Shanaz Hemmati

Trailblazer
DISC Type : DI

Co-Founder & Executive Advisor (previously: Chief Operating Officer) at ZenBusiness

Austin, Texas, United States

Overview

Shanaz Hemmati is the Co-Founder and Executive Advisor of ZenBusiness, a platform dedicated to helping entrepreneurs. With a background in Electrical and Computer Engineering from UT Austin, she leverages over 30 years of experience in technology to drive growth through data and systems. Colleagues and peers describe her as a remarkable and true leader.

Originally from Iran, Shanaz immigrated to the U. S. at 16 to pursue her education. She is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and actively mentors entrepreneurs through Capital Factory. She enjoys music and dancing, believing happy people are more accomplished and helpful to others.

Unique fact: Shanaz was recently featured on the cover of Austin Woman Magazine as a 2025 "Change Maker" for her impact on the city.

Personality Overview

Charismatic

Informal

Persuasive

They are charming and can persuade others to support their decisions.  If they come to believe in your value proposition, they will be your champion. They prefer to ensure that they are in control of the situation.

Topics They Care About

Supporting Entrepreneurs
Co-founded ZenBusiness with the mission of making it easier for people to start, run, and grow their businesses, and mentors startups at Capital Factory.
Women in Tech
As a woman in a male-dominated field, she actively champions DEI initiatives, achieving nearly 50% female representation in leadership and staff at ZenBusiness.
Immigrant Journey
She often shares her personal story of immigrating from Iran to the U. S. alone as a teenager to inspire others and highlight the challenges immigrant entrepreneurs face.

Media Appearances

Shanaz has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2017
Co-Founder & Executive Advisor (previously: Chief Operating Officer) at ZenBusiness
7-2025
Investor and Advisor at Graphio.ai
1-2024
Board Observer at Candosa
1-2019
Mentor at Capital Factory
12-2018 - 12-2020
Business Advisor at Golightly

Education

B.S. from The University of Texas at Austin

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 8 Location : Austin, Texas, United States Job Level : Leadership Designation : Co-Founder & Executive Advisor (previously: Chief Operating Officer) at ZenBusiness
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Insights For Selling To Shanaz

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Talk about yourself and some of your achievements at the start of the conversation
  • Address your competition clearly and confidently
  • Display high self-confidence and expect them to have a strong personality.

DONT's

  • Avoid unnecessary negativity or slowness
  • Don’t force involvement of other stakeholders unless it is critical
  • Do not look like someone who doesn’t know what they are talking about

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Shanaz is

  • Relationship and product conviction matter equally, followed by a sense of achievement.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Shanaz

  • If they are not convinced, they will say no though in a friendly way.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Shanaz move?

  • If you earn their trust and they develop faith in the product, they can make decisions quickly.
  • Can Shanaz take some risk or not?

  • If necessary, they will be ready to take risks.

You And Shanaz

Personality Compatibility


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