In this episode of Beyond the Mark, host Joe Toma sits down with Mark Friday and Emily Ostroski of RJ Telecommunications — and this one’s a masterclass in perseverance, reinvention, and people-first leadership.

Mark’s journey started with breaking computers at age 5 and ended (well, continues!) with owning and scaling a Michigan-based telecom company. In between? He flipped a house, opened a sandwich shop, ran a Family Video store, and made a few tough but defining calls in business. Emily, who joined as Mark prepared to buy out the original owner, brings a fresh perspective on financial systems, contracts, and the backbone of company operations.

Whether you’re growing a small business, leading a team, or just love stories about real-world entrepreneurship, this episode delivers.

Mark’s wild ride from food service to full ownership of RJ Telecommunications

Why flipping a house during the 2008 crash led to opening a sandwich shop

The painful but necessary decision to let go of a long-time employee

How RJ chooses clients based on values, not just revenue

Emily’s growth from new hire to key operations leader — and how she rewrote their legal agreements from scratch

Why taking care of people (not just customers) drives growth

What the future of RJ looks like — and why it’s about systems, service, and strategy

“I’ve never run away from responsibility. I just keep adding more and more and more.” – Mark
“We’re not looking to nickel-and-dime anyone — we’re here to do the right thing.” – Emily
“I don’t hire people to be yes men or yes women. I hire smart people to help me lead better.” – Mark

@rjtelecommunications

🔗 https://now.rj10.com
📞 (248) 442-2100
📍 Michigan-based, serving clients nationwide

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