About Ross Buhrdorf, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

Ross leads ZenBusiness with a deep commitment to empowering entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Under his leadership, ZenBusiness has become one of the fastest-growing platforms for business formation and compliance. The company’s mission reflects Ross’s own entrepreneurial mindset: to simplify and demystify business ownership so anyone can succeed on their own terms

A Nebraska native, Ross Buhrdorf has spent his career solving complex problems through technology. Before founding ZenBusiness, Ross was the founding Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of HomeAway, a vacation rental marketplace that scaled globally under his leadership and was acquired by Expedia in 2015. He met Shanaz Hemmati, his future co-founder at ZenBusiness, during their time at Excite.com—one of the internet’s earliest web portals.

These shared experiences helped Ross and Shanaz define the vision for ZenBusiness: a worry-free platform where small business owners can access tools, education, and expert guidance—all in one place.

Ross’s focus on combining technology with human support has led ZenBusiness to be widely recognized for its customer-centric innovation. As of 2024, ZenBusiness continues to grow its reach through accessible solutions, AI-driven features, and values rooted in inclusivity and empowerment.

Thought Leadership, Recognition, and Public Contributions

• In 2023, Ross Buhrdorf was named Entrepreneur of the Year (Gulf South) by Ernst & Young (EY)
• In 2011, he was awarded CTO of the Year by the Austin Technology Council
• He is a member of the Santa Fe Institute, contributing to research on complexity and systems
• He is a partner at Capital Factory, a major accelerator and venture capital network
• He actively mentors early-stage founders and invests in purpose-driven startups