Acquiring Minds Bricklayer to Blue-Collar Empire
Mar 12, 2026
Justin Escajeda, entrepreneur and owner of Escajeda Holdings who scaled a Pittsburgh trades holding company from masonry roots. He recounts moving from stone mason to serial acquirer, buying complementary roofing and remodeling shops. He explains keeping legacy brands, hiring leaders for grit over credentials, preventing fraud with tight controls, and the personal cost of running many companies.
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First Acquisition Came From A Direct Offer
- Justin bought a roofing company in 2018 after the owner Al offered it directly for $846,000 against $600,000 SDE, a ~1.3x multiple.
- The deal closed quickly because Al wanted to retire and trusted Justin as a local construction professional.
Portfolio Scale And Margins In Trades Holding
- Escajeda Holdings runs 11 companies with about 250 W-2 employees and ~350 total workers including 1099s, and under $100M revenue.
- Margins across the portfolio range roughly 7%–13%, reflecting construction cyclical economics.
Delay Major Operational Changes After Close
- Preserve seller processes after closing and avoid big operational changes immediately to maintain employee retention and performance.
- Justin meets staff before close, promises continuity, then makes only minor, beneficial tweaks (back office or shared services).