My family came to America in 1996 from war-torn Afghanistan. My father had worked at the National Bank and served as a diplomat; my mother was a teacher. They gave up everything they'd built to chase the American Dream.
They started over at McDonald's and Wendy's, saving for a business of their own. When no bank would finance us, one Subway franchisee took a chance and became a lifelong friend. Seventeen years later, we were multi-unit owners. I grew up in those stores — sweeping floors, making sandwiches, helping us expand. Those businesses gave our family the American Dream and put me through college.
Then COVID hit. Rising costs, no aid for businesses like ours, and no technology to help us drive revenue. We had to close our doors and say goodbye to employees — some who'd been with us for nearly two decades. It was one of the most painful things I've ever done.
Main Street got a prayer.
I watched every wave of innovation pass small business by — including my own family, and the relatives across every industry who own businesses of their own. Now AI is the biggest wave yet, and the same thing is happening again. Robin is how we change that — by putting the same firepower the giants have into the hands of the people who actually built this country.