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.
“Relationships and referrals have gotten us to where we are today.” — Joseph Scaretta
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