In this candid episode of Scales of Success, host Marcus Arredondo chats with serial entrepreneur David Makharadze to share hard-earned lessons from a career spanning scrappy startups to major exits. From recognizing opportunities others miss to forging lasting partnerships and navigating challenges with integrity, David offers actionable strategies and inspiring stories to help you scale with purpose.

David Makharadze is an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor with a history of building and scaling ventures in technology, real estate, and renewable energy. A Cornell Hotel School graduate, he launched Manhattan’s first profitable online restaurant directory, co-founded Zustek (acquired by Investcorp), and leads Diamond Rock Partners in real estate development. As Co-Founder and CRO of Quativa, he helps drive growth in solar industry software while mentoring founders and supporting ventures built on strong fundamentals and meaningful impact.

Episode highlights:

[0:00] Intro
[3:50] Scaling Wall Street bites
[8:31] Why did he give it all away?
[20:29] A 16-year-old’s first shuttle biz
[28:53] Identifying and nurturing natural curiosity
[34:38] Building and scaling Zustek to acquisition
[43:43] Passion, grit, and staying in
[50:17] When everything goes wrong
[55:20] The Palm Springs comeback story
[1:04:18] Business advice that actually works
[1:11:13] Mentorship, teaching, and giving back
[1:16:44] Outro