Moe Jafari is an entrepreneur, investor, CEO of two multimillion-dollar tech companies, and now a mentor to other entrepreneurs looking to launch and grow their businesses.
In this interview, Moe discusses his companies, HumanTouch and CORAS, why he chose Federal contracting as a strategic direction, how he’s been able to achieve such impressive growth, and what caused him to become an entrepreneur in the first place.
Learn more about Moe’s companies; HumanTouch, CORAS, Plasticity, Executive 1 Holding.
Connect with Moe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moejafari/
What follows is a computerized transcription of our entire conversation. Please excuse any typos!
Frank Felker
My guest today is Moe Jafari. Moe is DC area investor, entrepreneur, CEO of two tech companies here. And in most recent years, he’s become a mentor, mentor to other aspiring entrepreneurs across the country and around the world. Moe Jafari, welcome to Radio Free Enterprise.
Moe Jafari
Frank, thank you so much for having me. I look forward to our discussion.
Frank Felker
Me too. I’m very happy that you’re here. When you and I first met, I want to say it was about 25 years ago, we were both local boys here from Northern Virginia. You were managing restaurants and doing a variety of other things. I was running my family’s print shop. I want to ask you to sort of cast your mind back to that time to the Moe Jafari of those days. And tell us what you were up to right then and what the future looked like to you. And then maybe compared to how the futures worked out?
Moe Jafari
Yeah, well, thank you, I had a confusion, that’s all I could think of was that I was just kind of move in the direction of going to go into finance, or wanting to become a stockbroker wanting to finish my degree, I wanted to leave the restaurant business, I thought, maybe I’ll open up another restaurant one day. And, you know, life has a way of making changes happen without you necessarily wanting it to happen.
And as those changes were hitting me in the forehead, I had to adjust and adjusting and so myself and not enjoying the finance industry and not enjoying the, you know, trying to be a stockbroker. It was difficult, it was hard. And I found out vinos a really good stockbroker really means that you have to teach people well. And I found out that my skills were probably not so good in that area. So I, I decided to move in a different fashion. And a really good mentor of mine just sent me working hard and asked me to maybe take a look at this thing called government contracting.
Frank Felker
You know, and that’s the thing, and that’s exactly what my next question was going to be is, how did you happen to go into government contracting? And let me sort of put a frame around that question, you know, restaurants that’s sort of, I define two general classes of business, lifestyle business, like a restaurant or doctor, lawyer, candlestick maker, and growth businesses, much like the ones that you’ve created going forward. And even people like Zuckerberg, who creates a business that he wants to take to the Moon. Those are two really different types of businesses, even though they share a lot of similar challenges for the founder. What mean, did it just appeal to you More the idea of getting into a business that had higher upside potential? Or was it the working with the federal government itself? What attracted you to government contracting?
Moe Jafari
What attracted me really was getting out of my own space, I, even though I love restaurants, I really did not want to do it anymore. I was 21-22 years old. And I was hiring and firing people that were in their 40s. with families. That’s a very daunting task. Ask a 21-22 year old to do that. But I had a goal and I had a job to do. And I did what I had to do in those days. And I really, I got tired of going home smelling like somebody else’s good time. And that in itself was the motivator that that moved me to just do one simple thing. What did I have to lose? I didn’t have anything to lose. I had, obviously I’ve gained so much from my life and gain. I’ve taken the knowledge of what restaurants gave me which is that entrepreneurial spirit gave me very strong management skills, give me good fight, strong financial skills, and gave me the opportunity see that You can actually put things together, make a very event. And a lot of marketing, we did a lot of skills, a lot of events, event management, all that really into government contracting. Teaching people what it is do and how we do it, and encouraging them to be doing how we do it. And having the right people it is really a mastery in itself. And I believe that this is an eye club, this was a great stepping stone in the getting me where I needed. It just wouldn’t have been would have architected?
Frank Felker
Yeah, I can see that. But you’ve also done a great job of explaining the connection and how you know, one step lead to another. Before we go on to talk about your, your current businesses and and your government contracting enterprises. I want to ask you to share a little bit about your backstory prior to when you and I met and does it sound like 1995? Does that sound about right? It’s
Moe Jafari
Yeah, actually, probably 19 9091. Okay. Yeah, yeah, 99 maybe a little bit, right around.
Frank Felker
The past does get a little fuzzy, as far as luck. But you had a very interesting upbringing and backstory prior to that, that I think a lot of people could relate to, could you share some of that with us?
Moe Jafari
Yeah, it’s the, my, the typical immigrant story, my father got the ability to leave the West Bank of Israel Palestine, back in the 50s. And expanded to bring in pieces of family over my brothers, my uncle’s, my, my sister and I eventually in 1970. But it was a means to an end. And the means was, at all costs, get to a place where a better one. And life in Palestine in Israel was not as advantageous. So, you know, in a lot of ways, you have no choice you make a Move, and where do you go go to the land of milk and honey, and boy, did they find milk and honey, my dad was More than willing to do whatever it took. I think that was one of the main things that I inherited from him and learn from him. It just didn’t matter. What was Muslim, and 1.0, the liquor school, he was trying to raise a family, he wanted to buy a house, he wanted to encourage his family and his children to do better. And he was willing to do whatever it took to create that better life, and a great product of it.
Frank Felker
That’s a fantastic story. I appreciate you sharing that. And I’m sure that level of perseverance and work ethic that you inherited and learn from your dad, are big success factors, or have been for you going forward and even till today. So let’s talk first, will you tell me was human touch the first government contracting company that you created?
Moe Jafari
It was the first one that I created. I had worked for another. And I learned a lot from them. I had mentors, I had great people surrounding me that helped me understand how the business works. And I asked lots of questions and, and they were not afraid to let me fail. And I failed often. And I kept on failing. And as one of my mentors told me, he goes, when I yell at you, when I scream at you, when I pound the table at you, because it just didn’t affect you. It was like water on a duck’s back. And frankly, I didn’t realize that when I was going through it. When I was going through it, it did affect me, and but I just didn’t show it. And I just figured that I could keep working. And if I kept working if I kept doing eventually, one of us had one of us had to win and I wanted we all want and I understood that there’s a correlation of not just working hard, but ensuring that all ships rise and that’s a that was a very strong lesson in life that I hope my children take and that all ships do rise when you do work hard, and it’s it’s a positive moral and ethical move.
Frank Felker
If I could just cut in right there. That’s something that you said that I think a lot of people struggle with, but you seem to power through with which was somebody yelling at you and you know There’s always that nagging doubt, well, maybe that guy is right, maybe I don’t know what the heck I’m doing. Maybe they’re going to fire me maybe, maybe you know, all those negative thoughts and feelings that can creep in, you acknowledge that you It didn’t just not affect you, it didn’t go off your back, like water off a duck? How is there any sort of like, mental exercise you went through? or How were you able to let that roll off your back?
Moe Jafari
I was just too busy. I, you know, I always loved I was, I always love getting in my hands. And I just too busy. I just created More volume. And it’s interesting when, you know, the Bible says it and the other three great books, great books, and, you know, there’s the heart. Mind and, and my mind was worried about what was being said and how it was being said and what I should contemplate and how to contemplate I think we overthink, we understand humans. But if you’re busy enough, stupid human, you’re, you’re busy. Oh, I created a world for myself that I didn’t know how to not.
Transition from Employee to Entrepreneur
Frank Felker
That’s great. That’s great advice. And I really appreciate you sharing that. Because that’s something anybody could do. Just keep leaning in, keep moving forward. Now, absolutely. I do want to talk about human touch. But let’s talk about how you transition from working for somebody else to starting a company of your own and what thoughts and fears were going through your mind then?
Moe Jafari
Well, it’s interesting mind. If you ask my mother-in-law, and father in law, said something to the effect that you have a baby that’s arriving in less than 30 days, you’re quitting your job? Do you know what the hell you’re doing? And the answer was, no, I have no idea what I’m doing. But I’m doing it because I’m miserable. And I don’t want to be miserable. And I know what I’m good at. So I created a work streaming. And spoke with my clients. I knew that before, I’ve always been performing now, I just got to COVID. for myself and for my family. And it was not a instantaneous Win, win. But it was it was good struggle. It was a lot of learning. I got a I got a check in before I had a bank account for the company. It was it was a lessons learned. And but it’s interesting, spending Money. It’s easy. Earning Money is hard. And you never forget that. And I’ve always been very positive about just doing what I have to do.
Frank Felker
That’s fantastic. I love the fact that I think you were citing the fact that you had received a check before you had a bank account, that there was like the cart before the horse or something. My perspective on that is here’s a guy who knows how to market, you know, and was focused on it.
Moe Jafari
You have a baby to support?
Frank Felker
Yeah, that’s great. Oh, okay. So let’s, let’s talk about human touch, then. One was a company founded, what do you do? Who are your customers? What problems do you solve for them?
Moe Jafari
Great. Well, we’re, you know, we’re in technology. I mean, you’re in the business of making government better with technology and helping them through a major effort in modernization, we do great work across the cybersecurity realm, IT services and software development. And we’ve grown to be become a, what I call it a 360-degree firm, we can assist our clients with very various means to an end, whether that’s managing, whether that’s creating menus and opportunities for them to utilize technology to better their exposure to our citizens in the United States and to secure those systems in the United States. So human touches, by an all people company, and I believe that the name is a very fitting component. It’s, we look at the people first, we look at what the what the business is next. And we use technology to help bring those bring all three of those efforts together.
Frank Felker
It’s great stuff. Now I would I always try to put myself in the chair of the listener, the viewer, and the question that would come to my mind if I were watching this as well, you know, now, how many years have you been in business with human touch?
Moe Jafari
It’s been over 20 now.
Yeah. Holy cow. That’s,
Moe Jafari
it’s, uh, yeah, we’re in our 22nd year. I’m not counting any more.
Frank Felker
That’s good. That’s good.
Moe Jafari
But we’re we have a lot of fun. We have great people and we’ve, we’ve had our fair share of it. And we’re, we’re always going to be brewed each way.
Frank Felker
Well, question I was going to ask that I felt came to mind was, now 22 years later, you know, have a lot of momentum going and so forth. That flywheel is spinning. But back in the day, probably not so much. What were your initial services and who were your target clients or prospects at that time.
Moe Jafari
So, it was interesting, our first set of clients were really in the telecom industry, the likes of Verizon Nextel, it was actually mill Atlantic at the time, before it’s Verizon. So we really cut our teeth on the telecom industry, and I never really thought I wanted to leave. And then in 2002 2003, the bottom dropped out of the telecom market. And we had this little business in government contracting. And we had about 10 people that were working in it out of about 70. So we became a government contracting, we pivoted. And I look at what happens economically. And what happens as we, as we grow and shrink and grow and shrink. And the economy has ebbs and tides, and we, you know, we, we rise when the waters rising, and, you know, when it’s time to get the buckets out and get the water out of the ship we did in 2008 was a, an eye opener. Obviously, 911 was a major eye opener, I think, major changes in the congressional posture, being a government contractor encouraged us to Move into software. And we purchased and acquired a software development company, that’s course, we’re building software from selling software in a commercially viable environment, obviously, to the federal government, and that’s our main client, but it is a SaaS platform. And it is a lot different business and what even touches, and now we’re in the process of integrating artificial intelligence with another monetization to acquire. And we’re, we’re moving forward, we see the value in the marketplace.
Frank Felker
So what year was it that you acquired Corus?
Moe Jafari
2015
Frank Felker
Okay, so that’s five years in as well. Now, you mentioned artificial intelligence also, SAS, not everybody would know that software as a service. So I imagine you do a lot of work that involves the cloud and and the internet and that sort of thing. And you’ve mentioned here or there, relative to 911, what have you that some of your work involves security and cybersecurity. How would you differentiate the offerings of course from human touch?
Moe Jafari
human touch is a professional services firm, we were the trusted advisor for clients, hmm. Course build software, we, we will look at automation and automating a process for our clients, that utilizes our software to encourage them to be better, and to give them data and data points that they can make decisions. We call it an enterprise decision management platform. And that’s exactly what the core stuff helps our clients make very strong decisions and show them how the decisions they make will impact their future. And when you’re working with organizations like the Department of Defense, and they make major purchases, they utilize our software to see what happens from one standpoint to another and recorded and so they can actually measure and re measure and keep measuring performance that they have against what Congress is willing to give them.
What Role Do You Play at Your Companies Today?
Frank Felker
You know what’s funny, is that you You’re so precise and well-spoken and have your message directly on target. Are you still like the top marketing person in your companies or what role do you play these days?
Moe Jafari
Wherever the unneeded, I take out the trash, I do the dishes. I will I still have that restaurant mentality, I I will do whatever it takes. I love what I do. I love the people around me. And I enjoy being with my customers. I like to hear what they have to say and we’ve changed our marketing profiles and change our sales strategy based upon what our clients tell us because ultimately at the end of the day, they’re the ones that are receiving the services that we’re providing and or the software and if we tried to do it based upon what we think that’s an instantaneous loss for us, it has to be what is best for them? And how do we make it even better in the future? And so we have to think ahead, we have to think alongside. And ultimately, they’re the, they’re there. There are no.
Frank Felker
It’s great, really great advice. Even though you were being More explanatory than sort of advice giving in that moment. That’s, that’s great advice for any business owner is listen, listen to your customer, ask them, you know, how’s it going? Where are the pain points, that kind of thing? That’s wonderful stuff. Speaking of pain point, How have your company’s been affected by the pandemic?
Moe Jafari
It’s interesting, I think we, after thinking about it, and contemplating it and talking to, we’ve seen where it’s frozen a lot of people, and I look at it really much like events like a 911, like a 2008 financial crisis, it’s just a moment in time. It is, should not remove us from achieving our goals, moving through our goals, and maybe achieving even better and higher goals. It is just something that’s in the way, today, we’ll get through, we wear a mask, we still make we know the technology that helps us. We’ll get through this as a nation as a as an individual. And when we do get sick, we’ll give them we’ll give people time to get better. mentally, physically. And but the goal should never change your you keep moving forward. And that’s what we’re doing. And that’s would be my encouragement to everyone out there is it’s really easy to let obstacles get in your way. But it shouldn’t remove the goal. judgment or your mind.
Frank Felker
Wonderful. Just the pearls of wisdom that you’re sharing. I really appreciate you just then you made me think of
it finally stuck in
Frank Felker
it takes a while right with these hard heads. She really got a beat on it for a while. What you just said reminded me of a famous Winston Churchill it was attributed to Winston Churchill, the quotation is when you’re going through hell keep going. Yes, it sounds like that’s what you and your companies are doing.
Moe Jafari
One of my favorite quotes, actually. I do agree and get through it fast.
Frank Felker
Yeah, yeah, start running. Yeah. You know, Moe, as I say, it’s been I’ve been watching your success journey for a long time. And when I originally thought of the idea of us getting together in an interview like this, I wanted to talk to you not so much about the pandemic. Then it just inserted itself into every conversation. But More just in general, your success journey, what you learned, the mistakes you’ve made, you know, the incorrect propositions or suppositions and mindsets that you started with how you broke through, you’ve shared a lot of that already. Could you point to one thing that you think has been your Most critical success factor or we got a handful of things you want to share? Whatever, whatever you got.
Moe Jafari
app. Thank you, Frank. And it’s very kind of you to invite me here today. And the one thing that has been an eye opener, I have a huge ego. And admitting when I’m wrong. I had a one of our program managers who’s been with us and directors been with us for a year, came up with an idea. And that idea was poo pooed out of me this time last year. And that was our connect to it chaos. We are now fully implementing that connect to it kiosk at the major federal agency. I’ve invested hundreds of 1000s of dollars to ensure that success and to give that manager and his team whatever they need. In other words, I was wrong. And I’m betting on the fact that they were right. And I’m putting my Money where my mouth is I told them I would we’re advertising on the local TV stations. And we’re you know, we’ve gone pretty much almost viral which is fantastic work. The connect to it kiosk is now being looked at by several agencies. It’s been a business line that I could not create, doing thing with. I came in after the and again, I was wrong.
Frank Felker
Well, and again, I’m sure your mother would be very proud to hear you say that
Moe Jafari
and surprised
Frank Felker
because Now, just real quickly, the connect to it kiosk, what is that.
Moe Jafari
So it’s our latest technology where we brought together the idea of what you experience at an airport, but we made it More advantageous. So, as agency workers go back into the federal buildings, and they need it support, IT support can’t come to their desk any more. And because of the fear and other components of work, work life. So being able to go to a kiosk, plug into your computer, have it meet, have any person immediately pop up and help you through any challenges you’ve had, or helping the agencies do it refresh, there are lockers associated with the kiosk, so they can actually, if their laptop is not working? Well, they’ll be given a loaner, right then in there, if they aren’t supposed to be receiving a refresh computer, meaning the next generation, they will this helps with the inventory control because their old laptop is part and the new one is given to them right then and there. So now the federal workforce can actually get back to work. And we’re looking at expanding that across the nation with to these agencies. So it’s a it’s been one heck of a ride.
Frank Felker
Amazing. And you know, a friend of mine, who works for the USDA Moved to, I don’t remember, there was a big Move Kansas or someplace in the recent past. I just saw him post on Facebook, how upset he was that he couldn’t get in the building, he couldn’t get it support, etc. I had no idea. That’s what your kiosk does. And, you know, we’re running short on time here, but I got to really congratulate you for listening, you’re
going to have to give me your phone number first.
Frank Felker
I will do that. But in any event, you know, there’s the number one mistake in my opinion that a poor manager makes is that they think they’re always correct. And they will only hire and keep people who reinforce that belief. But we used to call that today. Yes, men. And I really got to hand it to you because it sounds like because you listened because you took a chance and put your money where your mouth was, it’s going to really pay off for you. And, and I imagine it’s going to be great for the people who work for you, too. They were heard what their idea was affirmed. Money was put behind it, it got rolled out the customers love it. I mean, that kind of thing has a real energy to it.
Moe Jafari
It’s it, we’re having a lot of fun, but I got to tell you, I didn’t I was not enthusiastic. Again, it took a little time. And I’m sure they were a little disheartened. Everything has an ebb and flow. And I keep telling everyone that, you know, sometimes it’s just wait it out. You’ll be surprised how well that hockey stick line starts to Move. You just got to be patient. Now I’m one of the Most impatient people in the world. So
Frank Felker
that’s a good success factor for an entrepreneur is that energy and that impatience? Got to let’s do go, go. So it’s funny, you just mentioned hockey stick, and I wanted to wrap up with this. I see the hockey skates. I see the players behind you and so forth. And I know from following you on social media that you’re like the world’s largest Washington Capitals fan. How did that connection start? And Have you always been a hockey fan?
No know, my,
Moe Jafari
my father-in-law played while he was in college. He took my two sons, I wanted them to be like their father wrestling and football. And before I knew that they had hockey skates and sticks in their hands. And I became a hockey dad. I can’t skate. I yell, I scream. I probably don’t know the game as well as I think I do. But I have a great time. And I enjoy the heck out of it. And it’s one of the world’s best sports ever. I’ve taken my entire team and created a hockey family around me. And every chance I get and every friend I ever see if they can’t spell it. I’m taking them to a game and and I’m going to try to maneuver them in and win them over. And they usually are. And it’s really nice when we’ve had the pleasure of meeting some great players throughout the years and some really fantastic coaches, the capitals, organization officials, bunch of wonderful people, so I can’t say enough. Good. That’s great. And by the way, today’s a big day go caps.
Frank Felker
Are they playing today?
Moe Jafari
Are they playing today? Yeah, well, this is called the Islanders. We got we’re down three games to one and hopefully by the by the end of today, we’ll be down to game to two.
Frank Felker
Yeah. And I should have known that but because the way that the seasons been chopped up and everything and they, they rolled straight into the playoffs, isn’t that right that when they reopened, so they did. It’s a great game to watch live. I mean, the energy is incredible. Well, before we sign off my what, if somebody has been watching you here and hearing what you had to share? What’s the best way for somebody to connect with you?
Moe Jafari
Um, you know, I’m all over LinkedIn. I belong to lots of great associations from Washington, exec afcea GVF. These are great organizations, getting involved with the local tech community, the local government community as well. Just I’m all over it, and always willing to lend a hand to any entrepreneur. I remember what it’s like and I think Most people will tell you I usually will pick up the phone that’s harmless. I may not give you what you want to hear, but I’ll always pick up the phone.
Frank Felker
Well, Jeffrey, thank you so much for joining me today on Radio Free Enterprise.
Moe Jafari
Right. Thank you and appreciate everything, my friend and great luck to you and your organization.
Frank Felker
Thanks again to Moe Jafari. And thank you for joining us. Until next time, I’m Frank Felker saying I’ll see you on the radio
