Podcast Summary: Living Your Legacy

Episode: Iranian Jewelry Entrepreneur on Rebuilding Success in Agriculture and Global Business
Host: Rudy Mawer
Guest: Behror (Bibi) Hagdan
Release Date: March 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Living Your Legacy features Behror “Bibi” Hagdan, a pioneering entrepreneur whose journey spans from building a jewelry empire in Iran to navigating the challenges of business failure, immigration, and ultimately, global success in agriculture and real estate. Bibi shares candid reflections on rebounding from betrayal and financial loss, the importance of resilience, leveraging skills and networks, and building a globally-minded legacy. The episode is filled with raw stories, actionable lessons, and mindset strategies for aspiring and established entrepreneurs alike.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Early Ambition

• Bibi’s Background & Drive (02:26 – 03:18)
  • Born and raised in Iran, Bibi’s entrepreneurial journey began at age ten.
  • Despite a wealthy family background, she was always driven for more.
  • She initially joined her father’s business, was promoted to CEO, but craved independence and ownership.
  • Quote: “Although I grew up in a wealthy family, but never it was enough for me. I wanted more and more and more.” [03:18]

2. Founding and Scaling a Jewelry Business

• Breaking into a Male-Dominated Industry (06:28 – 07:47)
  • Started own jewelry business at 24-25, despite parental opposition.
  • Innovated by creating luxury, limited edition pieces and hosting VIP sales events, which was rare for women in Iran.
  • Business flourished, expanding to multiple cities.
  • Quote: “I was one of the first women to start jewelry business in that industry with a different concept... I brought innovation because I think the only way I could survive it was bringing something new.” [06:28]

3. Immigration, Trust, and Loss

• Risk-Taking and Relocation (07:48 – 08:58)
  • Sold everything to move to Oman, planning a restaurant venture with a trusted partner, but was deceived.
  • Lost all previous earnings from her thriving jewelry enterprise.
  • Quote: “I delivered everything I had earned during my jewelry business to him... I lost everything I had.” [00:00, 08:58]
• Impact and Self-Reflection (09:04 – 09:53)
  • The loss forced deep self-examination—identifying misplaced trust and the dangers of ego from prior success.
  • Quote: “My mistake was I had a lot of ego at that time because I left a very successful business and I thought, yeah, I'm amazing. I can make everything. No one can, you know, betray me.” [09:04]

4. Rebuilding from Scratch

• Adversity and Door-to-Door Sales (11:00 – 13:06)

  • Facing financial ruin, Bibi refused to return home, instead going door-to-door in Oman, pitching various products.
  • Eventually, she pivoted to agriculture, surprising locals with her determination to sell crops in an arid climate.
  • Quote: “I should get back to my roots and I should start to marketing and selling agriculture things. Other people just are crazy. Who is growing, you know, the crops here?” [00:34, 11:31]
  • Her persistence led to her first small client—enough to pay the rent.

• Learning on the Job (13:09 – 14:21)

  • Took on every part of the business herself (shipping, customs, logistics) due to lack of funds, building practical skills from the ground up.

5. Leveraging Skills and “Luck”

• Transferring Skills & New Opportunities (14:21 – 15:54)
  • Leveraged her background in luxury sales to secure a role as a sales consultant for a high-end real estate firm, which provided crucial financial stability.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic, though disastrous globally, created supply chain gaps she could fill in agriculture, fueling business growth.
  • Host Reflection: “Sometimes you do get lucky... I think luck is partly you can't control it, but partly you kind of craft it yourself and shape it based on how you react to situations.” [15:54]

6. Defining and Building Resilience

• Resilience Redefined (17:15 – 18:17)
  • Bibi emphasizes resilience isn't about never feeling emotion—it's about refusing to give up because “there is no choice.”
  • Quote: “If someone is resilient, it doesn't mean they never go and cry. The difference for the people like me, we learn to be resilient because we define for ourselves there is no choice. We should be successful.” [01:02, 17:15]
  • With time and experience, setbacks become easier to process and recover from.
  • Quote: “When I was younger…maybe for two weeks or three weeks, I was crying and I was frustrated. But right now… it takes two days for me to cry.” [18:17]

7. The Power of Network and Skills

• Investing in Social Capital (19:03 – 20:31)
  • In crisis, Bibi’s personal and professional network in Iran provided essential support and trust, enabling her to rebuild.
  • Quote: “The only thing that helped me to move forward was the credit I had back home. People trust me to give me their product without asking the money in the first step.” [19:03]
  • Her biggest advice: invest in relationships and skills—they make you “bulletproof.”
  • Quote: “When you have these two [network and skills], you can get more power for take a bigger risk because you have something on your back.” [20:07]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Belief as a Tool for Survival:
  “In this scenario... I knew I don't have any choice. I should be successful.” – Bibi [05:34]
• Surreal Sales Contrast:
  “A girl is coming with these samples. She wears a Rolex, she's coming with Mercedes. But it was a good point for me... catch their eyes.” – Bibi [11:31]
• Resilience as Exercised Muscle:
  “With resilience... it's kind of like just working out in the gym. It hurts more at first, and then after a year or two, you're more used to it.” – Host [17:50]
• Network as Foundation:
  “My network really helped me... my most important investment after that situation, I say I invest on my network.” – Bibi [19:03]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Background and Childhood Ambition .......... 02:26 – 03:18
• Founding Jewelry Business ........................... 06:28 – 07:47
• Immigration and Betrayal ............................ 07:48 – 09:53
• Starting Over: Agriculture & Sales ............ 11:00 – 13:06
• Learning, Real Estate Pivot, COVID Impact ... 14:21 – 15:54
• Defining Resilience ..................................... 17:15 – 18:17
• Lessons on Networking and Skills ............... 19:03 – 20:31

Where to Follow Bibi

• Instagram: @behrorbb_hackdan [21:05]
• LinkedIn: Search “Behror Bibi Hagdan” [21:13]

Conclusion

Bibi Hagdan’s journey is a powerful testament to entrepreneurial resilience, adaptability, and the enduring importance of relationships and self-belief. She demonstrates that setbacks are inevitable on the path to legacy, but with skills, a strong network, and the refusal to quit, success can be rebuilt and reimagined on a global scale.

Listen for inspiring real-world lessons in courage, innovation, and grit—delivered with candor and humility from a truly global entrepreneur.