Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview
Ameritex Movers, a woman-owned, full-service Texas moving company, was founded on strong family values and a commitment to create a stress-free moving experience. In 2000, Melody Khavari started the Dallas moving company in Irving, Texas, to serve the DFW areas. Shortly thereafter in 2001, her daughter, Beth Rohani, launched Ameritex Houston Movers. For over two decades, Beth and Melody worked in tandem to grow their respective markets, tackling the challenges of the moving industry and exchanging ideas to continuously improve their services through the development of clear systems and processes.
Over the years, Beth’s vision and dedication transformed the Houston location into a thriving multi-million dollar business, positioning her as a leader in the moving industry, guided by their core values. Beth has taken Ameritex Movers to new heights while continuing the collaborative spirit that began with her mother. Now at the helm of both locations, Beth leads with a focus on delivering a stress-free moving experience, emphasizing the importance of a "humans helping humans" approach in every move.
Could you start by sharing a bit about your background and what led you to where you are now?
I am a first-generation Iranian American who came to the United States from Iran in 1984 when I was seven years old. As a female, my parents made the courageous decision to leave the life they had built in order to bring me to the United States to give me the opportunity to become whoever I wanted to be. Growing up, I saw my parents work tirelessly, and they instilled in me a strong work ethic and drive, which have shaped my core values and who I am today. I studied communication and journalism in college, but soon after, I found myself drawn to entrepreneurship. In 2000, my mother, Melody Khavari, founded our family-owned moving company in Dallas, Ameritex Movers. Shortly after, I launched Ameritex Movers in Houston, and for over two decades, my mother and I independently managed the two markets, guided by our shared vision and navigated the unique challenges of the moving industry. Now, with my mother having retired, I have taken on the leadership of the Dallas location as well, continuing our family's legacy.
"Resilience" has been a keyword in your journey. Can you explain what this word means to you and how it has shaped your path?
For me, resilience means having a 'Do It and Prove It' mindset. It’s about not giving up, no matter what obstacles or challenges come your way. It was April 2020, at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I found myself carrying a lot of weight on my shoulders as a business owner. The uncertainty was beyond stressful, and on top of that, I was facing a deeply personal challenge: I was preparing to make a life-changing decision to end my 20-plus-year marriage. I remember I was in the shower, crying, and I dropped the soap. As I bent down to pick it up, one word came to my mind: resilient. In that moment, I realized that I could overcome anything I set my mind to. I just had to have the courage to step out of my comfort zone, push myself beyond my boundaries, and reclaim the confidence I had lost. That day, I found the strength to begin a journey of rediscovering myself, growth and the mindset to live my best life.
The loss of your former husband and business partner is a deeply personal and painful experience. How did you find the strength to move forward after such a tragedy?
I met my former husband in 1996, during my senior year of high school while I was working at The Gap. Like me, he too, was also a first-generation Iranian American, and from the moment we met, we shared a bond. In 2000, we moved to Houston together, and by 2001, we opened Ameritex Movers in Houston as a way to earn extra money for books and tuition while we were going through college. We built our lives around each other—we spent all of our 20s together, our 30s, and half of our 40s. We were always together and made great business partners.
Divorce was never something I wanted. I consider myself an overachiever, and the idea of divorce felt like a failure. I come from a family where my parents are about to celebrate 50 years of marriage, and I had set that same standard for myself.
Because of the codependency that had built up over so many years, I didn't fully realize or recognize my own capabilities. Despite managing much of our business operations, I never gave myself credit and had lost confidence in myself. When I finally made that decision, I also decided that I would approach the divorce with kindness, no matter how stressful the process became. Divorce is already such a painful thing to go through, and I didn't want to add any more strain for either of us. I chose to be a friend throughout, providing support during the entire two-year process and even held onto the hope that we might one day grow independently and reconnect as a stronger couple.
During our third and final mediation, I faced a truly challenging day: my best friend of 38 years was being buried. Though I couldn’t attend her funeral because of my personal situation, I drove four hours to Dallas the day before to pay my respects at her memorial. They say death, divorce, and moving are the three most stressful things you can go through in life, and I experienced all three in just one day.
Throughout my divorce, I focused on trusting my instincts and living without regrets. It was the only way I could accept the challenges I was facing. I wanted to treat myself and others in a way that brought me peace, and I made sure to do that with my former husband throughout the process. As a business owner, I had to ensure that the company was protected. It was extremely challenging to navigate the divorce, not just with my husband, but with my business partner as well. It was crucial that our personal matters didn’t affect our employees, customers, or the stability of the business.
Keeping my personal life separate from my professional life was no easy feat. There were two particularly tough moments when I had to sit down with my team. The first was in August 2022 to let them know that my former husband was no longer part of the company, and the second was in June 2023 when I had to tell them that he had passed away.
Throughout everything, it was important to me to maintain his integrity. He was a significant part of my life, and I would not change that. Even though I never wanted the divorce, sometimes life calls for decisions that ultimately shape you. Your attitude and mindset give you the strength to move forward. I chose to do that with kindness, making sure that every step I took aligned with my core values.
Building a successful business is no small feat. Can you tell us about your company and what inspired you to start it?
Absolutely, building a successful business is no small feat, and having the right mindset plays a crucial role. Our company, Ameritex Movers, is a woman-owned, full-service moving company based in Houston and Dallas Ft. Worth areas. We offer a wide range of services—from packing and moving to unloading and unpacking—servicing the entire state of Texas. As I mentioned, Ameritex Movers was founded in 2000 by my mom, Melody Khavari, in Irving, Texas, and I expanded our operations into Houston shortly after as a means to earn extra money for books and tuition. Since then, we've grown into a company known for our reputation, quality service, and our commitment to our core values: Accountability, Integrity, Communication, Grit, and Innovative Thinking.
Our journey as a company has taught me that resilience is an essential quality in any entrepreneur. The road to success is often filled with unexpected challenges, and how you respond to those challenges defines the trajectory of your business. I’ve learned that embracing change rather than resisting it is the first step towards growth. When our industry faced shifts—such as economic downturns, unexpected competition or even personal human matters—we had to adapt by staying agile, thinking outside the box, and always focusing on delivering a stress-free experience for our team members, our customers and community.
Having a resilient mindset means embracing setbacks as learning opportunities. When challenges arise, I remind myself that each obstacle is an opportunity to innovate and refine our approach. Grit, one of our core values, represents our commitment to persist through difficult times and find creative solutions. We value feedback and consistently review our processes to ensure we are providing our clients with the highest value possible.
The significance of bringing value goes beyond just offering a service. At Ameritex Movers, we strive to create genuine connections with our clients and our community as our motto is ‘Humans Helping Humans’. We see our role as not just moving belongings but helping people transition into new chapters of their lives—whether it’s moving a family to their dream home or helping a business set up a new office. We’ve also focused on supporting our community through various initiatives, like partnering with the Children’s Museum Houston and Alief ISD STEM Student Program. Providing value means going beyond the transaction; it’s about adding value, offering influence, and the insight that leaves a lasting positive impact.
Resilience and a value-driven mindset are the foundations of how we have continued to grow. It is our mission to create a stress-free experience, and that’s what continues to move us each day.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your business, especially in the wake of personal loss?
One of the biggest challenges I faced while building my business was establishing consistency. My former business partner and I had completely different leadership styles—I was very structured, while he was more flexible. I prioritized accountability and communication, but there was often conflict in aligning on these core values.
After taking full ownership of Ameritex Movers Houston, I focused on building a leadership team that allowed me to delegate responsibilities effectively. This helped me elevate my focus within the business, empowering and growing others in the organization. We began developing our standard operating procedures and playbook, which became the cornerstone of our consistency strategy. Our goal was to ensure that all processes were clearly defined and followed by everyone, and this approach is now embraced company-wide, enabling us to deliver consistently high-quality service.
Building structure was essential, starting with clearly defining our accountability chart and ensuring everyone understood their roles and responsibilities. Creating a strong company culture was a game changer—it meant reflecting our core values in everything we did and using those values to assess if someone was the right fit for the team. When a team member 'gets it, wants it, and has the capacity to do it,' they are in the right seat. Together, we are able to achieve results and overcome the hurdles of life and business that come our way.
In your journey of overcoming adversity, were there any specific moments or turning points that were particularly significant for you?
A particularly significant turning point in my journey of overcoming adversity happened on August 25, 2022, the day my divorce was settled and the day my best friend of 38 years was buried. That day made me truly realize the value of time and just how quickly it passes which made me start to wonder what I had done with mine. Around that same time, I was standing in line at Goodwill, when I noticed a sign that read '20% Off Every Tuesday - Senior Citizen Day.' I did the math and realized that in just 12 years, I would be eligible for that discount. The thought hit me hard—twelve years would pass quickly, and again, I had to ask myself: What had I done with my time? Had I truly lived my best life, or had I spent it all working?
It was at that moment that I made a decision to value time which allowed me to embrace the mindset of gratitude. I committed to being grateful for what I have and for the moments I have with those I love. This turning point allowed me to discover who I am beyond work, and to realize that I can achieve anything I set my mind to. It also gave me the opportunity to learn how to love myself and regain the confidence I had lost. That day changed the direction of my life, inspiring me to live more intentionally and fully.
How do you balance the emotional aspects of your personal story with the professional demands of running a business?
Balancing the emotional aspects of my personal story with the professional demands of running a business has been a journey of transformation. Instead of letting the challenges hold me back, I’ve chosen to let them inspire me and to live with intention. My experiences have taught me resilience, gratitude, and the value of time, which I apply daily to how I lead Ameritex Movers in Houston and the Dallas Fort Worth areas.
Living with intention means making mindful choices—both personally and professionally—that align with my values and purpose. This intentionality allows me to turn adversity into motivation, guiding my leadership style and nurturing a company culture that values empathy, has the mindset to never give up, and builds on the human connection. By letting my journey and story inspire me, I’ve been able to create a balance that enriches both my personal growth and the success of my business.
What advice would you give to others who are facing their own difficult situations and looking for ways to overcome them?
My advice to anyone facing difficult situations is to never give up hope which was the one key difference between me and my former husband. I held onto the hope of a brighter future—one that focused on my core values, embraced self-love, and found gratitude in what I had. I surrounded myself with positivity and a good support system and it was this hope that helped me push through even the most challenging times.
Through this, I’ve adopted a 'Do It and Prove It' mindset that encourages you to face each day determined to find solutions by putting in the effort and pushing beyond your comfort zone. It’s important to recognize that while you can’t control others, you do have control over your own actions and responses.
I would also encourage you to identify your own core values. In 2012, when I was asked what my core values were, I realized I couldn’t clearly articulate them. I knew who I was inherently, but it took me six years—through a core values exercise within my business—to truly define and understand them. That realization made it clear why I had to make some of the toughest decisions in my life as my core values weren’t aligned with those around me. So, my advice is to identify your core values, never give up hope, and prove to yourself that you can overcome any challenge. When you know what you stand for and have the mindset to keep going, you’ll find the strength to navigate through the tough times.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes and plans for the future, both personally and professionally?
Looking ahead, my personal aspirations revolve around ongoing growth in all aspects of life—mentally, spiritually, relationally, and in health and my well-being. I want to continue sharing content that brings value to others, as it’s important to remind people that they are not alone in their challenges and that there is power in supporting one another through shared experiences.
Professionally, my goal is to keep refining our systems and processes at Ameritex Movers to a scalable level. As we move into 2025, we are committed to embracing innovation with a focus on AI to enhance our operations. I’m also excited about our recent step to accept Bitcoin as a form of payment, which aligns with our core value of innovative thinking with the mindset to adapt to our ever-changing world. Ultimately, I want to ensure that we continue to foster our culture and core values, with the mission of creating a stress-free experience. Outside of Ameritex Movers, I am currently the Marketing Director for the National Speakers Association Houston Chapter, where I serve on the board of directors as President-Elect. I look forward to the opportunity this experience will bring me, and hope, during this time, I am able to build my career as a professional speaker, write a book and do my first TedTalk.
