The Unexpected CEO: My Journey from Gas Station Cashier to Billion-Dollar CEO

At a time when leadership is often reduced to metrics and control, former refugee Shirin Behzadi offers a radically human alternative — one shaped by adversity, empathy and unwavering conviction. After being jailed repeatedly in Iran, she fled her homeland alone while still only a teenager. In America, she began behind bulletproof glass at a gas station. But she went on to build and lead a billion-dollar company — by listening deeply, empowering others and leading with authenticity.

Behzadi’s lived experience of displacement, motherhood, illness and reinvention stands as a powerful counterpoint to depersonalized leadership models that prioritize profit over people. Her insights on ethical capital raising, empathy-driven growth and purpose-led leadership offer a master class for Social Capital leaders committed to building businesses that matter. Her honest and compelling memoir is not a tale of overnight success. It’s a blueprint for building meaningful enterprises from the ground up — and a strategic guide for leaders who believe that people-centric values drive real value, resilience and longevity.