Uzbek who left a $450,000 job is now a million-dollar business owner

Salohiddin Abdulkafiy, an Uzbek who once worked at the world's largest technology companies earning an annual salary of $450,000, has chosen a completely different path. He is now finding success as the owner of a halal BBQ restaurant operating in Texas, USA.

The 35-year-old entrepreneur founded his restaurant in December 2024. In a short period, his business has grown rapidly, and its annual turnover is now said to exceed $2 million.

Before entering the restaurant business, Salohiddin spent 14 years working in the technology sector. He worked at globally renowned companies such as Microsoft, Google, YouTube, and Shopify, and at the peak of his career earned an annual income of $450,000.

However, the high salary and prestigious position did not bring him the expected satisfaction. He noted that over time, the work in the technology sector seemed to serve increasing corporate profits rather than improving people's lives.

"In my view, our work had become more focused on making money rather than improving people's lives or helping businesses," Salohiddin said in an interview with Business Insider.

It was these views that prompted him to fundamentally change his career. Leaving behind his high-paying IT career, Salohiddin decided to enter the restaurant business. Today, through his halal BBQ restaurant in Texas, he has become not only a successful entrepreneur but also a source of inspiration for Uzbeks.