Siamak Taghaddos

Siamak Taghaddos (born August 29, 1981) is an Iranian-American entrepreneur known as the co-founder and CEO of virtual phone system provider Grasshopper[1] and the supporting founder of National Entrepreneurs' Day.[2]

Life & Career

Taghaddos was born in Tehran, Iran and emigrated to Boston Massachusetts in 1986.[3] At the age of 16, while attending high school, Taghaddos founded PagerWholesale.com to provide pagers to students online. He later sold the company for an undisclosed amount. In 2000 he founded GotVMail Communications while attending Babson College in Wellesley Massachusetts.[4] In 2003 Taghaddos and his business partner launched a new telecommunications company under the same brand GotVMail [5] which was rebranded to Grasshopper in 2007. Taghaddos is also the co-founder of Chargify,[6] a subscription billing application.

Awards and Highlights

In 2005 BusinessWeek named Taghaddos as one of top 5 entrepreneurs under 25.[7]

In 2006 CNN featured Taghaddos as part of the series “Young People Who Rock”,[8] Entrepreneur Magazine featured him as a young power player,[9] and the Boston Business Journal named in one of 40 Under 40 business leaders.[10]

In 2007 Taghaddos became one of the youngest CEOs to be named to the Inc. 500, Inc. Magazine’s list of 500 fastest-growing private companies in America[11] and American Venture Magazine named him one of 40 under 40 young entrepreneurial leaders.[12] He was also named by the United States Small Business Administration the Massachusetts Young Entrepreneur of the Year.[13]

In 2010 Taghaddos started a campaign to President Barack Obama to a create National Entrepreneurs' Day on November 19.[14] On November 15, 2010, the President officially recognized National Entrepreneurs' Day through a Presidential Proclamation.[15]

In 2011 Inc. Magazine named Taghaddos to its annual 30 Under 30 top young entrepreneurs list.[16]

Taghaddos has also been featured in several books including Young Upstarts by Donna Fenn,[17] Entrepreneurship by William D. Bygrave and Andrew Zacharakis,[18] Plugged in: the Generation Y guide to thriving at work by Tamara J. Erickson[19] and Small Business Management: Launching and Growing Entrepreneurial Ventures by Justin G. Longencker.[20]

Education

Taghaddos graduated Babson College in Wellesley, MA, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in entrepreneurship and marketing.[21] While at Babson, he won the 2003 Business Plan Competition,[22] and received both the 2003 Outstanding Student in Entrepreneurial Activities Award, as well as the 2002 Student Business of the Year Award.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "About Grasshopper (The Virtual Phone System for Entrepreneurs) - Grasshopper Virtual PBX". Grasshopper. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  2. ↑ "The President Proclaims November 19th as National Entrepreneurs’ Day". The Grasshopper Blog. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  3. ↑ "How Being Scrappy Made Grasshopper Profitable Within 2 Months - with Siamak Taghaddos - Mixergy". Mixergy. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  4. ↑ "How Being Scrappy Made Grasshopper Profitable Within 2 Months - with Siamak Taghaddos - Mixergy". Mixergy. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  5. ↑ "Venture Voice: VV Show #58 - Siamak Taghaddos and David Hauser of Grasshopper". www.venturevoice.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  6. ↑ "About Us | Chargify". chargify.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  7. ↑ "The Best Entrepreneurs Under 25 | BusinessWeek". images.businessweek.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  8. ↑ "CNN.com - Young People Who Rock". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  9. ↑ http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2006/september/165984.html
  10. ↑ "GotVMail Communications’ CEO Siamak Taghaddos Named to 2005 Boston Business Journal "40 Under 40" Best & Brightest List". PRWeb. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  11. ↑ http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2007/company-profile.html?id=200700660
  12. ↑ "American Venture Magazine features GotVMail - The Top 40 Under 40". Grasshopper. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  13. ↑ College, Babson. "Not Found | Pages | Babson College". www3.babson.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  14. ↑ "Twitter Users Campaign for a National Entrepreneurs' Day". Inc.com. 2010-05-14. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  15. ↑ "Presidential Proclamation--National Entrepreneurship Week". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  16. ↑ "Top Young Entrepreneurs of 2011: 30 Under 30". Inc.com. 2011-06-27. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  17. ↑ "Donna Fenn | Upstarts! | Featured Upstart | Siamak Taghaddos and David Hauser". www.donnafenn.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  18. ↑ Bygrave, William D.; Zacharakis, Andrew (2011-06-15). Entrepreneurship. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118136065.
  19. ↑ Erickson, Tamara (2013-12-30). Plugged In: The Generation Y Guide to Thriving at Work. Harvard Business Press. ISBN 9781422163665.
  20. ↑ Longenecker, Justin; Petty, J.; Palich, Leslie; Moore, Carlos W. (2009-09-24). Small Business Management: Launching and Growing Entrepreneurial Ventures. Cengage Learning. ISBN 9780324827835.
  21. ↑ "About Grasshopper (The Virtual Phone System for Entrepreneurs) - Grasshopper Virtual PBX". Grasshopper. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  22. ↑ College, Babson. "Not Found | Pages | Babson College". www3.babson.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  23. ↑ College, Babson. "Not Found | Pages | Babson College". www3.babson.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
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