Crossing the Desert summary

Payam's journey of assimilation into American life is marked by both challenges and triumphs. Upon arriving in Modesto, California, Payam quickly embraced the opportunities before him, enrolling in Modesto Junior College and joining the International Club. His entrepreneurial spirit shined as he transformed the club's finances through innovative fundraising efforts, allowing members to enjoy experiences like trips to Disneyland.

Despite working multiple jobs and carrying a heavy course load, Payam immersed himself in American culture. He bought and sold used cars, learned to navigate dating, and even ran for student body president. Though he narrowly lost, he gained confidence in the process. His experiences working at Pizza Palace and RadioShack provided him with lessons in American business practices and customer service. Payam embraced a strong work ethic and a commitment to his Baha'i faith, which helped him resist peer pressure and stay focused on his goals. 

Payam founded AutoWeb with his brother in late 1994, just as the internet was taking off. The pair realized that most major car companies didn’t have websites, and spotted a unique opportunity in the emerging digital landscape. So AutoWeb became one of the first online platforms connecting car buyers with dealerships.

Initially, the brothers struggled to gain traction, facing numerous rejections from dealerships unfamiliar with the internet. But Payam’s persistence paid off when they secured their first major client, leading to rapid growth.

At the turn of the millennium, Payam hits rock bottom. AutoWeb and his subsequent venture, PurpleTie, failed when the dot-com bubble burst. He lost most of his wealth and went through a tough divorce. And yet, true to his resilient nature, he started again, buying assets from failed dot-coms and building Reply.com, a performance-based marketing company.

The company grew successfully, but Payam briefly stepped away from leadership in 2014. At the time, he was grappling with the ethical implications of the venture capital world and seeking to align his business practices with his Baha'i faith. When he returned to the company after his hiatus, he bought out investors, renamed the company Buyerlink, and implanted a new business model based on ethical and spiritual principles. 

Payam's experiences from refugee to entrepreneur underscore the challenges of aligning business practices with personal values. He learned the hard way that the venture capital system often prioritizes short-term gains over long-term company health. Yet his Bahai religion, his community and his resilience allowed him to rise to the challenges he faced in his early ventures. It also inspired him to seek purpose in the business world beyond financial success.

Through his trials and triumphs, Payam learned to balance his ambition with his values, striving to create businesses that not only succeeded financially but also contributed positively to society. His vision for ethical, spiritual leadership and making a social impact through business was fully realized in his company One Planet Group, which operates on principles of love, honesty, unity, and service to humanity.