Jasmeet Bains was working at her father’s car dealership in Taft, California, at the beginning of the 2007-2009 recession. Taft is a rural community located 32 miles southwest of Bakersfield at the edge of the San Joaquin Valley. It was built on oil production and agriculture. Growing up in nearby Delano, a town where tumbleweeds outnumber opportunities, Dr. Bains, the daughter of immigrant parents from India, always knew she would join the family business at Taft Chevrolet.
“I started my career selling pre-owned cars, and I learned the accounting,” Dr. Bains told MedCentral. “For most kids in the Asian community, the family business is where you get your start.”