Not long after immigrating to America, Hsiao's business failed as well. He then accepted the invitation of an expatriate friend, Hsu Pi-lung, to join him on the west coast in Los Angeles. With his friend's monetary assistance, Hsiao set up a gift store that sold the small, decorative items and handicraft works that his wife shipped to him from Taiwan.
出國不久，蕭泰然就在同是因為生意失敗而遠走他鄉的好友許丕龍的邀約下，從亞特蘭大轉赴西岸洛杉磯，並在友人的資助下頂下一間禮品店，販賣一些太太從台灣寄出來的小飾品和工藝品等。