NEWARK, Calif. — At 18 most people are starting their first year of college with a dream that one day they’ll work a job they don’t hate. When Moe Ahmed, owner of MA Limousine & Transportation Worldwide, was that age he was already on his way to succeeding as an entrepreneur.
Diverse Clientele
One of Ahmed’s biggest clients is the Make-A-Wish Foundation, who he provides transportation for in Los Angeles and San Francisco. “They always request a stretch limo, because they really want to make the trip special for the kids,” he says.
He runs shuttle service with three Grech minicoaches for a company called BioMed Realty to get their employees from their office facility to a nearby bus station, as well as for United Airlines, where he picks up flight crews and transports them between their hotel and the airport 20 times a day. “It’s always worth it when I get letters from them saying how amazing the service and chauffeurs are.”
Now only 22 years old, Ahmed works with big name affiliates such as Empire CLS, Windy City Limousine, Music Express, and Mosaic Global Transportation. Farm-in work makes up about 55% of his business.
Odd Beginnings
Ahmed first came to the U.S. at age 18 to start a car dealership, but his life of limos started one fateful day when he attended a vehicle auction where he purchased a Lincoln stretch Town Car. He took it home to clean it. Thinking he owned a luxury ground transportation company, one of his neighbors asked if he’d take a group of his to wine tasting.
He agreed to drive them, and they liked the level of service he provided. After these neighbors started giving Ahmed’s number to their friends, business started booming. Within five months, he applied for a TCP number, bought a sedan, and started to advertise his company on Craigslist.
“I got a phone call while I was waiting at the airport for a client, and it was the general manager of Universal Limousine in Sacramento. He said he needed help in the Bay Area, so I started doing affiliate work, usually two to three trips a day.”
Persistence Makes Perfect
Born in Egypt, Ahmed lived there until he was 15, then moved to France, and stayed for four years. He came to the U.S. on a business visa, got married, and obtained a green card. “Things were difficult at first because I didn’t speak English very well, but I went to adult school for three months and started to learn it,” he explains.
The work has certainly paid off. Within two and a half years of running the company, he had 17 vehicles; this year, he has 21. In 2016, the business made $2.5 million, thanks in part to the Super Bowl held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara that year. “I couldn’t believe it when I was looking at my tax forms from the bank,” he says.
What’s Next?
Ahmed’s fleet is comprised of sedans, SUVs, stretches, Sprinters, and shuttles, so his next move is buying a motorcoach. “I really love the job and believe I can get bigger than I am now. I love talking to people over the phone, getting to know them and what they need, and providing them with excellent service.”
He also is working toward starting another company in France. However, it takes a lot of time and money, so he’s hoping to do so within the next two years. His dream is to eventually operate a fleet of 50+ vehicles.
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