Tech Entrepreneur Turned Restauranteur

In mid-August, Ferdouse Khaleque jumped into the restaurant business by buying Maharaja Express II without any previous experience in the industry. The reason? "I was smitten with the food," he says.

Maharaja Express II is renamed Mogul Naan

While the decision may sound impulsive, Khaleque says his experience in the tech sector and as an entrepreneur gives him an edge. He came to the U.S. 20 years ago, after earning his Phd in electrical engineering in the U.K., attracted by the entrepreneurial environment here.

Good Reviews, Location

Maharaja's numbers looked promising as well, Khaleque says. "The books were good and showed a break-even point." A little more time and effort should push the business into profit. And the restaurant had good Yelp reviews. The location was attractive, too, serving a large South Indian population. But Khaleque doesn't want to depend on any one ethnic demographic. "We aim to cater to all palates," he says.

"I was smitten with the food," says Ferdouse Khaleque, now the restaurant's owner

The restaurant is now called Mogul Naan. Still, the management transition was a challenge, he says. "We're building the business back up." One way he intends to do that is through technology, chiefly online marketing and ordering.

Here's where his tech experience comes into play. Khaleque has worked at Nike, Harley-Davidson and the FDIC, among other places. And he's been a blogger, writing blogs on a dating website.

About 10 years ago he worked on a GrubHub-like website called MenuStation, which fell victim to the financial crisis. Failure, though, isn't necessarily a bad thing. He's more impressed by people who try again and again after failing than by people who never tried to begin with.

Food First

His plan to build Mogul Naan focuses on the food first, followed by good service and consistency. Technology serves to back that up and will help distinguish the restaurant from the many other Indian restaurants in the area. 

Food, service, consistency are key

Mogul Naan's website offers a 10% discount for customers online. Since Khaleque can construct the website and ordering system himself, he doesn't pay the 20% commission that third-party technology providers usually charge. Orders come straight to his laptop at the restaurant.

And of course, marketing on social media such as Facebook and Instagram, is part of the mix.

Start From Scratch

"The exciting phase is starting from scratch and watching it blossom," Khaleque says. He feels he has the drive and entrepreneurial spirit to make it work, and his business background gives him the ability to see the enterprise from a "birds-eye view," but then tackle things on a very detailed basis. "You work from the ground up, but then need to step back to see the overall view," he says.

He likes to lead by example in motivating his team to advance the business. "I feel I should empower people and keep them engaged. It's not just a job."

His experiences have helped him to become open to more options when dealing with challenges. "I feel I've become more flexible," Khaleque says. "I have to keep my mind more open."

Welcome to the restaurant business, Ferdouse. You may need every tool in your toolbox.

Publishing Note: 

"This Stretch of 27" will be on vacation for the rest of the week. Please check back on Monday, Oct. 23 for the next post. Thank you!

"This Stretch of 27" covers business on Route 27 between Finnegan's Lane and Route 518. What's your story? Email me at lkiesche@gmail.com

Liz Kiesche
Liz, a business journalist, formerly worked for Bloomberg News in Princeton and New York.