How Losing It All Sparked a New Beginning with Joseph Scaretta

What if losing everything became the very thing that unlocked your biggest growth? In this episode, Joseph shares how he grew Empire into a $42M company, navigated private equity partnerships, reinvented himself during the pandemic, and built enduring business relationships with his wife and longtime partner Moses. His story is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and the compounding value of meaningful relationships. With more than 20 years of experience in facilities management and construction, Joseph Scaretta has co-founded and scaled two national facility maintenance companies — exiting both, including his tenure as co-CEO of CS Hudson. Today, he’s challenging the status quo again with Mason Made, building innovative niche services and customer-focused team cultures   [00:04:40] – Setting Context: Mason Made Joseph introduces his current company, Mason Made. Focus areas: facilities management, construction, and software. Vision: solving gaps in data, infrastructure, and technology. [00:07:04] – First Entrepreneurial Venture How Joseph met his business partner Moses. The leap from working at a small construction firm to starting Empire. Scaling Empire to $42M revenue and over 100 employees. [00:09:44] – Growth, Sale, and Private Equity Lessons Selling Empire and transitioning into CS Hudson. Expanding into essential service industries (medical, storage, finance). Learning KPIs and data-driven operations from private equity. [00:12:06] – Second Private Equity Experience Partnering with PE again to accelerate growth. Key lessons: asking better questions, knowing when visions diverge. Transition into Mason Made with a stronger foundation. [00:14:05] – The Power of Relationships Kevin poses the core podcast question: who changed Joseph’s journey? Joseph highlights his wife Stephanie as his greatest support. Her resilience, career pivot into nursing, and parallel journey with him. [00:18:01] – Honoring His Business Partner, Moses How Moses taught Joseph the industry from scratch. Why partnerships accelerate success (when done right). 20+ years together, across 3 companies and multiple acquisitions. [00:24:27] – A Defining Client Story Landing Sprint/Nextel as a client. Moses’ cautious approach prevented overpromising. How balance in partnership protected their reputation and fueled growth. [00:27:55] – Lessons From 20+ Years in Business Why humility and asking for help matter. Recognizing when to pivot and reinvent. The long-term value of nurturing both personal and professional relationships. Key Quotes “Relationships and referrals have gotten us to where we are today.” — Joseph Scaretta “Whatever I could dream, Moses could build.” — Joseph Scaretta “Having a partner with complementary skills accelerates everything tenfold.” — Joseph Scaretta Connect with Joseph Scaretta LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josephscaretta Website: masonmade.co Email: joe@masonmade.co   Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe! Find me on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |  iHeart Radio | Stitcher