Journey
I trained as a mechanical engineer, co-founded a detergent manufacturer at 23, and scaled it to 17 tons a day. A war shut it all down for two years. I came back, ran the turnaround, cut costs 37%, and won back 85% of our pre-war customers — then earned a full-tuition Dean’s Scholarship to study corporate finance and consulting at WashU Olin. That arc is the resume; here it is with the receipts.
Jul 2017
EducationLed a 5-member team across 3 capstone engineering design projects, from concept through final implementation.
Oct 2017
FoundingFounded a consumer-goods manufacturer at 23 — identified an underserved market, recruited four co-founders, and secured ~ETB 1.2M in government-backed financing to launch operations.
28% regional share in 4 months
2018–2021
GrowthGrew ~45% CAGR over three years leading 25 employees and 40+ laborers; nearly doubled daily production from 9.5 to 17 tons; demand forecasting cut inventory costs 45%; Kaizen lifted yield 17%.
~45% CAGR
Jun 2021 – Jun 2023
ResilienceRegional conflict forced a two-year halt covering shutdown, post-conflict stabilisation, and restart preparation. Stayed sharp through business books and podcasts — then came back to rebuild.
Jun 2023 – Mar 2025
TurnaroundRestructuring plan cut total costs 37% and won back 85% of pre-war customers within three months; renegotiated importer contracts for a 26% input cost reduction; workforce reintegration program drove an 18% productivity gain.
−37% costs · 85% of customers won back
Aug 2025 –
EducationSpecializations in Corporate Finance and Consulting. Led quantitative analysis for an RGA-sponsored forecasting study using Python, Excel, and AI tools. Olin Strategy & Consulting Association and Finance Club.
Class of 2027
May 2026 –
FoundingScreening M&A and private-equity opportunities across U.S. and African markets — framing the research approach, valuing companies with DCF, comparable-company, and precedent-transaction analyses, and building AI research agents that cross-check market data into concise briefs.
The numbers behind the story
Scaling the factory
Daily production capacity (tons/day), co-founded detergent manufacturer
Post-conflict turnaround scoreboard
Outcomes of the 2023–2025 restructuring (%, from the resume)
Disciplines
Strategy, finance, AI-enabled analytics, and operations — each backed by a number from the record above.
Structured problem solving from market entry to restructuring — framing the question, sizing the opportunity, and sequencing the moves.
Proof28% regional market share captured within 4 months of launch
Financial modeling grounded in a view of the business — valuation, cost analysis, and capital decisions that connect to operating reality.
Proof37% total cost reduction engineered in the post-conflict restructuring
AI as working infrastructure, not a research shortcut — building agentic workflows that monitor a business, evaluating prediction systems, and turning data into decisions.
ProofLed quantitative analysis for an RGA-sponsored forecasting study; forecasting models cut inventory costs 45%
Founder-level operating judgment — running production, procurement, and people through growth, war, and turnaround.
ProofScaled 9.5 → 17 tons/day; led 65+ people; 26% input cost reduction negotiated
Capabilities
Where I operate
Self-assessed strengths across the toolkit
Roles
2025 – May 2027
Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School
Pursuing my MBA with specializations in Corporate Finance and Consulting. Recognized as Dean's Scholar.
May 2026 – Present
Corax Advisory
Independent advisory practice screening M&A and private-equity opportunities across U.S. and African markets.
June 2023 – March 2025
Gedion and Hizbawi Detergent Manufacturing Company
Led post-conflict business turnaround after two-year wartime shutdown. Developed 90-day recovery roadmap, rebuilt operations, restored market position, and renegotiated supplier relationships.
June 2021 – June 2023
Northern Ethiopia (Tigray Region)
Regional conflict disrupted business. Used period for professional development through business reading and strategic reflection.
October 2017 – June 2021
Gedion and Hizbawi Detergent Manufacturing Company
Co-founded consumer goods manufacturing company. Recruited four co-founders, secured government-backed financing, scaled operations, expanded production capacity, led team, built demand forecasting models.
July 2017
Mekelle University
Graduated with BSc in Mechanical Engineering. Foundation in systems thinking, quantitative analysis, and project execution.
Education
Master of Business Administration, May 2027
BSc, Mechanical Engineering, July 2017 (GPA 3.43/4.00)