At age 16, Payman
Zamani fled Iran and made his way to America as a refugee. At 28, he
secured a billion-dollar IPO. Today, he is redefining what it means to be an
entrepreneur and business leader.
In his new book, Crossing
the Desert: The Power Of Embracing Life's Difficult Journeys, Zamani tells his harrowing journey and gives readers an
intimate look at how the paths we choose, the values we embrace, and the systems
we decide to participate in (or not) can make or break us, not only
financially, but spiritually.
Zamani’s fascinating
and motivating story is a timely reminder that enduring and embracing life’s
most difficult journeys can lead us to a brighter future—not only for
ourselves, but also for the people around us.
In his book you will
find the six business and leadership principles Zamani aligns with not
only for himself and his employees in the business world, but also as
conscientious adults and human beings.
Those six principles
are:
- Unity
- Intention
- Independence
- Love
- Truthfulness
- Justice
In Zamani’s words,
here is what he says about each of these six principles:
Unity – Every
entrepreneur, business pioneer, or tech innovator must be comfortable with getting
things done in groups. Accomplishments almost always come from teams, not lone
individuals.
Intention – We need to check
our intention every step of the way. Are we being self-serving? Are we driven
by greed? Are we motivated by power? If so, how can we change that, so our intention
is better aligned with the other values and principles we’re aiming to live up
to?
Independence – Independence means
fostering creativity, the courage to depart from the crowd, and the ability to
truly think for us. Independence also calls upon our willingness to question
the status quo.
Love – When we recognize
and love the noble essence of every human, we acknowledge their highest
aspirations and their most profound goals. If we really love our employees and
our customers, we’ll treat them as the noble beings they are. We will elevate them
and elevate us.
Truthfulness – A lack of
integrity will only cause grief in the end—lawsuits, broken partnerships, and
financial ruin. Why trade a short-term advantage for long-term grief? Truthfulness
is the foundation of all human virtues. Meaning: Only if we have acquired this
foundational virtue can we also be generous, loving, kind, just, and
compassionate.
Justice – Fairness and
equality, at every level of a business, will always pay off, and they should
not be something left for another day. Every day of your journey must be one we
are proud to live and lead—as this day may be the last day.
Payam Zamani is an
entrepreneur, investor, and the founder of One Planet Group, a closely
held private equity firm that owns a suite of online technology and media
businesses.
Owned and operated
businesses of One Planet Group include Buyerlink, AutoWeb, One Planet VC, One
Planet Studios, and others. As part of its nonprofit arm, One Planet Group also
operates One Planet One People and Bahai Teach.
Thank you to the book's publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.
