went to a bank to see about starting a business and were told they hadn’t taken the necessary steps to establish good credit. Quenan realized other people must be confronting the same situation and were in need of help. He was fortunate to connect with someone who was an expert in such matters and generously willing to share his knowledge. Lion IQ Solutions, Inc. came into being thanks to the outstanding mentoring Quenan received, what he learned at Muskingum University, and the hard work and commitment of Kayla and himself. Their compassion and dedication to helping others like them achieve their financial goals can be summed up in a two statements on their website: “Together we’ll create and refine your plan for business or personal success. We didn’t get there alone. And neither will you.” 

Quenan says this isn’t the only thing he and Kayla plan to do. They would of course like to have a family in the next few years once they establish more financial solvency. Another venture they’re exploring is the establishment of a non-profit which will help young people: acquire the skills, knowledge, and motivation to attend college or an institute of higher learning; stay the course and not drop out despite hardship; and make the most of their educational experience after they graduate.

Quenan has his green card and looks forward to becoming a United States citizen within the next three years. He loves his adopted country, but is troubled by the current political turmoil and lack of unity. He says that both times he came here—2010 and 2013—the climate was more welcoming to the foreign-born. He adds that he would like to see the United States operate like one big family and be more helpful to each other and respectful of diversity.

In the near future, Quenan is looking forward to the visit of his mother and two younger brothers this summer. He says he is very proud of his mother who is a single mom and a Spanish teacher at a high school in Granada. She has always been encouraging of his goals and ambitions even though these involved him leaving his homeland. To his younger brothers, Quenan knows he is a role model. He wants to assist them in any way he can, just like those who helped him along.

It was wonderful to meet Quenan. We’re extremely excited to see what the future has in store for him and Kayla and wish them the best. Don’t be surprised if you hear about Quenan from us again—his star is on the rise.