Jack Ades on $10M Microsoft Deals, Selling His Company During COVID, and Building a $35M Tech Empire

Jack Ades is the entrepreneur behind AKA Enterprise Solutions, a software company that partnered with Microsoft and brought in tens of millions of dollars annually before being acquired during the height of COVID. In this episode, Jack opens up about his journey from working at his father’s retail stores to closing $10 million deals with global tech giants. He shares the challenges of navigating the .com bubble, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis, as well as the leadership lessons he learned along the way. Jack also offers insights on building a strong team, making bold decisions, and the philosophy that helped him scale and ultimately sell his company. If you’re interested in tech, or, better yet, if the idea of building a company in a field that you love and then selling it for a life changing amount sounds intriguing to you, you're not gonna want to miss this one. Enjoy! 🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries—designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. We release a new episode every Sunday and tons of clips on our Instagram account. Be sure to subscribe! Instagram⁠: https://instagram.com/momentumpodcast_ Spotify⁠: https://open.spotify.com/show/1jOPoArXfY3OU5uv4BpA3h?si=714ee022d7b54662 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/momentum/id1762657981 (00:00) Intro (01:45) Jack’s Background and College Days (03:40) Discovering a Passion for Computer Science (08:33) Starting a Software Company (13:48) The Structure/Business Model of the Company (15:40) The Sacrifices of Building a Startup (18:24) Growing the Company (19:58) Buying Out His Original Partner (21:58) Navigating Y2K “Tech Wreck” and 9/11 (26:33) Hiring Out (29:31) Partnering with Microsoft and Working with Doug Burgum (32:14) Tips for Delegation (34:47) Working with the Microsoft Team (39:42) Going from $100k Deals to $10M Deals (41:14) Selling His Company (46:25) COVID Hits During Acquisition Process (51:05) Key Business Principles That Jack Learned (54:13) Wearing All of the Hats in Your Business (56:55) Should Young Adults Follow Their Passion or Chase the Money? (58:58) Jack’s Charity Involvement and Getting Involved with AIPAC (01:04:10) Closing Thoughts (01:07:27) Outro