About Negar Yaghoobi

About Negar Yaghoobi

From IT Engineer to Entrepreneur

I graduated as an IT engineer back in 2008. Around the same time, I started a master’s in e-commerce and took on a role as a marketing manager for digital projects with Samsung and WHO in Iran. That job threw me right into the tech world, where I met so many future entrepreneurs. I got inspired and came up with my own startup idea: creating beautiful, educational digital products. But then came a tough choice: Do I keep going with my master’s or dive into this startup idea? Both needed a lot of time and money, and I was already working full-time. In the end, I chose the startup and dropped out of school. It was a tough call and a pretty bold move, but it made me one of the first female tech entrepreneurs in Iran. It even led to some cool awards for best app and product design.

My startup did more than just rack up numbers. Sure, we had 700,000 paid users and impressive sales, but what mattered more was the impact it had on society. Within five years, the number of female entrepreneurs in Iran shot up, which is a pretty big deal in a country where women are constantly fighting for their basic rights.

From a Successful Startup to a New Venture

Running RangiRangi completely changed how I think about success and happiness. It sparked a passion in me for innovation in mental health. I started thinking, “How can we make mental health a part of everyday life?” In today’s world, we need more than just traditional literacy; we need to know how to handle our emotions and thoughts, especially with all the uncertainty we face. So, I moved to Canada and started Colorful Zone. My idea was to help people build resilience against life’s stressors – kind of like creating a “digital vitamin” for mental health that’s easy and accessible for everyone.

Digital Vitamin for Mental Health

I kicked off this new venture with a small research team. After a few years, we launched our first app, Joyi. It’s an educational tool that focuses on stress management (or “happiness literacy,” as I like to call it – though I know that phrase might sound more Pixar than science!). Now, we’ve folded this project into a long-term research initiative to keep exploring the idea of digital vitamins for mental health. This project is a blend of tech, psychology, human-centered design, and education, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.

For me, just working on this project feels amazing. Why? Because even if it doesn’t turn out exactly as planned, the story and knowledge we’re creating will be a treasure trove for future teams looking to explore new paths. We’re paving a new road here and saying to the world, “Hey, maybe there’s another way! Maybe we can mix up education and creativity to prevent problems.”

Negar, The Advisor and an Indie Hacker?

In January 2024, I decided to dive into the mix of education, wellness, tech, and creativity by joining other teams to help them out. Now, I work as a product engagement advisor with an awesome executive team on some really cool projects. I’m also learning a bunch of new things, mostly about AI, since I’m thinking of spending part of my life as an indie hacker. I want to build small, quick startups that smartly solve everyday problems (I write about some startup ideas here).

Building an Interesting Career Path

For me, a successful career is all about impact and how interesting it is! I want an interesting life! I love writing, teaching, meeting new people, and hearing their stories. I plan each step of my career with the goal of living fully.

When I look to the future, I see myself at 60, spending my time writing for kids. That’s the kind of happy ending I’m aiming for! And yep, a biography about my journey in digital mental health is definitely on my shelf.

Let’s Chat!

Got any ideas or opportunities that could help me shape my career the way I want? Or maybe you just want to share a story or project? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out!