PASHA ESFANDIARY grew up in San Jose, the son of a single father who gave up a fortune to immigrate to the US with his two sons. After a troubled childhood, Esfandiary was broke and unhappy until he stumbled onto the world of professional poker. He studied poker and personal development intensely and rose to play some of the highest-stakes games in the world. Applying poker strategies to life, he overcame obstacles to marry Jessica, the love of his life; amass a nine-figure real estate portfolio; and found Evoke Capital, a rapidly growing real estate company, with 2,500 units under management as of this printing. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their adorable twins, Zoe and Taj.