What happens when you combine the resilience of a refugee with the determination of a mother and the vision of an entrepreneur? You get a founder who's not just building a company - she's transforming how working mothers navigate their careers.
Practical Guidance:Coming to America with barely any English at age 18, Arezou learned early that success requires more than just hard work - it demands unwavering conviction. At HP, she established a women's leadership program that evolved into a company-wide initiative, demonstrating her knack for turning personal passion into systemic change.
But it was her own experience as a working mother that sparked her biggest venture. After cycling through twelve different childcare providers and countless hours of stress, Arezou recognized a critical gap in the market. Working mothers weren't just struggling with childcare - they were missing career-defining opportunities because of it.
Call Emmy, her solution, isn't just another childcare platform. It's a tool for professional empowerment, ensuring that no mother has to choose between attending a crucial meeting and caring for her child. With over 5,000 bookings and a remarkable 4.9-star rating, Arezou has proven that solving deeply personal problems can create widely impactful solutions.
Her advice to aspiring founders? "Today is the day. It won't get any easier with time. In fact, it will get harder. So do it now." Coming from someone who's faced down authoritarian regimes and corporate resistance, that's advice worth heeding.
Watch the Full Episode on From Iranian Refugee to Fearless Founder with expert Arezou Zarafshan below:
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