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From refugee to entrepreneur: Greifswald success story!
Ivan Shabo, a 38-year-old entrepreneur in Greifswald, builds companies and supports other founders after leaving Iraq.
From refugee to entrepreneur: Greifswald success story!
In Greifswald, the story of Ivan Shabo has developed into an impressive example of entrepreneurial success and dealing with challenges. In 2001, the then 15-year-old came to Germany from Baghdad with his family. He fled Iraq for political reasons after his father had to flee a year earlier. In Germany, the family – consisting of Ivan, his parents and four siblings – was confronted with a completely new language and culture.
The beginnings were anything but easy. The father worked in construction, the mother in the commercial sector. However, in Germany they had to start from scratch and left their wealth behind in Iraq. Ivan initially had difficulties in school and repeated the 9th grade. Problems like the language barrier didn't make it easy to get started. After moving to Berlin, he had to return to Greifswald as an underage student, but could not find a place at his old school. With only a secondary school leaving certificate, it was initially impossible to start an apprenticeship because he did not have a work permit.
From student to entrepreneur
His determination finally led him to train as a hairdresser in 2007, which he completed with flying colors. At the end of 2012, Ivan opened his own barbershop in Greifswald and his business experienced an upswing. Thanks to his success, he was able to take further entrepreneurial steps: He developed his own cosmetics line called “Bartzart” and registered a patent across Europe in 2016. On platforms like Amazon he achieved monthly sales of up to 250,000 euros. He has since sold his barbershops, with the exception of one branch in Stralsund, and is now concentrating on e-commerce.
In 2022, Ivan founded the food delivery service “Foodpipe” in cooperation with local Edeka markets and is already planning to expand to Bremen. His latest project, the management consultancy “Hellosystem”, aims to offer other founders valuable support and possibly act as a source of capital.
A look at migration and integration
The challenges Ivan faced are reflected in the experiences of many migrants in Germany. Iraq is the second most common country of origin for asylum seekers in Germany. Over 13,000 people returned to their homeland in 2019 as part of the “Perspective Home” program, often driven by a lack of prospects and a lack of support for reintegration. A study report shows that only 39% of returnees were able to find employment after eight months, and many are thinking about leaving for Germany again as structural causes of flight such as economic hardship still exist.
The social debates about migration and integration are becoming increasingly important in Germany, even after incidents in East Germany. According to Statista, there were over 12 million people with a migrant background in Germany in 2023, and a positive migration balance has been apparent since 2010. Further training and integration measures are important steps, but despite their efforts, many migrants remain at risk of poverty.
As Ivan shows, entrepreneurship is a key to successful integration. His story not only encourages other migrants, but also speaks to society, which is challenged in its approach to diversity and opportunities. Schabo remains a shining example of the path from escape to entrepreneurial freedom.
For more information about Ivan's impressive journey, read the detailed reports in the Baltic Sea newspaper, about the prospects in Iraq voluntary-rueckkehr.de and statistics on migration and integration statista.com.