oday's guest wasn't looking to buy a business.

Justin Escajeda had come up through the trades, initially working for a union masonry company as a mason himself, then eventually building his own company doing niche masonry work.

About five years into that project, he's approached by another business owner, Al, in his local Pittsburgh market.

Al owns a roofing company but wants to retire, and quickly. He says to Justin, why don't you buy me?

‍The offer was too good to pass up:

‍$600k of SDE for a purchase price of $846,000.

That transaction happened, the acquisition worked, and Justin's eyes were opened to the potential of this model of growth.

Flash forward, and today he owns 11 going on 12 companies, with 250 employees (not counting dozens of 1099s that come and go).

At 43 years old, Justin has built a true holdco in the trades in his native Pittsburgh; I estimate that it easily clears $50m of revenue annually.

He owns it all, no investors. And no intention of slowing down.

So this is the story of a guy who found his own path to entrepreneurial acquisitions — no books, no MBA, no podcasts.

And it is an inspiring reminder of just how much possibility lives here.

Please enjoy this interview with Justin Escajeda of Escajeda Holdings.

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