Who Is Kian Babaee? The £100 Side Hustle That Started It All
Before building Refer Friend, Kian Babaee sold phone accessories on eBay, worked in London property and helped bring AU Vodka into some of the capital’s most exclusive venues. It all started with £100 borrowed from his mum.
At 15, Kian Babaee used that £100 to buy iPhone cases and power banks from China and sell them on eBay and Amazon. The business eventually received more than 30,000 positive reviews, according to a 2025 profile by UAE Stories. In the same profile, Kian Babaee named Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk as two of his biggest influences. He said Bezos inspired him to think long term and focus on customers, while Musk showed him the value of questioning assumptions.
From eBay to London Property and the Drinks Industry
Kian Babaee went on to work in high-end residential development, contributing to projects that UAE Stories valued at more than £75 million. He also helped expand AU Vodka’s presence in London venues, gaining experience in how drinks brands build relationships with the people who decide what goes behind the bar.
In September 2026, Sazerac, the US drinks company behind BuzzBallz, completed its acquisition of Au Vodka. Reuters reported that the deal valued the brand at more than £300 million. Sazerac did not disclose the financial terms.
That experience could soon take Kian Babaee back into the drinks industry. He’s exploring a new spirits business of his own and may launch it in the near future.
Kian Babaee also founded Refer Dev, a software development studio that builds websites, mobile apps and custom tools for businesses. Its work includes online shops, booking and payment systems, and dashboards that help teams run their day-to-day operations. The studio handles design, development and launch, and offers ongoing maintenance and support.
The dinner that led to Refer Friend
The idea for Refer Friend came over sushi. As the food arrived, Kian Babaee noticed his friends reaching for their phones to take photos and share them. The restaurant was getting a recommendation in real time. He wanted to know what would happen if the venue could track when that recommendation brought in a paying customer and reward the people involved.
Refer Friend built a cashback model around that idea. When a friend follows a recommendation and makes an eligible purchase, the business-funded commission is shared between the two customers.
From launching his first business selling phone cases to building relationships with some of London’s most exclusive venues, Kian Babaee’s entrepreneurial journey reflects his ambition, adaptability and instinct for identifying opportunities. Each venture has strengthened his understanding of business, consumer behaviour and the power of personal recommendations, ultimately inspiring his vision for Refer Friend.