Farid Dilani
Los Angeles
Summary
Entrepreneurial, hands-on multi-unit operator with 9+ years of experience launching and scaling specialty coffee businesses from the ground up. Proven track record of opening new locations, building high-performing teams, and delivering strong unit economics through disciplined labor planning, training systems, and operational excellence. Combines founder mindset with financial rigor to drive customer experience, NPS, and profitability while leading from behind the bar. Skilled in market entry, P&L ownership, vendor management, and developing future leaders to support rapid, consistent growth.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
year of post-secondary education
Work History
Chief Operating Officer (Co-Founder)
MOA COFFEE
Middle East.
09.2016 - 06.2025
- Led end-to-end operations across 4 cafés and a centralized roastery, supporting 45+ team members across retail, wholesale, and e-commerce.
- Executed regional operating plans that drove consistent revenue growth and margin improvement while maintaining brand and guest experience standards.
- Recruited, developed, and coached managers, supervisors, and baristas, reducing turnover and building a strong internal leadership pipeline.
- Owned store-level P&L, budgeting, labor planning, and cost controls, improving unit economics through disciplined execution.
- Implemented standardized SOPs, onboarding, and training programs to ensure operational consistency and scalability.
- Led store openings, remodels, and operational launches, coordinating landlords, contractors, vendors, and opening teams to deliver on time and on budget.
- Expanded wholesale and B2B partnerships, aligning production, logistics, and quality controls to support growth.
- Championed a people-first, performance-driven culture, balancing accountability, engagement, and community connection.
Strategic Advisor
Privatization Organization
Middle East.
07.2016 - 09.2017
- Positioned state-owned F&B businesses for divestment by optimizing capital structure, standardizing operating processes, improving labor productivity, and reducing operational inefficiencies across multi-site operations.
- Established governance, performance reporting, and management accountability frameworks that enabled consistent execution during ownership transition.
Senior Credit Analyst
Boston Private Bank
Los Angeles
09.2013 - 05.2016
- Analyzed commercial and real estate loan portfolios, modeling operating income and cash flows to evaluate credit risk and investment returns.
- Conducted market research and detailed credit analyses, including pro forma and sensitivity modeling, to support lending decisions.
- Partnered with senior bankers, legal counsel, and credit leadership to present risk assessments to the Directors’ Loan Committee.
Investment Analyst
Symetra Financial
Seattle
07.2010 - 06.2011
- Led the growth of a $1.2B real asset portfolio, conducting detailed financial analysis and underwriting $500M in new real estate projects.
- Collaborated with senior management to deliver comprehensive due diligence and investment presentations.
- Managed financial analyses to support strategic investment decisions.
- Prepared detailed investment memoranda for executive review.
- Facilitated portfolio expansion through targeted underwriting.
Early Experience as Barista
Starbucks
Seattle
01.2008 - 01.2009
Education
Real Estate Certificate -
UCLA Ext.
Los Angeles, CA 09.2013 - 06.2014
Master of Science - Corporate Finance
Boston College
Boston 05.2011 - 05/2013
Bachelor of Arts - Finance & Economics
Seattle University
Seattle 12.2006 - 06/2010
Skills
- Multi-unit operations
- New store openings
- Labor planning
- P&L ownership
- Hospitality-driven customer experience
- Recruiting and developing baristas and managers
- Inventory management and vendor relationships
- Quality control at scale
- Strong in KPI management, NPS improvement
- Hands-on approach to consistent execution
Personal Interests
Family and fatherhood
Exploring local coffee shops
Building genuine community
Timeline
Chief Operating Officer (Co-Founder)
MOA COFFEE
09.2016 - 06.2025
Strategic Advisor
Privatization Organization
07.2016 - 09.2017
Real Estate Certificate -
UCLA Ext.
09.2013 - 06.2014
Senior Credit Analyst
Boston Private Bank
09.2013 - 05.2016
Master of Science - Corporate Finance
Boston College
05.2011 - 05/2013
Investment Analyst
Symetra Financial
07.2010 - 06.2011
Early Experience as Barista
Starbucks
01.2008 - 01.2009
Bachelor of Arts - Finance & Economics
Seattle University
12.2006 - 06/2010