EXECUTIVE PROFILE NUMBERS GAME

Beth Scarano’s path to success in construction wasn’t direct.

“I moved to Arizona to study accounting at ASU with plans to pursue a career as an actuary,” Scarano says. “My plans changed when I got married and went to work to help put my husband through college.”

Scarano got a job with a construction engineering firm, where she was hired to computerize the billing system and rose the the level of vice president off operations during her nine-year tenure.

By then, Scarano was the mother of three young children and wanted flexibility. She helped start EJS Associates, providing recruiting and staffing services for the construction industry. During that time, she also worked with Vestar Studio Design, installing model homes for builders.

“I loved the building process and putting the pieces of puzzles together,” Scarano says. “I was fortunate enough get a feel for project management world and said to myself, ‘Hey, I can do this.’”

What “doing this” meant to Scarano was creating LaunchPM, a Scottsdale-based third-party project management consulting firm that oversees the design and construction for commercial building projects. Since founding the company 12 years ago, Scarano has led Launch PM to 30% to 40% year-over-year revenue growth over the last seven years.

AZRE talked with Scarano about her company’s meteoric rise.

AZRE: How did your accounting background helped you find success in construction?

BETH SCARANO: Construction is definitely a numbers game. It’s all about pricing and cost. So my love of numbers and math was always super helpful in understanding the bigger picture when it comes to construction.

AZRE: What other qualities do you have that have helped you succeed?

BS: I think being a mom — first and foremost — teaches you to be a good project manager. Juggling three kids and working full-time forces you to get things done in a timely manner and become a pretty focused, organized person.

AZRE: How many projects does LaunchPM manage?

BS: We are managing — on average — about 60 projects at any given time. We do different vertical markets, including office, industrial and medical. We’ve got a really good process and a really good team of seven — including myself, so we’re able to handle a high volume and maintain a high level of performance.

AZRE: What is the special sauce that differentiates LaunchPM from its competition?

BS: As kind of a boutique project management firm, we are super nimble and flexible. Most importantly, we approach a project very holistically. So we’re not just looking at one aspect of a project, we’re really looking at the whole project from start to finish. That means from planning, programming, site selection, the very front end, through the back end of physically moving in and bodies and seats. I don’t have a big corporation behind me saying, “you can’t do this or you can’t do that.” I can make decisions quickly and encourage my clients to make decisions. That really helps us differentiate ourselves and allows us to produce a high volume of work.