Unapologetically Ambitious : What being a successful CEO, serial Entrepreneur & visible minority has taught me

Circle Description

I am a serial entrepreneur who is passionate about building high performance teams that deliver results. I founded three successful companies in Alberta, two of which are software companies. My family fled Iran when I was young and we lived in refugee camps for more than 10 years before settling in Toronto. I arrived in Canada not speaking any English and I had never been to school. I had a knack for mathematics, and I went to university 100% funded through scholarships. My vision is to create a force for social good and I had an idea - Symend. We created Symend to help individuals who have fallen behind on payments and treat them with understanding at a time when they need it most. Symend is scientifically transforming the debt recovery industry by treating individuals with empathy and dignity at the time they need it most. Growing up, my family had very negative experiences with debt collectors. I wanted to develop a solution to improve on the dismal experience of dealing with debt collectors, which is where I came up with the idea of Symend. I want to give back as much as I can and I understand how difficult it can be when you are behind on bill payments and don’t see a way to get ahead. Being able to come to this country, receive and education and develop one of the fastest growing technology companies that is focused on helping people is what Canada is all about. My role as CEO is to drive the vision of Symend and clearly articulate the values and culture shaping needed to achieve the vision. I am responsible for building a cohesive senior leadership team and supporting them in working collaboratively and breaking down silos. I just completed one of the largest Series B fundraising rounds in recent Alberta history which will enable Symend to continue to execute on our vision of helping people with empathy and dignity when they need it most through digital engagement strategies. I ensure that there is a clear and well articulated strategy and I lead the team to ensure it is executed. I am passionate a