Sustainable Livelihoods on Alireza Shiasi

Business, Marketing & Sales for Local Livelihoods

alir.shiasi@gmail.com — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0330

Workshop Overview

A full-day, interactive workshop on business, marketing, and sales, held at Kazerun County Governorate as part of the Iran Wetlands Conservation Plan. The workshop brought together local livelihood practitioners, facilitators, and project stakeholders to explore practical approaches to developing and managing small businesses.

The program emphasized hands-on learning, with participants applying business and marketing tools to their own products and activities.

Topics Covered

Business fundamentals and the marketing mix (4Ps)
Pricing strategies and sales processes
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Business Model Canvas
Marketing planning using the SOSTAC framework

Rural Livelihoods Development - Fars Province

alir.shiasi@gmail.com — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0330

Overview

As part of the Iran Wetlands Conservation Plan, I contributed to the development of sustainable, wetland-compatible livelihoods in Fars Province through two complementary workstreams: market assessment and business development advisory, followed by practical business and marketing capacity building.

The assignment covered six selected villages in Kazerun County: Qaleh Narenji, Arab Famour, Narges-Zar, Hellek, Molla Areh, and Deh Paga. Five villages were visited directly. Information on Hellek was collected indirectly through products presented by local facilitators in Arab Famour.

The work focused on understanding local livelihood activities, identifying value-chain and market-access constraints, and helping local producers explore practical opportunities for product improvement, business development, and market expansion.

1. Market Assessment & Business Development Advisory

August 15–16, 2026 | Kazerun County, Fars Province

I conducted a qualitative, field-based assessment of livelihood activities across six selected villages. The assessment involved direct observation of products and production activities, structured note-taking, and interviews and conversations with local producers, entrepreneurs, and facilitators.

The livelihoods reviewed covered a diverse range of activities, including agricultural production, processed food products, honey and dairy, medicinal and local plants, weaving and handicrafts, tailoring, carpet weaving, and home-based production.

The assessment examined product characteristics, production organization, packaging and labelling, pricing, sales channels, market access, and the development needs of local livelihood initiatives.

My advisory work focused on improving product presentation and market readiness through practical recommendations on product identity, packaging, labelling, and value addition. I also provided guidance on cost-based pricing, customer relationship management (CRM), social media presence, sales development, and the use of exhibitions, local markets, and other sales channels.

The assessment identified existing examples of market access beyond the villages. These included an experimental marketplace in Kazerun and the Nomadic Creative House at Arg-e Karim Khan in Shiraz, both of which offered opportunities to connect local producers with urban markets.

The analysis also highlighted the importance of moving beyond individual sales networks and occasional market events towards more consistent market connections, stronger value chains, and better-organized business development.

Livelihoods Products & Local Activities

2. Business & Marketing Capacity Building

August 17, 2026 | Kazerun County Governor’s Office, Fars Province

I designed and facilitated a full-day, interactive workshop for local livelihood practitioners, facilitators, and government and private-sector stakeholders. The workshop was held from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and combined business and marketing fundamentals with practical exercises based on participants’ own products and livelihood activities.

The workshop covered:

Business fundamentals and the Golden Circle
Market and marketing principles
The 4Ps marketing mix
Pricing methods and cost awareness
Sales processes, sales funnels, and personal selling
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and customer records
Business Model Canvas
Marketing planning using the SOSTAC framework

Participants worked individually and in groups to apply the concepts to their own activities. Practical outputs included Golden Circle and values worksheets, completed marketing-mix exercises, pricing approaches, basic customer and sales records, Business Model Canvases, and written SOSTAC-based marketing plans.

The workshop emphasized practical application, discussion, and interaction between livelihood practitioners and facilitators, rather than relying solely on classroom-based instruction.

Key Outputs

A qualitative market and value-chain assessment covering six selected villages, with five direct field visits and one indirect assessment.
Analysis of local livelihood activities, products, market access, sales channels, and value-chain constraints.
Business development advisory on product identity, packaging, pricing, customer management, and market expansion.
Identification of local market-development opportunities, including the experimental marketplace in Kazerun and existing urban market connections.
A full-day interactive business and marketing capacity-building workshop.
Practical Business Model Canvas exercises and written SOSTAC-based marketing plans.

Rural Livelihoods Development - Gilan Province

alir.shiasi@gmail.com — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0330

Overview

As part of the Iran Wetlands Conservation Plan, I contributed to the development of sustainable, wetland-compatible livelihoods in Gilan Province through two complementary workstreams: market assessment and business development advisory, followed by practical business and marketing capacity building.

The assignment covered six selected villages and focused on identifying local economic opportunities, understanding market and value-chain constraints, and strengthening the business capabilities of local livelihood initiatives.

1. Market Assessment & Business Development Advisory

July 26–27, 2026 | Gilan Province

I conducted a qualitative, field-based assessment of livelihood activities across six selected villages, with in-person visits to all six. The work involved direct observations and consultations with local producers, entrepreneurs, and facilitators.

The assessment examined agricultural and dairy products, processed foods, handicrafts, home-based production, and emerging rural businesses. Key areas of focus included product development, value chains, packaging, pricing, business organization, market access, and existing sales channels.

My advisory work included product design, branding and packaging, marketing and sales, customer relationship management, and business development.

The assessment also identified emerging local market initiatives, including a weekly local market in Soufian Deh and a shared village-branding initiative in Abkenar. These examples offered practical insights into collective market access and locally driven business development.

The work resulted in an analytical report and practical recommendations addressing value addition, product identity, market access, sales channels, business capabilities, and local market-system development.

Livelihoods Products Examples

2. Business & Marketing Capacity Building

August 11, 2026 | University of Guilan

I designed and facilitated a full-day, interactive workshop for local livelihood practitioners, facilitators, and public- and private-sector stakeholders.

The workshop combined business and marketing fundamentals with practical exercises, covering:

Business fundamentals and the Golden Circle
Market analysis and the 4Ps marketing mix
Product design and the three levels of a product
Pricing strategies and sales processes
Sales funnels and customer relationship management (CRM)
Business Model Canvas
Marketing planning using the SOSTAC framework

Participants applied the concepts to their own livelihood activities and products through individual and group exercises. Practical outputs included completed marketing-mix worksheets, pricing exercises, basic customer records, Business Model Canvases, and written marketing plans.

Key Outputs

A field-based market and value-chain assessment covering six selected villages.
Strategic recommendations for product development, branding, value addition, and market access.
Identification of local business and collective market-development opportunities.
A full-day business and marketing capacity-building workshop.
Practical Business Model Canvas exercises and SOSTAC-based marketing plans.

Rural Livelihoods Development - Khuzestan Province

alir.shiasi@gmail.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0330

Overview

As part of the Iran Wetlands Conservation Plan, I contributed to the development of sustainable, wetland-compatible livelihoods in Khuzestan Province through two complementary workstreams: market assessment and business development advisory, followed by practical business and marketing capacity building.

The assignment covered six selected villages and focused on identifying local economic opportunities, addressing market access constraints, and strengthening the business capabilities of local livelihood initiatives.

1. Market Assessment & Business Development Advisory

June 22–24, 2026 | Khuzestan Province

I conducted a field-based assessment of livelihood activities across six selected villages, combining five in-person visits with one remote consultation.

The assessment examined local products, services, businesses, value chains, market access, and existing sales channels. I also provided advisory input on product development, packaging, marketing, sales, and business growth.

The work resulted in an analytical assessment and practical recommendations focused on value addition, improved market access, stronger sales channels, and the development of local business capabilities.

2. Business & Marketing Capacity Building

August 21, 2026 | Islamic Azad University, Shadgan Branch

I designed and facilitated a full-day, interactive workshop for local livelihood practitioners, facilitators, and project stakeholders.

The workshop combined business and marketing fundamentals with practical exercises, covering:

Business fundamentals and the Golden Circle
Market analysis and the 4Ps marketing mix
Pricing strategies and sales processes
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Business Model Canvas

Participants worked on their own livelihood activities and products, applying the concepts through individual and group exercises.

Key Outputs

A market and value-chain assessment covering six selected villages.
Strategic recommendations for product development, value addition, marketing, and market access.
A practical business and marketing workshop.
Applied exercises and Business Model Canvas outputs based on participants’ real livelihood activities.