Showing results by narrator "Anna Akbari" in All Categories

In 2011, three successful and highly educated women fell head over heels for the brilliant and charming Ethan Schuman. Unbeknownst to the others, each exchanged countless messages with Ethan, staying up late into the evenings to deepen their connections with this fascinating man. His detailed excuses about broken webcams and complicated international calling plans seemed believable, as did last minute trip cancellations. After all, why would he lie? Ethan wasn't after money—he never convinced his marks to shell out thousands of dollars for some imagined crisis.

As an entrepreneur Anna Akbari learned that one of the best things about startups is their ability to pivot quickly - basically a euphemism for failing and starting over. And she quickly found that personal success is no different. It's not about just developing and following the right process but also having a good idea. And that demands rigor and daily maintenance far beyond a few positive affirmations. Like any Silicon Valley startup, the business of life is not as glamorous as its Instagram account would make it seem.