đź’° An Immigrant's Path to Success: The Mo Barachi Story

From launching and exiting multi-million dollar startups to raising over $100M in venture capital, Mo Barachi has done it all. Dive into his story right here.

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School of Hard Knocks
April 24, 2025

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We’re coming your way with a brand new, energizing edition of the School of Hard Knocks Newsletter. Don't touch that dial!

Here, we’re shining the spotlight on Mo Barachi - tech entrepreneur, investor, and strategic powerhouse. Starting from humble beginnings, Mo's raised over $100M in venture capital. If you've been wondering how to launch and exit multi-million dollar startups and scale in the world of tech and digital marketing, this one's for you.

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An Immigrant’s Path to Entrepreneurial Power

Mo Barachi is one of today's most successful tech entrepreneurs. From raising $100M in venture capital to mastering the world of digital marketing, he's done it all. 

When he was 7, Mo's family immigrated to Canada from Egypt. He put himself through college, graduated with a degree in computer science, and got a job in tech support. After discovering his boss's salary and realizing it would take 20 years to get there, Mo quit on the spot. He took up freelance work, started a consulting firm, and took on bigger projects.

Around 2008, Mo discovered an opportunity. Google Maps was gaining traction and local businesses needed help getting listed. Mo and his partner began offering services as a listing management agency. It was hugely successful, but the increase in requests quickly became tough to manage. To streamline operations, they built a software program - then things took off.

Eager to keep growing, Mo and his partner sought out investors. After the first seed round and with $300,000 in the bank, SweetIQ was born. Over the life of the business, Mo raised millions of dollars in VC funding and experienced four back-to-back years of +300% growth. In 2017, Mo sold SweetIQ to Gannett, owners of USA TODAY.

Now, Mo's focused on his newest venture: Wrk, a generalized workforce automation platform. So far, the company has raised over $55M in financing from prominent VCs all across Canada and the United States.

What can you learn from Mo's journey?

Mo Barachi

3 Takeaways for Entrepreneurs:

1. Great Idea? Prove It.

Everyone thinks their ideas are the best, but reality might be a different story. Mo warns making assumptions (AKA drinking your own Kool Aid) could hurt you. Instead, work to prove your great idea by testing the market. 

Try this formula:

  1. Build a simple website or pitch deck

  2. Find prospective buyers

  3. Ask them if they'd buy your product or service

Once you get enough yeses, you're ready to meet investors.

2. Become a VC Magnet

Failing to find VCs? To meet the right investors, Mo says it's all about finding that unique connection. Here's how:

→ Connect with VCs at charitable events.
→ In a highly-regulated space? Stand out with certs (HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO)
→ Attend industry trade shows. Practice your pitch ahead of time.

Pro Tip: When meeting VCs, humanize the relationship. Remember, they're people just like you.

3. Know Your Data, Run Efficiently

To run a successful business, constant improvement is key. For Mo, the best way to stay on top of process improvements is to run in a data-driven manner. To cut down on data overload, only focus on core KPIs. Things like:

→ Conversion rates
→ Organic SEO
→ Account churn
→ Number of quotes
→ Subscription sign-ups

Monitor your KPIs consistently and patterns will appear. Any friction points or bottlenecks are your cues to take action.

Connect with Mo here:

Want to connect with the biggest names in business?

Each week, the School of Mentors hosts exclusive live calls with millionaires and billionaires, just like Mo. You’ll hear their transformational stories and get practical tips to apply in business and life. You’ll also get the chance to ask questions in a Q&A session.

Join our next call here! 👇

Words of Wisdom

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“In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”

Mark Zuckerberg

From the Hard Knocks Library

Conquering Crisis: Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them

Throughout his 40-year career, Admiral McRaven has experienced every manner of calamity imaginable. From managing failed hostage rescues to responding to student unrest, McRaven has learned how to successfully navigate crises—those moments that push the limits of your experience and challenge your confidence, when leadership skills alone may not be enough. Conquering Crisis provides a new set of tools for facing these stressful moments with poise. It breaks crises down into five phases assess, report, contain, shape, and manage—and provides concrete steps to come out the other side stronger.

https://a.co/d/aX1zzGr

In Case You Missed It

On a recent trip to Texas, we interviewed several billionaires for their take on how they got rich. We asked them everything from the most amount of money they have made in a year to their best advice for life and business. We caught up with billionaires from all kinds of industries, like medicine, finance, tech and private equity.

Check out the interviews here!

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