1/In Tehran I had been a well-respected sports journalist— But that didn’t carry any weight in America. So I got a job at a car wash in San Jose and I’m telling you, I was the best car washer in the entire world. I took so much pride in that job.

2/Lesson: Don't get trapped in your ego. You'll need to roll up your sleeves a lot and remember that no task is beneath you. You might find yourself doing unglamorous things in this journey, but take pride in everything and give it your all.

3/I was, homeless, sleeping upstairs in a yogurt shop, but I have to say, it was this transformative experience. Instead of feeling like I was completely cornered, I felt like I could do anything. If I can make homelessness work, I can make anything work.

4/Lesson: The founder journey is very hard and very frustrating. But I hope you'll learn to see all these obstacles and challenges as transformative experiences, as opportunities to prove to yourself that you can make it work.

5/ I pleaded with him. “How can you say no to someone you haven’t even met?” There was this long pause, and then he said, “Fine, come in.” The next day, I went to see him, and I got the job. By the end of the week, I moved out of that attic.

6/Lesson: Always swing back. The best founders don't back down, and sometimes just getting back up and giving it one more go is all you need to prove to someone they should give you the chance of a lifetime.

7/I learned that almost all of my customers are in technology and I was witnessing an amazing community, and I wanted to be part of it. And so, in addition to showing my customers rugs, I started asking questions.
Little by little, I learned about the world around me

8/Lesson: Be curious! Try to soak up everything like a sponge in any environment you're in. You never know where your next great idea might come from.

9/We served Persian tea in the back of a rug store. It gave me the opportunity to get to know them and for them to get to know me. There was a magic in the tea, a chance to strip away all of the phony stuff, to be real and honest and human with each other.

10/Lesson: Don't be afraid to be different! Lean into what makes you unique and find a creative way to use it to your advantage. You're more defensible that way too.