Meet Arezou Zarafshan | Startup Coach and Advisor, Founder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Arezou Zarafshan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Arezou, how do you think about risk?
Risk is the name of my second best friend; my first best friend is called grit! Joking aside, risk has been a constant companion of mine starting from the time I was 18 years old. I migrated to the US from Iran to go to the university and at that time, I knew next to nothing about life in the US and I barely spoke English. I have changed jobs, states, industries, companies, and career focus time and time again. Some of those risks paid off, some didn’t but the learnings and the experience were all worth it. When I am faced with an opportunity, I say “yes” first and then I figure out how to make it work instead of the other way around.

What should our readers know about your business?
I have two businesses. One is my consulting practice (AZA Consulting), through which I coach entrepreneurs and founders on taking their product to market, validating product-market-fit, and raising capital, and I have loved every minute of it. My second company is a technology startup that I founded last year. It is called DispatchMom. I am a mom of a young boy, and before COVID, I found it incredibly challenging to maintain my professional identity while being a mother. I needed on-demand, safe, and reliable help to come to my aid and help me with childcare and chores. That is how DispatchMom was born. DispatchMom is the one-stop-shop providing on-demand help for busy moms.  Everything is in a simple and beautiful mobile app and through a few clicks, you can get the service you need at your doorstep.  These services are now more valuable than ever because countless moms are working from home and homeschooling their children at the same time. We needed help *before* the pandemic but now, getting help from reliable sources is almost a necessity. Currently, our services are babysitting, meal prep and planning, cleaning, and home organization. Next year, we will add pet care, errands, and a few more. We are one month into our launch in Colorado, and I couldn’t be more excited. The path has been far from easy but I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh how awesome! Best breakfast spots: Snooze on 7th and Colorado, Cafe 13 in Golden, Best coffee: Allegro Coffee on Tennyson Best dinner: Salt in Boulder, Gaurd, and Grace in Denver, Kitchen in Denver Best burger: 5280 burgers in Denver Best place to hang out and watch people: The Union Square Best place to spend an afternoon on a sunny day: Denver Botanical Gardens Best place to spend an afternoon on a snowy day: Denver Nature And Science Museum Best day-trip destinations: Boulder, Fort Collins Best bookstore to get lost in: Boulder Bookstore Best Frappuccino made: Starbucks drive-through on Speer Blvd Best place to get a buzz from the Denver startup scene (pre-Covid): Galvanize on 10th in Denver

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The person who initially lit the fire in me to excel and go beyond my comfort zone was my father. Although I was born and raised in the middle east, where women are considered second-class citizens in general, my father was a staunch feminist and a big proponent of education and women’s independence. From before I entered elementary school, my father encouraged me to ask questions, take risks, challenge authority, to be a free thinker, and to never depend on another human being to provide for me. My father passed away last November and I wouldn’t be who I am if it were not for him.

Website: https://www.dispatchmom.com
Instagram: @dispatch.mom
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arezou
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/arezouzarafshan
Other: I can also be reached through my consulting practice email: arezou@aza.consuting