Inspiring Conversations with Maurice Harary of The Bid Lab
An Interview With CanvasRebel
Today we’d like to introduce you to Maurice Harary
Hi Maurice, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was in college, I had aspirations of working with a specific firm. Unfortunately, that firm only had a limited amount of openings. So, when a role opened up within their RFP team, I went for it. At the time, I didn’t have a clue what an RFP was– but I went for it anyway! Of course, once I actually started responding to RFPs (aka “Requests for Proposals”), I found that the work was both challenging and rewarding. Soon, I had worked my way up to be a top performer on my team.
Then, one day in 2017, my wife Jordan found herself tasked with completing an RFP for her own company. She hired an outside consultant for assistance. When we saw the final proposal product, we were both shocked by the subpar quality. The formatting was off, the writing was shoddy, and the content wasn’t even compliant. As we worked together throughout the night to fix those messy documents, we began to realize that her writing talent and my RFP industry knowledge had serious potential. Eventually, we took the leap. And that’s how my wife and I co-founded The Bid Lab, our online RFP management firm. Since then, we’ve helped hundreds of clients win lucrative contracts, developed and launched a successful RFP database search engine, and have even earned a spot on Inc.’s list of the fastest-growing regional companies in the Northeast. Today, both our business and our family are growing;
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a small business from scratch is always going to be a road. After all, you’re navigating new terrain. There are always hiccups. We hit several last-second bumps right before the official launch of Bid Banana, our RFP search engine software. As we were working through our final pre-launch software technical difficulties, one of our key software developers experienced a sudden health crisis that forced them to step down. Meanwhile, our second child was born sooner than we’d anticipated. When it rains, it pours. But my wife and I were determined, and we worked around the clock to launch on schedule. And, despite the turmoil, that’s just what we did.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Bid Lab. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Launched after just an initial $1,500 start-up investment, The Bid Lab has since helped hundreds of small businesses develop, write, manage, and submit professional proposals and bids for lucrative government and enterprise contract opportunities. Over the years, The Bid Lab has grown from a small startup into one of the industry’s leading RFP consulting companies. In 2023, we launched Bid Banana, a subscription-access software company that helps small businesses find and filter new bid opportunities.
What matters most to you? Why?
When I think about my future, I think about my family. They’re my joy. When things go well, they celebrate with me; when I’m feeling overwhelmed, they remind me how far we’ve come, and about all the small steps we continue to take each day to improve. And when the unexpected happens, or on those days that are especially challenging, they give me the motivation I need to push forward. I think about how my actions today will help me build the future for the most important people in my life, and that’s how I regain a renewed sense of purpose. Passion fuels my work, but it’s family that fuels my focus.
CanvasRebel Article Link: Inspiring Conversations with Maurice Harary of The Bid Lab
