Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
Working with multi-million-dollar product brands, leveraging international high-end client networks and maximizing product revenues has definitely provided the professional experience to competently take on this venture. But ultimately the source of my trajectory has been my culture and my family.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
The most interesting story is that we really wanted to know how many people of all ages think about the taste, the look and the pureness of our products.
We initiated 97 focus groups to gain some insight on what people didn’t like about any of our products, whether it be taste or appearance. They consisted of individuals aged 3–92 years old, from different social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. To our amazement, we could not find a single person who didn’t like our products. We knew we had something special then.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The funniest mistake we made was that we believed that the city of WC was supporting us in our first pop up shop location for which we built a super cute POP UP tree house that was going in front of a building that belonged to the city of WC, and we spent so much effort and money to make the grand opening a spectacular Halloween for kids and families on trick or treating. After having invited investors, local social lights, celebrities and some council members, one day before the event, the city by force canceled the event because the city ordinance had a problem with the shade color of the balcony which the restaurant and shop we had partnered with had put in. The bureaucracy and authority complex of a city ordinance person can make you decide to take your business elsewhere. In our case we learned that we would build our wholesale platform before we go to brick and mortar.
We wanted to put something special together for the little citizens of WC and their families, so we decided to put together a Pop-Up tree house in front of a building that belonged to the city. We put in loads of work and money to have this spectacular grand opening, inviting socialites, investors, celebrities and some council members. One day before the event, the city informed us that there was an ordinance against the shade we had chosen for the balcony of the restaurant and shop we had partnered with. Bureaucracy struck again and we decided to take our business elsewhere. A valuable lesson was learned that day: We will build our wholesale platform before we go brick and mortar.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I am not sure if it is one particular person that helped me along the way apart from my parents, grandparents and close family who have been there in their ways. I can tell you that many people along the way who believed in me and also those who didn’t believe in me have helped me. I have a mentality that never likes negative things, and it makes people upset, and they think that I only believe in good things and not bad, and therefore I am naive.
As a matter of fact, so many relatively negative things have happened to me that I always thought I am getting closer to the positive things. I believe the more you hear that something is not realistic, you get closer to the realistic goal. I believe the more you hear NO, the closer you get to the Yes. I believe that the more bad, sad and disappointment you see, you get closer to the good, happy and euphoric moments in life. That is why I thank all the people that have crossed my path in their own ways.
I’m not sure there is one particular person. My family — parents, grandparents, and other close family members have been there in their own special ways.
There have been some who have believed in me and some who haven’t. I don’t like to be negative and cynical, and this makes some people upset. It’s easy to confuse optimism with naivety.
The truth is that the more negative things happen to me, the stronger the feeling becomes that I am getting closer to better things. I believe the more you are told something is unrealistic, the closer you get to realizing that goal. The more you hear “no,” the closer you get to “yes.” The more bad, sadness and disappointment you see, the closer you get to the good, happy and euphoric moments in life. That is why I thank everyone — positive and negative — that I have crossed paths with.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?
There is a trepidation many women feel when entering the entrepreneurial arena due to the “man’s world” dogma. Everyone is at least a little afraid of what they don’t know, no matter who you are. Women might fall into the trap of “analysis paralysis” a bit more easily because to dive into something like this you have to really show up and know what you’re talking about if you want to be taken seriously. A woman must work harder to prove herself and that can hold her back, if she lets it. I also believe you need to have fallen in order to have the endurance and power to get up again and walk until you get there. Who cares if you failed before?
Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?
I believe that the government and society can do much more effectively and make processes less complicated and less time consuming if they want to support women. It is hard enough that most of us women have chosen a few careers such being a mother, an entrepreneur or the corporate ladder which oftentimes is because of the benefits it comes with and the price we pay in not being able to raise our children in an idealistic way. The time that is consumed in order to run after answers and solutions from the government is painful.
On an individual level. “Believe in your vision,” “Don’t be scared of hearing no it is impossible,” At the end of the day what a woman must do to succeed is the same as a man only with a few more responsibilities outside their scope of work.
I believe the government and society as a whole could be much more efficient, make their systems less complicated and spend less time consuming if they want to support women. The more we have to jump through bureaucratic hoops, the less time we spend with our families and raising our children in a more idealistic environment. That precious time is consumed running after answers and solutions from the government.
On an individual level, you really must believe in your vision. Don’t be afraid of hearing “no,” or “that’s not possible.” At the end of the day, what a woman must do to succeed is the same as any man, just with a few more responsibilities outside the scope of their work.
This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder, but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?
A founder needs compassion, empathy and resilience in every avenue to be a founder and leader. Now, many think that being tough or acting rude or strict is what it takes to be a founder. I disagree. Only if you are there for your people will they be part of you. Wall Street, Silicon Valley, Hollywood have created these Founders personas that actually people act like now to maintain their titles. Women who are not rude or selfish but compassionate, smart and have a vision for a brand & community can be founders.
A true founder needs to possess qualities like compassion, empathy and resilience on every level to be a leader. Wall Street, Silicon Valley and Hollywood have created an inaccurate characterization of a leader as being macho, rude and strict. I strongly disagree with that. People buy into that and believe they must imitate that persona to earn or maintain their titles. Women who personify a compassionate, intelligent visionary for their brand and community set a needed precedent for all founders.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?
It is definitely being the cover of Forbes Magazine and flying on jets around the world. You also don’t call in sick like other people can and do. You need to be at every single meeting to make sure things don’t go sideways since you are at the early stages of rising, regardless if you are healthy or you’re on the plane because you need to travel to the other end of the world to close a deal of a lifetime , and you hear your child has 104 fever. Now, that is being a founder.
Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?
Not to sound like I want to scare people off to be founders in any way, but you need to be made with a few arthritis that can endure the risk of failure, and be able to wear the crown that is not made of diamonds and gold-but responsibilities that are countless once you are in Founders land. Those commitments come with rewards and benefits if you succeed. More individuals should become founders if they are good in managing each department of their lives without turning their dream into their nightmare and as I mentioned before have the compassion and empathy as well as the vision for a brand & community to succeed.
Not to discourage anyone from being a founder, but you really need to be made with a few _____. They can endure the risk of failure, wear this crown that is not diamonds and gold, but countless responsibilities once you enter Founders land. These commitments come with rewards and benefits if you succeed. If they are good at managing each sector of their lives without turning their dream into a nightmare and somehow accomplish all of this without sacrificing their compassion, empathy and vision, then they have a very good shot at success.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
- I wish someone would have told me how to find a balance between self-love and self-compassion
- I do everything 125% although 100% is ultimately enough
- I wish someone would have told me to not let circumstances take away your worth because as a woman it’s not up for discussion.
- Trust the magic around you…because bad seasons come to an end.
- Stop wasting time, it’s never too late to do what you love and are passionate about.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
As an Iranian woman, I’m intensely concerned for the rights and freedom of women, children and men in Iran. It hits home as a wife, mother, and entrepreneur to see that worldwide human & women’s rights are perpetually violated. But in Iran, those rights are virtually non-existent. More importantly, the politicians and media have closed their eyes on children being tortured, raped and killed. That needs to change, and I’m working hard to play my part in shining a bright light on their plight to facilitate that change.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I am not political and as a matter of fact I despite all politicians because they all have an agenda. Politicians do not want to make the world a better place, people do and Politicians stand in their way.
The silence is their consent to this genocide. You can stop it by asking yourself why, what’s in it for them? The answer is out there not just in the mainstream media, it is in the books of history, and in the voice of the people for the people.
I am not political, and in fact I despise politicians on the whole because they have an agenda. Politicians do not want to make the world a better place, people do. Politicians stand in their way.
When people offer silence in response to these agendas, they are giving their consent to the genocides countless people are facing. It can be stopped by asking yourself why, what’s in it for them? The answer is out there, but it’s not in the mainstream median. It’s in the books of history, and in the voice of the people for the people.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
In the world there are many people that I would like to “have a word” with, but not break bread with, because I believe they are accomplices to the genocide that is happening in Iran.
However, there are a few humanitarians that are powerful and that I would like to sit down with and come up with a plan on releasing innocent children that are waiting for the death penalty in Iran with sham trials that last less than 5 minutes. Angelina Jolie, Amal Clooney and Nazanin Boniadi would be a few of them. As far as powerful business names, I would like to meet with all the Iranian business founders and create an alliance with them for the future of a healthy vision for women run businesses in Iran.
However, there are a few humanitarians that are striving to make a powerful difference. I would love to sit down with them and come up with a plan to release these innocent children in Iran who are awaiting a death penalty with sham trials that last less than five minutes. People like Angelina Jolie, Amal Clooney, and Nazanin Boniadi, to name a few.
As far as powerful business names, I would like to meet with Iranian business founders and make a healthy vision for women-run businesses in Iran a reality.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
