I took pride in my job at the car wash, which helped me improve my English and eventually led to a job at a yogurt shop where I slept in the attic to save money.

My journey began with my dad, who came to the U.S. from India with just $25, and that experience shaped my perspective on change.

As an immigrant from Algeria, I had to do any job to survive, and despite lacking education or a network, I had to start somewhere.

I moved to the United States at 17, speaking no English, and graduated from Wellesley College and Harvard Business School.

I started my first company in New York City while I was broke, didn't speak good English, and had no idea how to start a startup.

I got my first job by offering to work for free at a startup, which was my entry point into the tech industry.

When I first arrived in the U.S., I didn't speak English and struggled to adapt to a new school environment, which made me feel isolated and shy.

I spent two weeks finding a job at a cleaning company in San Francisco, where I had to deal with long commutes and a taxing schedule, but it was essential for learning about the cleaning industry.

I moved to Silicon Valley right after graduate school, not knowing anyone, and faced terrible market timing as the internet bubble was collapsing.