Silicon Valley Impact S1 E20 With NBA Mental Performance Coach Graham Betchart; and CEO Behrouz Hariri

On this weeks episode of Silicon Valley Impact we speak with the inspiring Graham Betchart, mental performance coach for top business minds and professional athletes. Listen in as he gives us insight into how top performing NBA stars, and high performing startup founders gain the edge in a competitive landscape. Also joining us is Behrouz Hariri, CEO, Director, and Co-Founder of Smart Nora, a startup solving a very common sleep problem and saving marriages.

Graham has spent the last 20 years as a leading mental skills coach, shaping the minds of professional athletes, including serving roles with two NBA teams and personally coaching over a dozen NBA All-Stars. Notably, he has been the mental coach behind the success of top NBA draft picks like Ben Simmons, Jaylen Brown, and Aaron Gordon. Recognized as one of the NBA's premier resources, Graham’s expertise in helping athletes master the mental side of the game is unparalleled.In 2023, while coaching with the Sacramento Kings, Graham was invited to speak at a Sequoia Capital event, which led him to a new challenge—coaching growth-stage CEOs. Just like elite athletes, these high-impact leaders operate in high-pressure environments where mental clarity is crucial. Today, Graham continues to work with a select group of NBA clients while leading quarterly cohorts of five CEOs through a personalized program at Capitola Coaching.With a deep understanding of thriving under pressure, Graham empowers both athletes and business leaders to reach their highest potential.

Behrouz Hariri is the CEO, Director, and Co-Founder of Smart Nora, a company on a mission to help 2 billion adults worldwide sleep and breathe better. With over 15 years of experience in product design and strategy, Behrouz has successfully launched products and programs across sectors in seven countries, improving the quality of life, digital health services, and financial mobility globally.Before founding Smart Nora, Behrouz honed his expertise in Toronto at JetCooper (acquired by Shopify) and in San Francisco at IDEO.org, where he led projects that tackled poverty through design. His work at IDEO.org included developing a sustainable franchise model to deliver essential services in D.R. Congo, reproductive health services in Zambia, and an inclusive financial product in the Philippines.Under Behrouz’s leadership, Smart Nora’s products have already transformed millions of lives by enabling better nights of sleep. His vision is to impact global health, happiness, and longevity by ensuring restorative, healthy sleep for half of the adult population worldwide.

This and much more on Silicon Valley!