In today’s episode, we chat with Dr. Christen Behzadi about her journey into starting her own business, The International Intercultural Consulting Firm. Dr. Behzadi became engrossed in Persian Culture when she first met her husband in medical school. She shares her journey from meeting her husband’s family, learning about their culture, feeling transformed by the experience of all things Persian to eventually writing her own book to help other non-Persian Brides.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How she met her husband in medical school and was transformed by meeting his family and being engrossed in Persian Culture.
• Why she decided to write a book about Persian Weddings to help other brides.
• How she found an editor and got her book published.
• What a ghostwriter is and how you can use them to write a book.
• How she did the research and found all of the content to write the book.
• Why Dr. Behzadi started her business and how the idea came about.
• How she helps businesses learn about the cultures they will be working within.
• Where she finds time to balance her career in medicine with her business and family.

Dr. Christen Behzadi is a published writer on modern, Iranian cultural etiquette. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a degree in Biopsychology and Cognitive Sciences. She holds a Medical Degree from the University of Oklahoma and completed her residency in Rochester, NY. She is now a practicing anesthesiologist, wife and mother of two in Houston, TX.

Links we discussed in the show:

• Find out more about Dr. Behzadi’s business: The International Intercultural Consulting Firm.
• Learn more about what a Persian Wedding is all about in The Persian Wedding Book.

Quotes from Christen Behzadi, MD:

• “I just wanted to write something for other, non-Persian brides like myself.”
• “I just felt really good about writing this guide, and it was out there, and people could get it.”
• “In business, I feel like there is even more of a need for cultural understanding, cultural manners and cultural etiquette.”
• “I think we could all learn something from our very wonderful Iranian Friends and from their very beautiful culture.”

Special thank you to this week’s show sponsor: Johanna Fox Turner at Fox & Company Wealth Management.

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