Google Exec: Think Like an Immigrant

From Immigration, Inc:

Born in Iran, Omid Kordestani moved to the U.S. at age 14. He fondly remembers watching the television show “The Jeffersons” and hearing the “Movin’ on Up” theme song.

Kordestani believes that being an immigrant gave him an edge to “movin’ on up” to the penthouse of American business.

Omid Kordestani is the 12th employee of Google. He is Google’s Senior Advisor in the Office of the CEO and Founders. He is credited with making Google an advertising machine and revenue producer. His net worth is reported to be about $2 billion.

He advises young Americans to adopt an immigrant-mindset as they enter the rough-and tumble business world.

In 2007, Omid Kordestani made the following recommendation to Americans at the San Jose University commencement: “To keep an edge, I must think and act like an immigrant. There is a special optimism and drive that I benefited from and continue to rely on that I want all of you to find. Immigrants are inherently dreamers and fighters”

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