Pharmacist-turned-restaurateur Javid Javdani, recently featured in an international interview spotlighting grassroots entrepreneurship, is now using his story to champion a cause close to his heart: empowering aspiring business owners to uplift their neighborhoods through small, community-driven enterprises.
Javdani, who owns Sufi Mediterranean Cuisine and a thriving international grocery store in San Diego, wants more people—especially those from immigrant and working-class backgrounds—to see entrepreneurship as within reach. His message: you don’t need a big budget to make a big impact.
“You’ll never have the perfect plan, the perfect time, or enough money,” Javdani says in the interview. “But if you start with what your community needs, you’ll figure the rest out.”
A Model of Self-Made Success
Javdani’s journey began humbly—washing cars, working gas stations, and bussing tables to fund his college education. After earning his Doctor of Pharmacy degree and spending two decades as Director of Pharmacy at Kindred Hospital, he made a life-changing leap in 2005 by purchasing a struggling grocery store in his neighborhood.
Instead of running it as-is, he reimagined the business by doubling its size and stocking it with foods from around the world—especially for underserved ethnic communities.
“People would come in and say, ‘I haven’t seen this snack since I was a child.’ That meant something to them—and to me,” he shares.
By 2011, Javdani expanded again, opening Sufi Mediterranean Cuisine, a full-service restaurant and catering company rooted in cultural hospitality and personal connection.
Why This Message Matters Now
In an era when small businesses face mounting challenges—rising rents, inflation, and complex regulations—Javdani believes local entrepreneurship is still one of the most powerful tools for economic and social resilience.
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According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses make up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses and employ over 61 million Americans.
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Immigrant entrepreneurs are 80% more likely to start a business than U.S.-born citizens (Harvard Business Review, 2023).
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In urban neighborhoods, community-rooted small businesses have been shown to increase civic engagement, decrease crime, and support cultural preservation (Brookings Institute).
Javdani sees these trends playing out daily in his own stores.
“When you serve your community with intention, they come back. Not just as customers, but as neighbors.”
You Don’t Need to Wait
Rather than fundraising or petitioning for policy, Javdani is issuing a grassroots call to action:
“Start small. Use what you have. Learn by doing. And above all—pay attention to what your neighborhood actually needs.”
He’s encouraging local leaders, young professionals, recent immigrants, and even students to take a second look at the opportunities right in their own backyards—be it a corner shop, a mobile food stand, a neighborhood delivery service, or an underutilized community space.
“Entrepreneurship isn’t about going viral. It’s about showing up. It’s about solving problems right where you live.”
To read the full interview, visit the website here.
About Javid Javdani
Javid Javdani is a pharmacist, entrepreneur, and community advocate based in San Diego, CA. A licensed Doctor of Pharmacy since 1994, he is the founder of multiple small businesses including Sufi Mediterranean Cuisine. His work centers on cultural inclusion, food access, and neighborhood revitalization through entrepreneurship.
Contact:
info@javidjavdani.com
Media Contact
Company Name: Javid Javdani San Diego
Contact Person: Javid Javdani
Email: Send Email
City: San Diego
State: California
Country: United States
Website: https://www.javidjavdanisd.com/
