Said and Behzad Are the Entrepreneurs Behind IBP Scandinavia: “There Is Always a Better Way”

Said Saharkhiz and Behzad Rahimi, the entrepreneurs behind the distributor and marketing agency IBP Scandinavia, are itching to get started. And where one wants to walk, the other wants to run.

“We have both dreamed of building our own company, something we can be proud of. And where others think traditionally, we see new opportunities,” says Said Saharkhiz, founder and CEO of IBP Scandinavia.

IBP Scandinavia started with a dream and a gut feeling. After Said fell asleep in front of the microwave in the middle of the night while warming up formula for his newborn daughter, he thought: “There must be a better way.” So, after a diligent search, he found Baby Brezza, an American manufacturer of formula preparation machines, among other things.

“I still remember the call from Said. My first thought was: ‘This is it,’” says Behzad Rahimi, founder and Sales Manager at IBP Scandinavia.

That same evening, Said and Behzad contacted Baby Brezza’s headquarters in the USA, who referred them to a contact in France. They told them that they wanted to become the next distributor for Baby Brezza in Scandinavia and wanted to meet in person. France was tempting, and Said and Behzad got on the first plane south.

“We figured that in the worst case, we’d have a few fun days in Paris. In the best case, the trip would change our lives.”

They fine-tuned the pitch and five-year plan on the flight. A half-hour meeting turned into three hours. And it ended with Said and Behzad stepping out onto the street outside their office with a contract in hand.

“At that point, we didn’t even have a company. Just an ambition and a dream.”

That ambition and willingness to go the extra mile has now made IBP Scandinavia the largest distributor of baby tech products in the Nordic region.

Constantly in Motion

The two entrepreneurs, who have known each other since they were 13, love to jump in headfirst and see where it leads. And although they are both restless, Said is the analytical and reflective one, Behzad the energetic networker.

“I don’t have Said’s patience. He has a mind like few others and always thinks five steps ahead. He wants to walk and I want to run and see what I encounter along the way”, says Behzad.

Despite the restlessness, they have both learned an important lesson: to take calculated risks. To dare to try and be prepared for either success or failure.

“It’s in the missteps that you learn the most, and I’m glad for every wrong step I’ve taken. Those are lessons I take with me to the next time”, says Said.

Lessons learned are something they both have in abundance — despite neither of them having yet turned 40.

Already during his university years, Said was burning CDs and selling them in the schoolyard. Since then, he has built up a property management company and run an events business. While studying for a double degree from CSU Northridge in the USA, he also started a dropshipping operation.

Behzad began his journey at Elgiganten as a summer employee and broke sales records after just six months. Over eight years, he climbed through the organisation, from salesperson to department manager. He was part of launching the B2B initiative for Elgiganten and went on to become a business developer in retail concepts for international brands such as Hermès, Citroën, Triumph and B&O. He was then recruited to Jollyroom, where he gained valuable insight into the Nordic distribution market for baby products. That’s where the realisation came of just how much the industry needed to change. And where the next chapter began.

“I had experience in both the baby and distribution sectors. Behzad understood the baby and distribution markets, and crucially, he understood the market dynamics. I could handle the business side. So we were completely convinced that Baby Brezza was the right fit for us”, says Said.

Thinking Differently at Every Level

It’s no coincidence that the journey with IBP Scandinavia has gone so well. The lessons Said and Behzad have learned along the way have given them the experience to build something that lasts.

Experience is what allows Behzad and Said to dare to think differently. IBP Scandinavia is no ordinary distributor — they also handle marketing and after-sales, taking full responsibility for brand owners’ market presence in Scandinavia.

“Even in marketing, we constantly try to think in new ways. When we launched Baby Brezza, we didn’t wait to have retailers in place — we went straight to building demand among the end consumers, the parents. Among other things, we were early adopters of influencer collaborations,” says Behzad.

Trust Builds the Future

Even if innovation and fresh thinking are important, it is trust that creates successful partnerships.

“If you want to build something big that lasts, trust is the most important thing. Whether it’s the supplier, the retailer or the end consumer — meaning the parents — they need to be able to rely on us.”

Good business is built on what Said and Behzad describe as a win-win concept, where everyone is satisfied.

In addition to Baby Brezza, IBP Scandinavia has now also secured the brands UPPAbaby and Owlet. IBP receives many enquiries from parties interested in having the company as their distributor, but Said and Behzad are careful to choose the right ones for IBP. This is where gut feeling comes in.

Even though their dream of starting their own business has come true, the restlessness remains for both Said and Behzad.

“I love life as an entrepreneur and solving problems — every day offers a new challenge. As soon as I stand still, I get bored,” says Said Saharkhiz.

“Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle. I am very proud of what we have built. I still feel restless, but now I am in the right place,” says Behzad Rahimi.

For more information, contact: Said Saharkhiz, CEO and founder said@ibpscandinavia.se

About IBP Scandinavia
IBP Scandinavia markets and distributes innovative products in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The company holds the rights to international brands such as Baby Brezza, UPPAbaby and Owlet. Headquartered in Gothenburg, the company has a turnover of approximately SEK 50 million. www.ibpscandinavia.se