Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Barazandeh.
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Chris Barazandeh. I was born in Montreal, but I grew up in Toronto. Growing up there taught me a lot about hustle and resilience — it’s a city full of competition and opportunity, but also a place where you can easily get stuck in routine.
Like most people, I followed the traditional path — I got into university, but very quickly realized it wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel inspired sitting in classrooms, and I knew deep down that I wanted something different than a regular 9–5 life. So I dropped out and jumped straight into Toronto’s rat race.
I tried everything — different jobs, sales roles — at one point I was even selling cars. I wanted to understand business, people, and how money actually moves. At 24, I got my real estate license, which opened doors for me and showed me I could build something on my own.
But everything truly changed when I came to California. I fell in love with the culture, the ambition, the creativity — the “anything is possible” feeling. That’s where I founded Zanvus, a PR agency that helps entrepreneurs, creators, and brands secure real media placements and build real authority. What started accidentally became my passion and my full-time business.
Today, I split my life between California and Arizona, working in both PR and international real estate.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I grew up in Toronto and followed the traditional path—got into university, but very quickly realized it wasn’t for me. Dropping out came with a lot of pressure and no clear direction.
I jumped into Toronto’s grind, tried different jobs like sales and even selling cars, just trying to figure out where I fit. At 24, I got my real estate license, and I’m still in real estate today. Real estate taught me how hard it really is to run your own business — no salary, no safety net, just commission, long hours, rejection, and constant hustle.
Moving to the United States later on was another big challenge — new country, no network, starting from zero again. But that move is what led me to eventually create Zanvus.
So no, it wasn’t smooth. It took failing, restarting, working on commission, and learning how to build something from nothing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Zanvus?
I’m the founder of Zanvus, a PR agency that helps entrepreneurs, creators, and brands secure media placements and build real authority. We focus on getting our clients featured in credible publications — not fake press releases or automated articles — but real interviews, features, and media that actually builds trust.
What sets Zanvus apart is that we’re hands-on with storytelling and personal branding. We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Every client has a different story, and that’s what we focus on — turning that story into credibility, press, and opportunities.
I’m also still active in international real estate, which gives me a unique perspective on branding, reputation, and how much trust matters when you’re working with people’s investments and businesses.
What I’m most proud of brand-wise is that Zanvus was built with no investors, no connections — just results, consistency, and word of mouth. Clients come to us because they want something real, not hype.
At Zanvus, we offer:
Guaranteed media placements in real publications
Personal branding and press strategy
Thought leadership development
PR for entrepreneurs, creators, real estate professionals, and brands
Overall, Zanvus is about helping people be seen, trusted, and taken seriously in their industry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe luck plays a part in everyone’s story, but it only matters if you’re prepared and willing to act on it. For me, there were moments of good luck — being in the right place, meeting the right people, or coming across new opportunities. But none of it would have mattered if I didn’t take the risk or put in the work.
There was also bad luck — deals falling through, losing money, people backing out, moving to a new country with no guarantees. But I learned that luck, good or bad, doesn’t decide your future — how you respond does.
I don’t rely on luck, but I stay open to it. I work hard, stay ready, and when luck shows up, I make sure I can do something with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zanvus.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zanvus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zanvus/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zanvus
Image Credits
Self Provided
