#3: From $700 to Silicon Valley’s #1 Seed Investor – Pejman Nozad’s Unbelievable Journey
How does someone go from washing cars and selling rugs to investing in billion-dollar startups like Dropbox and DoorDash? Pejman Nozad arrived in America with $700, no English, and zero connections, but today, he’s one of the most influential investors in Silicon Valley.
In this episode, Pejman shares his extraordinary journey from immigrant to Forbes’ #1 seed investor, revealing the networking secrets, mindset shifts, and high-stakes risks that changed his life. He breaks down how he built relationships with top VCs, the strategy behind spotting unicorn startups early, and how much he learned from a $500M mistake on investing in Facebook.
This is a must-watch if you're someone that feels like they are starting from nothing, building a startup, investing, or just someone looking for inspiration. Learn what separates billion-dollar entrepreneurs from the rest and how to break into the startup world—no matter where you start.
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction to the Episode and Guest.
3:01 - Pejman Nozad’s Early Life in Iran.
12:14 - Adapting to Life in America and Finding Work.
15:13 - Surviving War and Economic Hardship in Iran and the U.S.
20:17 - A Life-Changing Opportunity at Medallion Rugs.
24:31 - Connecting with Silicon Valley’s Elite.
29:05 - From Rug Salesman to Investor.
35:30 - Discovering Dropbox.
42:00 - The Dropbox IPO, DoorDash and Long-Term Commitment to Founders.
48:29 - Early Investing Struggles and Missing Out on Facebook.
52:00 - Pattern Recognition and Adapting Investment Strategies.
53:06 - Pejman’s Fulfillment in his Personal and Professional Life.
54:23 - The most difficult thing Pejman has accomplished.
Episode Partners:
Notion
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Google Cloud
Accelerate your AI startup with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply today: https://partners.startupgrind.com/partner/google-cloud/
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