The $250 million sale to Spark Networks

In our conversation with Shayan, we explore his journey to the US as a founder and his process for generating and filtering startup ideas. He shares insights on the fine line between weathering a storm and beating a dead horse in the startup world. We discuss the early days of Zoosk, including a key pivot that shaped the company’s future, and delve into the unique dynamics of having two CEOs at a startup. Shayan also talks about the decision to cancel Zoosk's IPO. Currently, Shayan Zadeh is the CEO of DressBarn.

With friend and co-founder Alex Mehr, Shayan Zadeh came to US from Iran at a time when both countries had no diplomatic relations or direct flights. They went on to study computer science, work at NASA and Microsoft, and start Zoosk – an Inc 5000 dating platform that went on to exit for $250 million.