Payam Zamani's journey from refugee to tech mogul is a masterclass in resilience and innovation for creators and entrepreneurs. At 16, Payam fled religious persecution in Iran, arriving in the U.S. with just $75 in his pocket. Within 11 years, he had founded AutoWeb, a company he would later take public for over a billion dollars. His story is not just about success against the odds, but about transforming challenges into catalysts for growth and... read more ›
183 reads
Jul
03
Dec
11
In the world of creativity, there's a common misconception that the process is all about spontaneous bursts of inspiration and effortless genius. However, the reality is often quite different – and that's not a bad thing. Creativity isn’t without hard work, a consistent effort of refining, iterating, and persisting. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and disheartened when the creative journey feels more like a relentless grind than a path to success. But here's the thing:... read more ›
531 reads
Oct
09
Remember when we were kids, and we'd just... mess around with stuff? No goal, no agenda, just pure, unbridled curiosity. I’ve always been about experimenting. Most of the things I've built and loved began with tinkering. Fun projects that were simple explorations. Take the first camera on the iPhone, for example. That sparse 2 megapixel "camera" wasn't something to be taken seriously. People actually made fun of me using it. What “pro” photographer uses a... read more ›
1.1K reads
Feb
27
Are you held back by a fear of rejection or failure? You're not alone. In fact, fear of rejection is incredibly pervasive in our culture. But what if there was a way to turn rejection into a tool for personal growth and success? But what if there was a way to turn rejection into a tool for personal growth and success? What if, instead of trying and failing to avoid rejection, we leaned into it?... read more ›
882 reads
Jul
26
"Opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” -Richard Branson Friendly Reminder: Failing is necessary in order to succeed. If we are only focused on what could have been, we fail to see opportunities that are right at our fingertips. In this episode I recount the experience building “Best Camera,” a photo sharing app that gained global publicity and over 1 million downloads. Today's story begins with a barrage of texts and emails, and... read more ›
274 reads
Feb
24
If you’ve ever doubted yourself or felt truly underestimated, this episode is for you. Jamie Kern Lima is a self-made entrepreneur, champion of women, philanthropist, keynote speaker and Co-founder of IT Cosmetics, a company she started in her living room and sold to L’Oreal for $1.2 Billion, becoming the first female CEO in L’Oreal’s 100+ year history. Her journey from growing her fledgling company from her living room to 1.2 Billion came with hard-won wisdom,... read more ›
453 reads
May
27
Clarence Greenwood, aka Citizen Cope, is a renowned singer, songwriter and producer. He has built an entire career on trusting his gut and following his muse, and if his new album, ‘Heroin & Helicopters,’ is any indication, his instincts are sharper now than ever before. The success of his music has always been a slow burn, rather than a flash in the pan. His single “Let The Drummer Kick” went Platinum without any support from... read more ›
384 reads
Apr
20
In this episode, I'm chatting with my longtime friend and financial guru, Ramit Sethi. Ramit has been on the show several times, and this time, we're connecting virtually from our living rooms during quarantine. We dive deep into finances during these uncertain times, but even more importantly, we discuss adaptation, resilience, and finding small joys to stay motivated. Ramit shared some interesting ways people are discovering entertainment on a budget, like using gratis spins på... read more ›
917 reads