From Humble Beginnings to Diverse Ventures
From humble beginnings, my journey has been one shaped by challenges, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of purpose. Born into a family where my father held a ministerial position, many assume that success came easily to me. However, the reality of my life and the businesses I built is far from those assumptions.
My ventures were shaped by persistence, hard work, and faith, not by influence or privilege. For those who choose to look deeper, I welcome a time when I can share every detail to give a clearer picture of how things unfolded—how every step was earned through struggle and determination.
Born and Raised in Iran
Born and raised in Iran, I grew up in a family that valued education and hard work. Despite my father holding a ministerial position, financial limitations meant opportunities for higher education in the West were beyond our reach. With determination and a hunger for knowledge, I left home and chose Russia for my university education—a financially accessible yet challenging destination. For two and a half years, I studied under incredibly challenging living conditions, grappling with the realities of life far from home. Eventually, I decided to move on, and Lebanon became my next chapter, where I completed my studies before returning to Tehran to start my career.
My first job
Back in Tehran, I began working as an employee at a shipping agency company. Shipping fascinated me, and I immersed myself in its intricacies, reading articles and learning all I could. However, after a year and a half, earning just $200 USD per month, it became clear that my ambitions would never be realized as an employee. Driven by a desire for independence, I learned about Sri Lanka’s prominence as a hub for clothing manufacturing. Along with a friend who owned a shop, I borrowed $4,000 from friends and family and travelled to Sri Lanka. We sourced excess clothing stock at bargain prices, shipping the goods back to Iran to sell at a significant margin. However, import restrictions forced us to discontinue our business and wiping out our profits.
New chapter
Undeterred, we shifted our focus to Turkey, bringing clothes from there to Iran. Yet again, challenges arose, and one devastating fire destroyed our stock, nearly bankrupting us. Despite these setbacks, I didn’t give up. I tried my hand at new ventures, from waste paper and cartons to electrical switches, but none succeeded. Eventually, my brother, two friends, and I pooled our resources to start a small workshop offering bi-fold doors and windows. This was a relatively new concept in Iran at the time, but the business was slow to grow. With no funds to hire employees, we did everything ourselves—visiting customers’ homes, taking measurements, cutting materials, and installing them. While the investments were modest, the lessons learned were profound.
My first ship
During this time, my cousin approached us with an opportunity in southern Iran. Banks in the region were offering loans to locals to stimulate economic development, particularly in offshore-related industries. My cousin secured a loan to build a small boat and invited us to join. Although none of us had money, we saw this as a chance to venture into a new field. The project, initially planned to take 18 months, dragged on for seven years due to a lack of cash flow. We relied on every resource and financial trick to release portions of the loan and keep the project alive. In the final six months, I was literally living on the ship, working day and night to finish it. Observing the market, I realized the sheer number of small boats being built to carry cars would make profitability difficult. I began developing ideas to convert the ship into a multi-purpose cargo vessel, making it more versatile and marketable.
After countless struggles, borrowing money from anyone willing to help, we finally completed the ship and began operations in the Persian Gulf. We even negotiated a three-month grace period with the port authorities to run the ship without fully installing all equipment. However, just as we started generating income, disaster struck again—the propeller broke, forcing us to send the ship to dry dock at significant expense. The seven years of piled-up interest rates and mounting costs made the project financially unfeasible, leaving us on the brink of collapse.
From Adversity to Expansion
While in dry dock, an unexpected opportunity emerged: transporting cargo (Including consumer goods, machinery, furniture, and textiles) across the Gulf for a South African entity. They appreciated our service and requested we expand our fleet. Through sheer luck and determination, we found a second ship, which we were able to purchase on instalment from a generous Iraqi businessman. This allowed us to grow step by step, and the business slowly gained traction. By 2016, we had built a solid presence in General Cargo Shipping (consumer goods, machinery, furniture, and textiles). However, unfair competition and market challenges forced us to diversify and shift direction such as trucking and rail transport within Iran.
This marked the beginning of a new chapter. I redirected investments into other fields, including agriculture, logistics, and energy. I became actively involved in ventures within Iran, such as trucking, rail transport, and agricultural projects. With a deep understanding of both the international and Iranian markets, I also began consultancy work, contributing to various projects and initiatives. These roles allowed me to leverage my experience to drive meaningful change in critical industries.
A Legacy of Resilience
From humble beginnings to navigating countless setbacks, my journey has been defined by resilience, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of growth. Each challenge has shaped who I am today, and every step has reinforced my commitment to creating opportunities, empowering others, and building a legacy of progress.