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

She started behind bulletproof glass at a gas station. She ended up leading a billion-dollar company.

Shirin Behzadi was arrested multiple times under an oppressive regime in Iran before she had even reached adulthood. Fleeing her homeland alone as a teenager, she carried nothing with her but a suitcase—and a bold dream. In Istanbul, and later at a Los Angeles gas station, she quietly declared to anyone who would listen: One day, I will lead a large company.

While navigating poverty, the loss of home and belonging, motherhood, and a near-terminal illness that left her unable to stand—let alone lead—Shirin raised millions in private equity and built a billion-dollar company. At every setback, she unearthed something essential: The resilience she had honed in dark times could also light the way forward in business, in leadership, and in life.

The Unexpected CEO tells a compelling and powerful story of lessons carved from challenges and a life constructed despite dire circumstances. In these pages, Shirin shares not only her extraordinary journey, but also the wisdom earned at every turn. Both a memoir and a guide, this book offers a blueprint for turning life’s deepest trials into stepping stones toward purpose and possibility.

Readers will discover:

• Tools for turning adversity into fuel for growth
• Hard-won insights on resilience, reinvention, and rising stronger
• Real-world strategies for leading with empathy—and why it works
• Candid lessons on raising capital and navigating private equity
• A framework for building not just a thriving business, but a meaningful life as well
• True stories that illuminate the power of vision, grit, and unwavering belief

This is not a tale of overnight success, but of steady strength, rebuilding from the ground up, and what becomes possible when adversity is met with unwavering intent. Because success isn’t just what you build—it’s who you become along the way.