Meet Roohallah Mobarez

We were lucky to catch up with Roohallah Mobarez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Roohallah, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

As the youngest in a very large family, we came to this country as refugees escaping war-torn Afghanistan. We had each other, the clothes on our backs, and very little else. From early on, we had to figure out how to survive in a new country—learning a new language, adapting to a new culture, and trying to keep up with people who had a lot more than we did.

I could feel that difference right away—not just in our neighborhood, but especially when comparing our lives to what we saw on TV. At a young age, I realized how much power money had over people’s lives. That awareness pushed me to start saving money early, and I began selling candy at school to have some kind of income.

I actually got my first business loan from my dad—$20—when I asked him if I could buy Mexican candy from Tijuana during one of his trips. He used to buy and sell used cars and would travel to Mexico to get paint jobs done on the cars he was flipping. I would tag along and use the opportunity to get candy I could resell.

I grew up surrounded by the “work harder” model. I saw my dad working graveyard shifts and my relatives working themselves to the bone. That kind of grind seemed normal—it was just what you did. You got the job done, and you got it done well.

Looking back, I think my work ethic came from watching my dad kill himself just to make a buck and support our family. For us, work ethic wasn’t some extra value—it was survival mode. It was necessary. That’s just how life was.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

What I do is a little unorthodox—and honestly, it can be hard for most people to even swallow. I help house and support people in recovery who also happen to have a sex offense on their record. I run Colorado’s only certified sober living program that’s willing to serve this population.

It’s incredibly special work, because we’re stepping up to a plate that most people didn’t even believe should exist. I’m proud of what we’ve built—especially because people told me it was too crazy, too out there, or too far ahead of its time. But we’re doing it anyway.

We’re creating a platform for people to heal, to recover from addiction and trauma, and to be seen as human again. I’m a big believer in Robert Zehr’s restorative justice model, and what we do aligns deeply with that philosophy. This is about repairing harm, not just punishing it—and creating spaces where transformation is possible.

What makes our work stand out is that we’re taking care of a part of our community that no one else is willing to. And I think that says a lot about the kind of world we’re trying to build.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

When I first started, I actually lived in the home with the clients. It felt like a necessary part of the mission—showing humanity and love at a deeper level of care. That kind of sacrifice wasn’t just symbolic—it was real, and it helped set the tone for the culture we were building.

Purpose kept me going when things got hard. I wasn’t just building a program—I was building a new way forward for people who’ve been pushed aside. And what made the biggest difference? Lived experience. I’m someone in recovery from addiction, and I’ve also been to prison for a sex offense. I know firsthand what it takes to create real change and to help others believe they’re worthy of a better life. I didn’t just talk about it—I proved it through action.

For those early in your journey, I’d say: take a real, honest moment with yourself. Is this the right path for you? Are you willing to put in 60-hour weeks for this idea? What do you bring to the table that your competitors don’t? If you can answer those questions with clarity and conviction, then you’re on to something.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The number one challenge I’m facing right now is convincing the community that the people we serve are worth it.

There’s very little love or support for this population—and honestly, I get it. It’s understandable. This is a scary reality to sit with, especially when the data shows that many of these crimes happen close to home. There’s a lot of unresolved trauma in our communities, and instead of facing it head-on, many folks project that pain and hate onto the people we’re trying to help. I disagree with that approach. I think that kind of reaction speaks more to the overwhelming pain and lack of healing in our society than anything else.

To combat that fear, we’re coming with facts—we lead with data. The bias is real, but so is our success. We have a zero percent recidivism rate for those who have been housed in our program. That’s something the public needs to hear. We take time to talk to community members, answer questions, and build trust—one conversation at a time.

I’ll be honest—it’s hard. It feels like an uphill battle most days. But it’s necessary work. It helps us heal as a people, and it’s building something stronger for the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mobarezsolutions.org/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roohallah/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MobarezSolutions