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She arrived in Vancouver from Tehran as a teenager—new language, new culture, same ambition. While others saw a crowded internet, Shahrzad saw a blank stage where creators could own their audience and their future.
✨ A Spark Becomes a Company
In 2005, while still in school, she founded BroadbandTV (BBTV) out of a tiny apartment. The bet was radical at the time: help video creators grow, monetize, and protect their content on platforms like YouTube.
“Give creators power, and they’ll build the future of media.”
BBTV built tools that matched rights, crushed piracy, and unlocked new revenue streams. Creators joined by the thousands; then by the millions. Before long, BBTV was one of the world’s largest creator ecosystems.
❤️ Building More Than a Brand
Shahrzad didn’t just scale views—she scaled opportunities. BBTV opened doors for underrepresented voices, indie studios, and emerging artists who had talent but no distribution. Employment grew in Vancouver’s tech scene, and Canada’s footprint in global digital media expanded with it.
🌍 Beyond Business
She became a champion for inclusive entrepreneurship, served on boards, advised on innovation policy, and invested in community initiatives. Recognition followed—business awards, international honors—but her north star stayed the same: creators first.
🎯 Why Her Story Inspires
- Start small, think platform. Tools beat one-off hits.
- Protect creators, grow value. Ethics can be a business model.
- Immigrant perspective = unfair advantage. Seeing gaps others miss.
From a student with a laptop to a new media mogul shaping how creators earn online, Shahrzad Rafati proves that Canadian immigrant stories can rewrite entire industries.
