From Iran to Australia: Immigration Tips & Personal Journey with Lawyer Mehdi Soodi
This is the power of transformative storytelling in the immigrant journey. Have you ever wondered what it truly takes to build a life from scratch in a foreign land? It’s more than just hard work or financial resources. Often, the real key to success is a compelling story—one that resonates, inspires, and builds trust.
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
This truth resonates across many ethnic communities, but it’s especially powerful for African diaspora entrepreneurs. For them, storytelling is more than a branding tool—it’s a way to build trust, forge deep connections, and fuel real, sustainable growth.
In this article, we will dive into these themes through the lens of Dr. Mehdi Soodi’s journey, as shared on The Obehi Podcast. His story—from Iran to Australia—is filled with hard-won insights on immigration, resilience, and the personal power of sharing your journey.
See the full podcast interview at
The Immigrant Experience: A Story of Resilience
Dr. Mehdi Soodi’s journey from Iran to Australia is a powerful example of how storytelling shapes and empowers the immigrant experience. When he arrived in Australia over twenty years ago, Mehdi faced the many challenges familiar to newcomers—navigating complex systems, adapting to a new culture, and building a community from the ground up.
His story, featured on The Obehi Podcast, underscores the transformative role that digital platforms can play in overcoming these barriers and amplifying underrepresented voices.
This aligns closely with the insights of Obehi Ewanfoh, who has interviewed over 1,000 professionals and business leaders on his podcast, consistently revealing the vital role storytelling plays in identity, connection, and growth across the diaspora.
The Obehi Podcast is more than just a platform—it’s a vibrant, storytelling-driven space that amplifies voices from across the African diaspora. Launched in 2019 by Obehi Ewanfoh in Verona, Italy, the podcast brings together a mix of entrepreneurs, scholars, researchers, coaches, writers, and cultural leaders.
Through candid conversations, it captures both personal journeys and professional insights, weaving a rich fabric of diaspora experience.
From Dr. Mehdi Soodi’s powerful immigrant story to the more than 1,000 professionals and business leaders featured over the years, the podcast reveals common threads of perseverance, purpose, and transformation. Here are three key lessons in resilience drawn from Dr. Soodi’s experience—lessons that echo across countless stories shared on The Obehi Podcast:
Embrace Uncertainty and Adaptability
Mehdi’s journey highlights the importance of embracing the uncertainty that comes with moving to a new country. The ability to adapt quickly to unfamiliar systems, cultures, and challenges is a critical aspect of resilience.
Resilience doesn’t mean avoiding hardship; it means accepting it and learning how to navigate it successfully. This lesson teaches immigrants and entrepreneurs alike to remain flexible, learn continuously, and adjust to new circumstances with perseverance.
Leverage Digital Platforms to Build Community
Dr. Soodi’s experience underscores how crucial it is to leverage digital tools in today’s world. When he first arrived, access to information was limited, and building a network was challenging. Today, digital platforms like WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Facebook groups have transformed how immigrants and entrepreneurs connect, learn, and thrive.
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The lesson here is that resilience involves using available tools, including technology, to bridge gaps and create support systems, making adaptation and success easier.
Create Your Own Network of Support
Moving to a new country often means being isolated from familiar support systems. Dr. Soodi’s story illustrates the resilience required to create your own community from scratch.
Building relationships and networks, whether online or offline, plays a vital role in both personal and professional growth. Resilience is about seeking out and nurturing meaningful connections, even when it feels like you’re starting from zero.
The Role of Storytelling in Building Community
Storytelling can be a powerful tool in building community by creating shared experiences that resonate with individuals on an emotional level. When people hear stories that reflect their own struggles, triumphs, and dreams, they feel seen and understood, fostering a sense of connection and belonging.
For entrepreneurs, sharing authentic, relatable narratives helps build trust and credibility, turning a product or service into something more meaningful. Storytelling transcends barriers, whether cultural or geographic, and unites people around common values and goals.
It invites others to engage, participate, and contribute, ultimately strengthening the bonds within a community.
In the past, immigrants relied on word of mouth and limited resources to find their way. Today, platforms like WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Facebook groups serve as vital tools for connection and support.
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For entrepreneurs, these platforms offer more than just networking opportunities—they provide a stage to share their narratives, challenges, and successes. By doing so, they humanize their brands, making them more relatable and trustworthy to their audiences.
Here are three types of immigrant storytelling that can be leveraged to build and strengthen the diaspora community:
Personal Journey Stories
Sharing personal stories of migration, including the challenges faced and the triumphs achieved, can create deep connections within the diaspora community. These stories highlight the resilience, determination, and adaptability of individuals, offering inspiration and solidarity.
By narrating how they overcame obstacles, immigrants can resonate with others who may be facing similar struggles, fostering a sense of unity and shared experience within the community.
Cultural Heritage Stories
Telling stories about cultural traditions, history, and values can strengthen the bond between diaspora members and preserve important aspects of their heritage. These stories not only educate others within the community about their shared roots but also provide an opportunity for cultural exchange with those outside the community.
Celebrating traditions, festivals, and ancestral wisdom helps maintain cultural identity while promoting understanding and respect across diverse audiences.
Success and Entrepreneurial Stories
Highlighting entrepreneurial journeys and business successes within the diaspora can inspire others to take similar leaps into entrepreneurship. These stories showcase how immigrants have navigated the complexities of building businesses in foreign countries, overcoming systemic barriers, and contributing to both their local and global economies.
By sharing these successes, immigrant entrepreneurs encourage others to believe in their own potential and to leverage the community’s resources for personal and collective growth.
African Diaspora Entrepreneurs: A Global Impact
The African diaspora is making significant strides in the entrepreneurial world. In the United States, African American entrepreneurs are starting businesses at a rate three times the national average.
There are approximately 2.6 million African American-owned businesses generating $150 billion in annual revenue. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, African and Caribbean-owned businesses have a combined turnover of £3.6 billion.
These entrepreneurs are not just contributing economically—they are building communities, preserving cultures, and creating opportunities for future generations. Their stories inspire others to take the leap into entrepreneurship, knowing that challenges are part of the journey.
Here are three approaches to building a global impact within African diaspora entrepreneurship:
Harnessing Technology and Digital Platforms
Leveraging technology, from social media to e-commerce platforms, enables African diaspora entrepreneurs to reach a global audience. Digital tools allow businesses to overcome geographical boundaries, access international markets, and build cross-border networks.
By embracing digital innovation, entrepreneurs can share their stories, showcase their products or services, and connect with other diaspora members and customers worldwide, amplifying their reach and impact.
Promoting Cultural Exchange and Collaboration
African diaspora entrepreneurs can foster global impact by emphasizing cultural exchange and collaboration between African communities and the broader international market.
By creating platforms for sharing African culture, values, and entrepreneurship practices, these businesses contribute to global dialogue, bridge cultural gaps, and challenge stereotypes.
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Partnerships with international organizations, local communities, and governments can further amplify their influence and drive sustainable, culturally enriched growth.
Investing in Community Empowerment and Social Impact
A global impact can be achieved by aligning business goals with social change and community empowerment. African diaspora entrepreneurs can integrate social impact initiatives, such as job creation, skill-building programs, and sustainability efforts, into their business models.
By prioritizing ethical practices, addressing local needs, and giving back to both their home countries and the global community, these entrepreneurs not only drive economic success but also create positive, long-lasting change.
Leveraging Storytelling for Business Success
For African diaspora entrepreneurs, storytelling can be a powerful tool for business success. Here’s how:
- Building Trust and Authenticity: Sharing personal stories fosters trust and authenticity, making it easier to connect with customers.
- Differentiating Your Brand: In a crowded market, a compelling story can set your brand apart, highlighting what makes you unique.
- Engaging Your Audience: Stories are more memorable than facts alone. They engage emotions, making your message resonate longer.
- Creating a Legacy: Your story contributes to a larger narrative of resilience and success, inspiring others in the community.
The Power of Platforms Like the Obehi Podcast
Platforms such as the Obehi Podcast play a crucial role in amplifying the voices of diaspora entrepreneurs. By providing a space for in-depth conversations, these platforms allow entrepreneurs to share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs with a broader audience.
This not only helps in building their personal brands but also contributes to a collective narrative of success and resilience within the diaspora community.
Conclusion: Your Story Matters
As an African diaspora entrepreneur, your story is a powerful asset. It connects you to your roots, resonates with your audience, and differentiates your brand in the marketplace.
By embracing storytelling, you not only build a successful business but also contribute to a larger narrative of empowerment and community. So, what’s your story? How will you share it with the world?
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
