a usa today bestseller

At the age of 16, Payam escaped persecution and made his way to America as a refugee. At 28, he secured a billion-dollar IPO. Today, he’s redefining what it means to be an entrepreneur by building a new model of capitalism.

Crossing the Desert by Payam Zamani
USA Today National Best Seller

a usa today bestseller

At the age of 16, Payam escaped persecution and made his way to America as a refugee. At 28, he secured a billion-dollar IPO. Today, he’s redefining what it means to be an entrepreneur by building a new model of capitalism.

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Rainn Wilson
Crossing the Desert is a page-turning, big-hearted memoir that is both harrowing and full of hope. Payam’s story is jaw-dropping and thought-provoking. Well done!”
Rainn wilson
Actor, Author, and Philanthropist
Zhang Xin
“In this beautiful narrative, Payam brings us into his childhood in Iran, one fraught with persecution and daily dangers, ultimately setting him on a path of escape and survival. Throughout his struggles, his unwavering faith in Baha’i principles serves as a guiding light, giving him the hope and optimism needed to forge a path ahead. Upon arrival in America, he built a successful business that went on to have one of the most successful IPOs in US history. His story is a tale of overcoming adversity and a profound testament to the strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of faith.”
Zhang Xin
Co-founder & Former CEO SOHO China, Founder & CEO Closer Media
Lauren Bush
“Payam Zamani's story embodies the American Dream. His drive is to succeed, not just for himself, but for the world at large. Payam is an inspiration to anyone looking to make the world a better place, which I hope is all of us!”
Lauren Bush Lauren
Founder & CEO of FEED
Julie Wainwright
“Payam’s story is one of great strength, intelligence and integrity. His escape from religious persecution in Iran to an extremely successful tech entrepreneur would be enough for most people. But he is on a mission to change the way we think about business with bold thought-provoking ideas about capitalism and spirituality.”
Julie Wainwright
Founder & Former CEO The RealReal, Founder & CEO Ahara
Stephen DeBerry
“Payam has given us a precious guide through some of the prickliest brambles we share as a society — and points to the most essential and inspiring reasons for hope. Along the way he invites us to dialog with him, ourselves, and each other. Crossing the Desert is essential reading.”
Stephen DeBerry
Managing Partner, BRONZE
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“The simple act of bringing optimism to every challenge we face often serves as the lifeboat that carries us through to the other side.”
Payam

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Book Tour & Speaking

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About crossing the desert

In the summer of 1987, Payam Zamani fled Iran. As a member of the Baha’i Faith, he had already survived years of religious persecution at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists. Taking the only path available to him, he escaped to Pakistan through the Emptiness Desert (Dasht-e Lut): a harrowing five-day trek through one of the hottest, driest, and most hostile regions on the planet.

Twelve years later, he and his brother set records when the company they founded hit a $1.2 billion valuation on Wall Street. He was rich—on paper. But in the wake of yet another Wall Street meltdown, he learned the hard way that modern capitalism can be harmful to the human soul.

In 2015, Payam set the example he wanted to see by merging his business acumen with his spiritual beliefs and founding a new company—One Planet Group—this time without letting Wall Street or the venture capital world dictate the terms. Today, One Planet Group is proving that it’s not only possible but necessary to build strong businesses while taking care of our employees, customers, communities, and the planet.

Crossing the Desert gives readers an intimate look at how the paths we choose, the values we embrace, and the systems we decide to participate in (or not) can make or break us, not only financially but spiritually. Payam’s story is a timely reminder that enduring and embracing life’s most difficult journeys can lead us to a brighter future—not only for ourselves but for the people around us and even the world.

“I hope to show how every one of us can learn from the challenges we face and then act—as individuals, as communities, as companies, as countries, as part of humanity itself—in order to help make life better for us all.”

Read an excerpt—

“I knew that we were close enough to the border now that if we were spotted, the Guards wouldn’t stop to ask questions; they would shoot our vehicle on sight, most likely with rocket-propelled grenades.”
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meet the author

Payam Zamani is an entrepreneur, investor, and the founder of One Planet Group, a closely held private equity firm that owns a suite of online technology and media businesses.

Born in Iran, Zamani was forced to flee at the age of 16 due to his religious beliefs as a Baha’i. 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.

Since then, he has built and currently owns multiple technology and media businesses, has invested in more than 50 companies, and is striving to redefine capitalism in an attempt to elevate business to serve humanity. He has been named the “Best CEO for Diversity,” is the recipient of Tahirih Justice Center’s Hope Award, and received an Award of Distinction from UC Davis in 2018. Zamani and his wife, Gouya, have two daughters, Sophia and Ella.

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