Behzadi, Shirin: - Shirin Behzadi fled her home country at 17. A year later, she found herself working behind bulletproof glass as a gas station cashier. And three decades later, she was a billion-dollar CEO. Shirin exemplifies resilience and self-reliance, and she believes that her successes come from turning adversity into opportunity. She has dedicated her time to inspire entrepreneurs and leaders by serving as a keynote speaker, investor, board member, and advisor. Her mission is bold and simple: to help others dream audaciously, lead courageously, and thrive through life's toughest moments.

Shirin is a recognized award-winning leading entrepreneur in North America who has garnered international coverage and visibility for her achievements, most notably featured on Forbes.com. Her story began with a courageous leap--leaving behind everything familiar, including her family, to build a meaningful life in the United States. Even when she was working as a gas station cashier, she believed her tenacity would empower her to become a success. She paved her way forward relentlessly, becoming a respected CFO and later a transformative entrepreneur and CEO. After successful partnership with private equity, Shirin led the creation of a one-of-a-kind platform in the home services and franchising space--scaling across 12,000 cities in North America. She continues to serve as an advisor and investor, using her hard-earned wisdom to support others in building bold, enduring businesses.

Shirin is a passionate philanthropist, serving on the boards of organizations driving change locally and globally. She lives by a simple and powerful motto: "doing well by doing good."