In this episode of Bright Founders Talk, we sit down with Shar Broumand, a serial entrepreneur and the CEO of Zero Hiring. With a rich and unconventional background as a triple immigrant, Shar brings a unique perspective to entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation in the tech-enabled services space.

From his early days in Europe to building transformative companies in the United States, his journey is a testament to the power of resilience and vision. Shar is also a co-founder and general partner at Infinity Constellation, a holding company growing a portfolio of forward-thinking ventures. One of those ventures, Zero Hiring, aims to radically rethink and improve the recruitment landscape.

In our conversation, Shar reflects on what it means to “build” in both a literal and figurative sense, sharing how his early ambitions in architecture evolved into building businesses that shape industries. He also opens up about how embracing his individuality as an immigrant shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. This interview offers not only a look into the mind of a visionary founder, but also a compelling story of identity, grit, and purpose.

From Architect Dreams to Building Companies: Shar’s Unexpected Path to Entrepreneurship

Shar didn’t set out to become a serial entrepreneur. In fact, as a kid growing up in Belgium, he imagined a future sketching blueprints, not business plans. “I always had a burning desire to build,” he recalls—but back then, that meant designing physical structures, not startups. Entrepreneurship wasn’t the buzzword it is today. There were no Instagram reels romanticizing the hustle, no university courses labeled “Founder 101.” For Shar, the journey began not with a pitch deck, but with an urge to create, to shape something meaningful from scratch.

It wasn’t until Shar had already launched three companies that the pieces finally clicked. He had spent years chasing titles, tweaking his LinkedIn, and trying to define his identity through professional labels. But somewhere in his late 30s, a switch flipped. “I build businesses. That’s what I do,” he realized. No longer trying to fit into the mold of what others expected from a “founder,” Shar embraced his role as a builder in the purest sense. The passion that once had him dreaming of iconic buildings had simply evolved—now he was constructing systems, teams, and technologies instead.

Shar’s journey wasn’t just shaped by career choices—it was also deeply influenced by his background as a triple immigrant. Moving from Iran to London, then Brussels, and finally the U.S., he learned early on what it means to feel different—and how to turn that difference into a strength. “You get very comfortable with how different you are,” he says. Instead of trying to blend in, Shar leaned into his individuality, using it as fuel for creativity, resilience, and innovation. That ability to navigate new environments, to adapt and build from scratch, became his superpower—and the foundation of every company he’s helped shape since.

Why America Wins at Entrepreneurship (and What Europe’s Missing)

Shar didn’t hesitate when asked whether America really is the best place for entrepreneurs. “There’s no country like it,” he said, not because Americans are somehow better at business, but because the culture itself fuels entrepreneurship. In the U.S., building something disruptive, becoming wildly successful—and yes, even wealthy—isn’t just accepted, it’s celebrated. That’s not always the case elsewhere. Shar threw the spotlight on Europe, asking a bold question: When was the last time Europe truly celebrated an entrepreneur? The room went silent. Sure, we had Richard Branson once upon a time, but that kind of admiration feels like ancient history now.

This isn’t about national pride—it’s about mindset. In many European countries, success is expected to be quiet. Modesty is preferred, and showing off your achievements (especially financial ones) can be met with side-eyes rather than applause. Shar shared a striking example: when French billionaires pledged millions to restore the fire-ravaged Notre Dame, the public backlash was swift and brutal. Instead of being thanked, they were shamed. “How do you expect entrepreneurs to take risks, create jobs, and fuel innovation in that kind of climate?” Shar asked. In contrast, the U.S. doesn’t just tolerate bold moves—it rewards them.

What sets America apart, Shar argues, boils down to three pillars: entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable capitalism. And by “sustainable,” he doesn’t mean green tech or carbon credits—he means businesses that actually work on their own, that deliver value and turn a profit without relying on handouts. “I have the right to exist as a company because I’m profitable,” he explained. In that environment, ideas don’t just survive—they scale. America, with its welcoming attitude, financial infrastructure, and cultural respect for builders, becomes fertile ground for solving real-world problems. That, Shar believes, is the secret sauce no other country has quite managed to bottle.

Hiring Is Broken—Shar Thinks He’s Found the Fix

Shar didn’t launch Zero Hiring because he dreamed of reinventing recruitment. In fact, he’s the first to admit he’s not a recruiter and never wanted to be. What drew him in was the sheer scale of the problem. “Hiring is the biggest problem any entrepreneur will face,” he said, and for him, it was always at the top of the list when building companies. After years of watching startups struggle with bloated HR departments or overpriced recruitment agencies, Shar saw a gap—and more importantly, an opportunity. With the rise of AI-enabled services, he believed it was time to build a third option: something smarter, leaner, and actually designed for the way we work now.

But let’s be clear—this isn’t about replacing humans with machines. “You can’t make AI work without humans in the loop,” Shar emphasized. At Zero Hiring, the model is outcomes-based, not hours-based. Instead of charging by the hour like traditional agencies, they get paid only when roles are successfully filled. It’s a bold departure from the status quo—and a system that puts skin in the game. Their recruiters don’t just use AI, they oversee and direct it, moving away from endless phone calls and spreadsheet drudgery toward strategy, decision-making, and quality control. The goal isn’t automation for the sake of it—it’s to free people up to do the work they’re actually good at.

Shar’s bigger vision is even more radical. He imagines a future where someone can build a business with no employees—just a blend of AI and human-powered services, all outsourced and fully integrated. “Why should a founder waste energy on accounting, legal, or recruiting if that’s not where their creativity lies?” he asked. It’s not about killing jobs—it’s about shifting the mindset. In Shar’s world, recruiters aren’t being replaced; they’re evolving. The future of work, as he sees it, isn’t jobless—it’s just finally focused on what really matters.

“Don’t Automate. Eliminate.” Shar’s Surprising Rule for Smarter Hiring

When most execs talk about AI, the buzzword they lean on is automation. But Shar flips that logic on its head. “Before you automate anything,” he says, “ask what you can eliminate first.” It's a refreshingly unorthodox approach that challenges the default thinking in tech circles. At Zero Hiring, Shar and his team aren’t just slapping AI onto a broken system—they're deconstructing the entire hiring process, slicing it up, tossing out the inefficiencies, and rebuilding it with only what truly matters. Think of it less like a robot takeover, and more like a smart cleanup led by humans who actually know what they’re doing.

Shar’s model is driven by AI, sure, but it’s not AI alone. The key is what he calls human oversight—recruiters still play a vital role, just not the one we’re used to. Instead of slogging through piles of resumes or spending hours scheduling calls, they guide the tech, oversee the process, and focus on what machines can’t quite crack: nuance. “The real magic isn’t in matching keywords on resumes,” Shar says, “it’s in understanding emotional intelligence, cultural fit, and long-term potential.” It's a hybrid system where humans and machines collaborate—not compete—and the end result is faster, sharper, and surprisingly more human.

To explain the nuance of Zero Hiring’s predictive approach, Shar reaches for a heavy metaphor: cancer treatment. Just like doctors analyze patients to prolong life in the face of terminal illness, Shar’s team analyzes candidate data to maximize job longevity—especially in high-churn roles like commission-only sales. The idea isn’t to promise a perfect match, but to forecast success curves and optimize outcomes. It’s brutally honest, but incredibly practical. Because at the end of the day, Zero Hiring isn’t just filling roles—it’s designing smarter systems that make every hire count. As Shar puts it best: “The magic isn’t in automation—it’s in knowing what to keep and what to throw out.”