Ever been hit with something so frustrating that it changes your whole life? That’s what happened to Eli Farhood, the CEO of KATSH ID, and it all started with identity fraud. When I sat down with Eli, it didn’t feel like your typical “entrepreneurial success” story. This was personal, raw, and honestly, something I think we can all relate to. We’ve all faced that moment where something breaks and forces us to change course. For Eli, it wasn’t just about building a company—it was about stopping a problem that wrecks lives.
Eli’s career kicked off in finance. He was good at it, too. But he admitted something: “I liked it, but I didn’t love it.” And when you don’t love something, it starts to take a toll. After the financial crisis, he realized he needed something more. But what? Enter identity fraud—Eli got scammed hard. But instead of letting it beat him, he decided to do something about it.
When Failure Kicks You, Stand Up and Fight
In 2015, Eli’s life took a detour. He fell victim to identity fraud, and like most of us would, he thought he was the only one. “I felt like I was the only person dealing with this,” he said. But he quickly found out that wasn’t true. “Hundreds of millions of people get hit by this kind of fraud.” That realization turned into a mission. He wasn’t just going to fix his own situation; he was going to build something that could stop this for other people.
KATSH ID was born out of necessity, not out of some flashy startup dream. Eli had to fix a real problem, and that problem was massive. He dug deep into how identity fraud happens and found that 80% of it comes from stolen ID credentials. Just think about that for a second—80%! His plan was simple: make those credentials worthless to scammers.
But this wasn’t Eli’s first swing at tech. Before KATSH ID, he tried launching a social platform, and it tanked. “We had this vision, but it just didn’t work out,” he admitted. Limited broadband back then meant the user experience was a disaster. A lot of people would’ve given up after that, but not Eli. He took that failure and let it fuel his next project.
Key Takeaways from Our Discussion:
- Turn Pain into Purpose: Eli’s personal experience with identity fraud wasn’t just a setback; it was the reason KATSH ID exists today.
- Failure is Part of the Process: His first attempt at tech didn’t work, but that failure set him up for a bigger win with KATSH ID.
- Focus on Real Problems: Eli’s not out here chasing trends. He saw a problem that impacted millions of people and went after it head-on.
Stay Small, Stay Focused
Here’s something Eli said that really stuck with me: “You can’t boil the ocean.” He wasn’t trying to be clever—he was being real. Startups, especially in the early days, can’t try to solve every problem at once. That’s how you burn out. Eli learned this early. KATSH ID laser-focused on one thing: protecting identity credentials. They didn’t try to solve all cybersecurity issues, just that one major pain point.
Another thing Eli mentioned that hit home was how easy it is to get distracted by what bigger companies are doing. “If you keep thinking about how much money you don’t have compared to the big guys like Microsoft, you’ll never do anything.” Instead, Eli focused on his mission and ignored the noise. He’s building a solution, not chasing unicorn status.
What I Learned from His Experience:
- Narrow Your Focus: Eli didn’t try to solve every cybersecurity problem—he focused on one, and that’s why KATSH ID works.
- Ignore the Noise: Comparing yourself to bigger companies is a waste of time. Eli stays focused on solving a critical problem for his clients.
- Love the Problem, Not the Product: Eli is all about solving his clients’ problems, not just building cool tech. That’s why his product resonates.
Reflections from the Interview
Talking with Eli was refreshing. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t sugarcoat things. He didn’t tell me that starting a business was easy, or that you just need to “hustle” and everything will magically work out. He’s been through real struggles, and he’s used those experiences to drive his work.
“If you’re just in this for the money, you’re going to burn out fast.” He’s right. If your only goal is to get rich, there are easier ways to do it than starting a business. But if you’ve got a passion for solving a real problem, that’s what keeps you going when the nights get long and the road gets tough.
Here’s What I’m Taking Away:
- Passion is Fuel: Eli’s drive isn’t about making millions—it’s about solving a problem that he experienced firsthand.
- Embrace the Struggle: Failure didn’t stop Eli; it pushed him to build something better.
- Stay in Your Lane: Focusing on one problem at a time allowed Eli to build a product that works, instead of getting lost in trying to do too much.
- Forget the Glamour: Entrepreneurship isn’t about flashy success. It’s about grinding through tough moments and sticking to your mission.
- Clients Come First: Eli doesn’t just love his product—he loves solving his clients’ problems. That’s what makes KATSH ID different.
Final Thoughts
Being an entrepreneur isn’t about following some dream of making it big. It’s about facing a problem head-on, getting knocked down, and standing back up. Eli didn’t set out to start KATSH ID because he wanted to be a CEO—he did it because he was pissed off about getting scammed, and he wanted to stop it from happening to others.
If you’re thinking about starting something of your own, take a page from Eli’s book. Don’t worry about competing with the big guys. Focus on solving one problem, do it well, and let that be your driver.
CONNECT WITH ELI FARHOOD:
Website: https://www.katshid.com/