S1E20 Sabba Nazhand: From War Baby to Tech Executive, Overcoming Adversity, and Conscious Leadership
Jul 31, 2023
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Sabba Nazhand, self-made tech executive, shares his journey as an immigrant from war-torn Iran. The podcast explores his struggles, the transformative impact of psychedelics, and the importance of diversity in the psychedelic ecosystem. It delves into leadership traits in the tech industry, the significance of integration, and the resilience of Iranian women. The speakers also discuss the power of sharing stories and cultures.
Sava Anajan shares his remarkable journey as an Iranian immigrant, highlighting the sacrifices his parents made for his survival during the Iran-Iraq War.
Realizing the sacrifices his parents made for him, Sava develops a deeper appreciation for his Iranian heritage and strives to be a better son, father, and leader.
Sava emphasizes the importance of conscious leadership, hard work, perseverance, and the value of a dollar in achieving success in the technology industry.
Deep dives
Personal Transformation and Underrepresented Leaders in Mental Health, Psychedelics, and Consciousness
The podcast episode focuses on personal transformation and underrepresented leaders in mental health, psychedelics, and consciousness. The host introduces the guest, Sava Anajan, who is a self-made tech executive, investor, and advisor. Sava shares his personal journey as an Iranian immigrant, his early career, and his experiences with burnout and mental health. The podcast explores the crisis of identity faced by the Iranian diaspora and Sava's commitment to driving conscious leadership and diversity in the psychedelic ecosystem. The conversation covers topics such as the power of plant medicines, the importance of integration, and the potential for positive change in the emerging psychedelic industry.
The Profound Impact of Sava's Birth Story
Sava shares the dramatic story of his birth in Tehran, Iran during the height of the Iran-Iraq War. He describes the life-saving blood transfusion he needed as an infant and his father's courageous journey through a war-torn city to get him to the hospital. Sava recounts how this birth story was initially presented to him as a matter-of-fact event, but as he grew older, he began to understand the gravity of the situation and the sacrifices his parents made for him. This realization had a profound impact on his outlook on life and the importance of his Iranian heritage.
Personal Growth and the Shift in Perspective
During his 30th birthday dinner with his family, Sava revisits his birth story and comes to a deeper understanding of the sacrifices his parents made. This realization shifts his perspective on his parents' actions and their profound impact on his life. He realizes that he had been holding onto anger and resentment towards his parents for not providing the lavish lifestyle of his childhood friends. However, he now appreciates the ultimate sacrifice his parents made to save his life and recognizes the depth of love and dedication they showed. This newfound understanding inspires him to strive to be a better son, father, and leader.
The Journey into Tech and the Meaning of Being Self-Made
Sava reflects on his decision to drop out of college and enter the tech industry. He discusses the notion of being self-made and how his background of growing up in an immigrant family with limited financial resources influenced his drive to succeed. Sava values the importance of hard work, perseverance, and the value of a dollar. He shares his passion for technology and the thrill of innovating and creating technological solutions to improve efficiency in various industries. Sava also emphasizes the need for conscious leadership and effective business practices in the technology sector.
Changing Perspectives and Personal Healing with Psychedelics
Sava shares his personal journey with psychedelics and how they have contributed to his personal growth and healing. He discusses his initial recreational use and the later realization of the profound spiritual experiences that psychedelics can facilitate. Sava highlights the importance of integration and the need for a supportive environment and guidance when working with these powerful substances. He acknowledges the cautionary aspects of his own experiences and emphasizes the significance of post-journey integration and understanding the value of these medicines beyond just recreational use.
Sabba Nazhand is a self-made tech executive, investor, and advisor, and is on a mission to help bring more diverse voices to the psychedelic space by integrating the power of technology and a startup mindset. Sabba immigrated to the US as a child from war-torn Iran and spent his early career building towards a version of the American dream from dabbling in entrepreneurship to leading companies and global teams, living in places like Hong Kong, London, and NYC. He found himself faced with burnout and started a personal journey with plant medicine and overall mental health and it has completely shifted his personal and professional perspectives. Now, especially as the Iranian diaspora is faced with a crisis of dual identities, his commitment to driving conscious leadership through an integrated lifestyle is more important than ever.
Episode Description: In this episode, we dive deep into the remarkable life journey of Sabba Nazhand, a self-made technology executive and an immigrant who was born during the Iran-Iraq war in Tehran, Iran. Sabba shares his powerful story of being born prematurely during the war and how his parents made incredible sacrifices to save his life. We explore his struggles and the mindset of constant striving to level up, especially as an immigrant in a new country and rising to a tech executive without a formal education.
The episode also delves into the transformative impact of psychedelics on Sabba's life and how they led him to a more profound sense of spirituality and self-awareness. We discuss the emerging world of plant medicines and psychedelics and the diverse characters it attracts, from genuine healers to those seeking to exploit the space for profit. Sabba shares his insights as a conscious leader in the tech industry, emphasizing the importance of empathy, trustworthiness, optimism, communication, and the courage to do hard things.
Show Notes:
Sabba Nazhand shares his incredible life journey as an immigrant born during the Iran-Iraq war and the sacrifices his parents made to save his life.
The importance of constantly striving to level up and the struggles faced by immigrants.
Sabba's insights into modern and conscious leadership, emphasizing empathy, trustworthiness, optimism, communication, self-awareness, and the ability to embrace challenges.
Sabba's transformative experiences with psychedelics and the profound impact on his spirituality and self-awareness.
The emerging market of plant medicines and psychedelics, and the diverse characters involved in the space.
The challenges faced by the Iranian diaspora and the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice in Iran.
Sabba's hope for the future, driven by his personal growth, family support, and belief in conscious leadership.
