On my most recent birthday, May 31st, I was on a mission to make it special. I decided to do an AWESOME People episode with a real life warrior who has defied all odds. His name is Tymaz (which fittingly means “warrior” in Persian) and he’s a 23 year old, 3-time cancer survivor and 2-time bone marrow transfer recipient. At one point he was told he has 6 months to live. At another point he was told he would never walk again. Yet here he is now, standing tall and pursuing his love of music...

On Thursday, April 21st I had the pleasure of having Dr. Mona Vand as my guest on AWESOME People. We talked about a wide range of things from her Persian immigrant life growing up, living a bicoastal life, her journey into Pharmacy, building her brand that has amassed a community of more than 2 million and much more! She’s a truly awesome Persian doing awesome things that can help all of us live a happier and healthier life. After studying pharmacy at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and...

It was a pleasure having Payam "Peter" Banifaz as my guest on AWESOME People. Many of you probably know him from his hilarious character, Mr. Esfahani, who kept us entertained during quarantine and throughout the pandemic playing the role of the "quintessential Persian Baba". What you might not know is that Payam is a talented actor and comedian based out of Los Angeles who has had a multitude of roles on popular shows such as Shameless, Veep, Silicon Valley and Brooklyn Nine-Nine to name...

On Wednesday, May 26th, 2021 I had the pleasure of having a virtual sit down with Dr. Mojgan Hakimi. Dr. Hakimi is the Department Chair at the School of Psychology at Touro College in Los Angeles and the founder of the Persian American Women's Conference. PAWC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, volunteer-based organization based in California that focuses on providing a collaborative forum, through which they explore, inspire, and unconditionally support all women. I learned about Dr. Hakimi...

What a treat it was for me to get into the mind and hearts of the Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and Princess Yasmine Pahlavi. I am sincerely grateful not just for the opportunity they gave me, but the trust they instilled in me to have such a “khodemooni” (casual) chat...on air. The wide ranging, light hearted and at times vulnerable conversation covered everything from Norouz, courtship, love, family, parenting, cooking, mental health, cancer, Iranian refugees and what will hopefully become the...

My friendship with Nazanin, who like me is originally from the DC area, dates back to more than 15 years, including some time with us at Exclusively Entertainment. She’s come a long ways since then as an actor, writer and most recently, a judge on Persia’s Got Talent, alongside Ebi, Arash, and Mahnaz Afshar. Much respect to her hustle and grind. Upon graduating from George Mason University with a double major in Government & International Politics, and Communications, she moved to New...

I'm super excited to have a candid conversation with a long time friend of mine, Sami Beigi. Our friendship dates back to more than 15 years ago and since then, he has become one of the most recognizable Persian pop stars in the world.With an endless list of hit songs including HMG, Ey Joonam and Fada Sham, he is no doubt, one of the most talented singers, songwriters and musicians of our generation. I look forward to chatting with him about his climb to the top, including the days of him...

In this episode of AWESOME People, my guest is Shally Zomorodi the Anchor on Fox 5 San Diego and social media darling.Shally is a popular news anchor, incredible mother, and vibrant spirit who embodies love. She is known for bringing Persian music to the forefront of American television with her lively dances. Through her social media she cooks, dances, and brings people together. Specifically she has even officiated her fans weddings.In this episode we discuss Shally’s love for weddings and...

We already know it's been a crazy 2020 so are we really surprised that this New Year's Eve is going to be different too? But have no fear because my Exclusively Entertainment family has something special in store for you so that you can ring in the new year with amazing vibes and global tunes as we present "The Drop In", a FREE livestream that you can set a reminder for below:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh88PiiW7Wk In this episode of AWESOME People, we are having the stars of "The Drop...

In this episode of AWESOME People, Iman's guest will be Kelia Speight and Jeremy MacLively who is the Manager at the Custom Ink store in Bethesda, Maryland, USA.In mid-November of this year, Kelia entered Jeremy's store requesting to have shirts made to help raise funds for her 4 year old son Kristopher. At that point, Kristopher had been battling a rare form of Brain Cancer since May, known as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). The story touched Jeremy tremendously, who himself has two...

Episode 15 of AWESOME People marks the re-start of a podcast that Iman Huschmand started during Quarantine. After a self-imposed hiatus, he's back with not just a great line up of guests but with a lot on his mind. Just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, this Wednesday, November 25th, Iman will be thanking his community and will explain his purpose behind the podcast and how together, we can create a better, stronger and healthier environment to live and work in. SHOW NOTES:AWESOME...

In this episode of AWESOME People, Iman has a virtual chat with his long time friend Azin Mahoozi Shalan, the founder of Born2Dance studio. Recently, Azin publicly shared on her Facebook for the first time, the details and personal tragedy that she and her husband Rami experienced with the loss of their newborn son Morad. The talented dancers, entrepreneur and now mother to three children, candidly shares this heart wrenching story in an effort to raise awareness not just about depression,...

On this episode of "AWESOME People", Iman has a virtual sit down with Neema Nazeri, better known as Neema Naz. Neema is an Iranian-Canadian comedian born and raised in Toronto. Growing up in such a diverse city, he is known for touching on many different cultures and backgrounds including his own, growing up in a Persian household. ⁣ ⁣ Neema’s likeable personality on and off stage will draw you in and instantly make you want to see more. His unique observations and stories about his family...

In this episode of "AWESOME People" Iman Huschmand had a virtual hangout with the talented and hilarious comedian, actor and writer Amir Kamyab, better known as Amir K. Known for his appearances on MADtv, Argo and comedy stores around the country and abroad, Amir continues to expand his diverse portfolio. Amir and Iman discuss a wide range of topics from his upbringing as an Iranian-American from Tehran to Los Angeles, his journey to becoming a comedian, his favorite comedian and the impact...

On this episode of "AWESOME People" Iman Huschmand has a virtual sit down with Haleh Gianni. Haleh is the the founder of 505 Living, LLC, and a certified Life and Relationship Coach. With over a decade in practice, she has helped her clients understand their natural behavior, perception, tolerance, and communication styles so that they can live a more authentic life. In this episode, Haleh talks about fear and anxiety during quarantine, making the best of these precarious times, using self...

In this episode of AWESOME People, Iman Huschmand had the opportunity to catch up his long time friend, and talented fashion designer, Sareh Nouri. The Virginia native has spent the majority of the past decade creating some of the most beautiful bridal gowns and sashes, and growing her fashion house Sareh Nouri New York. Her brand is now in the most iconic stores around the world and in this episode, she reflects not only on her upbringing, family and career journey, but what her and her team...

In this episode of “AWESOME People” Iman Huschmand has a candid conversation with Alibi Rafeon, from the Persian Pop Group TM Bax. Alibi talks about growing up in the "ghetto" of Denmark, his relationship with his TM Bax brothers and what he hates the most! Please note that the original video was flagged by Sony Music due to the Danish version of “Boale” that was played, therefore that section has been removed. SHOW NOTES:Introduction of Alibi of TM Bax [3:31]Alibi explains the introverted...

In this episode of AWESOME People, Iman has a super candid conversation with his nephew Parsa Afsharjavan. Parsa (23) is a multi-faceted artist and has a unique and fresh perspective on life. The topics discussed were certainly wide ranging as the uncle/nephew ventured into topics including bed wetting, attempted suicide, suicide of a best friend as well as advice for other looking to pursue a career in the arts. SHOW NOTES:Introduction of Parsa Afsharjavan [1:09]Living in an inauthentic...

In this episode of AWESOME People, Iman Huschmand has an intimate chat with the legendary Persian Pop star, Andy Madadian. In this wide ranging and in-depth interview, Andy discusses what his recent star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame means to him, his opinion on the lyrics in today's music, his controversial concert in Saudi Arabia and what he would consider as the pinnacle achievement of his career. SHOW NOTES:Introduction of Andy [1:51]Early life in Iran [4:59]Iman and Andy speak on Voices...

With more than 25 years in sales, marketing and sales management, Alan Berg has been called “The Leading International Expert on the Business of Weddings & Events”. He’s a Certified Speaking Professional™️, the highest earned designation conferred by the National Speakers Association, and one of only 36 Global Speaking Fellows worldwide! Alan is a featured presenter every year at major industry conferences in North America and internationally. He has extensive sales, sales management and...

In this episode of "AWESOME People", Iman Huschmand has a candid conversation with one of the most beloved comedians, Maz Jobrani, who is Iranian-American. Now a father of two, Maz shares how he's been spending time during Quarantine, his advice to parents especially as it relates to supporting the career paths of their children, immigrant culture and dealing with pressure.  SHOW NOTES: Maz’s comedy set [1:22] How coronavirus is bringing people together [5:30] Maz talks about why he became a...

Farzy Loko (full name Farzam Kazemi) was born and raised in New Jersey, USA and currently residing in New Jersey. Growing up, he we went to Farsi school every Saturday which is where he learned how to read, write, and speak Farsi. He graduated college with a film making degree. "Throughout my life, I was always known as “the funny guy” by my friends and family.  I’m known to be very social, always in a good mood, and friendly.  I’ve always been the type of guy to want to make people happy and...

In this episode of "AWESOME People", Iman Huschmand has a candid conversation with Bita Milanian. Bita is the SVP of Global Marketing at Ribbon, Communications Strategist, Community Leader & Producer, just to name a few of her titles and roles. A true badass lady! As expected, Bita kept it 100% real as she discussed her personal experience with Menopause, advice for women, her efforts to encourage Iranians to visit IraniansCount.org to submit their census and knowing your limits!  SHOW...

In this episode of "AWESOME People", Iman Huschmand has a wide ranging conversation with Aras, who is best known for being Canada's celebrity Persian DJ...DJ Bliss. Born in Shiraz, Iran, is a place known for its rich culture, producing some of the greatest wine, mystics, and an entertainer who encompasses the wonders of Shiraz, DJ Bliss. At the age of 7, Aras got his first taste of the thrills that come with being an entertainer, where he had the opportunity to perform a handful of magic...