How do you transform life’s most challenging journeys into opportunities for extraordinary success? Payam Zamani’s story is a testament to the resilience and vision that drive entrepreneurship. From arriving in the U.S. as a teenage refugee with less than $100 to his name to cofounding the billion-dollar AutoWeb IPO within a decade, Payam’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of perseverance and purpose.

The Nasdaq Center is honored to be joined by Payam Zamani, Founder and CEO at One Planet Group and author of Crossing the Desert: The Power of Embracing Life’s Difficult Journeys, for an inspiring session that blends personal narrative with actionable insights for entrepreneurs. Payam will share his experience as a refugee-turned-entrepreneur, his unconventional advice for startup founders pursuing VC funding, and his philosophy of “people-first” leadership and culture, inspired by his Baha’i faith. Discover what it takes to build and lead a thriving business while staying grounded in values that prioritize equity, inclusion, and giving back.

Key Takeaways:

• Gain insight into Payam’s incredible journey and what it reveals about the American dream and entrepreneurial resilience.
• Learn Payam’s perspective on venture capital and how first-time founders can think differently about funding to achieve growth and success.
• Explore how Payam’s values have shaped his leadership approach, company culture, and focus on impact-driven entrepreneurship, and how yours can too.

OUR SPECIAL GUESTS

PAYAM ZAMANI

Payam Zamani is an entrepreneur, investor, author and the founder of One Planet Group, a closely held private equity firm that owns a suite of technology, media and hospitality businesses, and also invests in early-stage companies. He is also the Chairman & CEO at Buyerlink and Inspirato (NASDAQ: ISPO), a luxury, members-only travel club. Infused with Zamani’s deeply held beliefs from the Baha’i Faith, One Planet Group’s mission is to support strong business ideas while also building an ethos that transforms the business world for the betterment of humanity.

Born in Iran, Zamani was forced to flee at the age of 16 due to his religious beliefs. He was offered asylum in the United States in 1988, settling in the San Francisco Bay Area. Upon graduation from the University of California, Davis, he and his brother founded AutoWeb, one of the first online car marketplaces, which they took public in 1999 with a record-breaking IPO. 

In 2023 Zamani initiated the One Planet Summit, an annual forum where entrepreneurs, professionals, and innovators discuss elevating business practices to serve humanity. This summit exemplifies his commitment to spiritual capitalism—melding business with spiritual values to create positive global change. It reinforces One Planet Group’s mission to integrate spiritual principles into the corporate world, promoting a business ethos that benefits both society and the economy.

In 2024, One Planet Group was recognized as one of the ‘Top 50 Largest Private Companies in the Bay Area’,  and ‘Top 100 Bay Area Corporate Philanthropists’. In 2020, One Planet Group was named a ‘Best Place to Work’ by the San Francisco Business Times and the Silicon Valley Business Journal, and also received the Better Business Bureau’s Torch for Ethics Award. Zamani was also honored as a ‘Best CEO for Diversity’ in 2020 by Comparably, was granted the Tahirih Justice Center’s ‘Hope Award’ (2016), and is a recipient of the University of California, Davis Award of Distinction (2018).

Zamani recounts his journey as a refugee and entrepreneur in his National best selling book, CROSSING THE DESERT: The Power of Embracing Life’s Difficult Journeys. This memoir not only traces his personal and professional challenges but also explores how these experiences have shaped his advocacy for ‘spiritual capitalism.’ The book provides an intimate look into his life, examining the synergy between his faith and his business endeavors, and detailing how Zamani harnesses his business experience as a platform for social and spiritual enrichment.

Zamani and his wife, Gouya, are parents to two daughters and active philanthropists. They manage BahaiTeachings.org and their foundation, One Planet One People, which champions the empowerment of women and girls, underscoring their crucial role as primary educators of future generations. Additionally, the foundation is dedicated to promoting racial unity, tackling racism which they consider one of America’s most pressing challenges.

The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a 501c(3) public charity whose mission it is to make entrepreneurship accessible to all. We deliver world-class resources and mentoring to enable every entrepreneur across the globe to realize their maximum potential. Please join us and make your gift to ensure these transformative programs may continue to reach the underserved.

All Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 48 hours in advance of this event; please send an email to [email protected] with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. For assistance with registration or other technical difficulties, please contact [email protected]