From $75 to a $1.2B Public Company: How Payam Zamani Built His Business Empire | Entrepreneurship | How We Profit | E10

Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha: Entrepreneurship and Self-Improvement PodcastWednesday, September 16, 2026

Show Notes

After taking his business public at a $1.2 billion valuation, Payam Zamani learned that chasing rapid growth can weaken a company when profitability gets ignored. That lesson shaped his holding company, One Planet, which he built around profit, discipline, and purpose. Today, One Planet owns, operates, and invests in companies with a focus on improving margins, cutting unnecessary costs, and building businesses that can stand on their own. In this episode, Payam shares how entrepreneurs can turn around struggling companies, protect profit margins, and grow while embracing his philosophy of spiritual capitalism.

In this episode, Hala and Payam will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:00) What Is Private Equity Exactly?

(02:00) From Refugee to Billion-Dollar Founder

(13:48) Inside One Planet’s Profit Model

(21:17) How One Planet Turns Companies Around

(29:06) Payam’s Approach to People and Leadership

(39:42) Customer Acquisition and Unit Economics

(45:51) Cutting Hidden Business Costs and Overhead

(47:35) How Payam Builds and Buys Businesses

(51:26) The Principles of Spiritual Capitalism

(1:00:07) Building for Profit From Day One

Payam Zamani is the founder, chairman, and CEO of One Planet Group, a closely held private equity firm that owns technology and media businesses and invests in early-stage companies. He co-founded AutoWeb in 1994 and helped take the company public in 1999, reaching a $1.2 billion valuation. Since then, he has built and owned multiple companies and invested in more than 50 businesses. He is also the author of the USA Today bestseller Crossing the Desert and an advocate for his philosophy of spiritual capitalism.

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