How did TJ Mehta build MStone Stone and Tile from the ground up at 22?
Published on: Feb 13, 2020
Updated on: Aug 8, 2026
TJ Mehta founded MStone Stone and Tile at just 22 years old, leaving a planned path into medicine to build a natural stone and tile company that now owns some of the largest quarries in India and sources from China and Europe. On this episode of the People. Process. Service. podcast, Mehta joins host Bill Kasko to tell the story.
TL;DR
This article discusses TJ Mehta's journey in founding MStone, the challenges he faced, and insights on entrepreneurship in the stone sourcing industry.
People. Process. Service. is the Frontline Source Group podcast, named for the firm's registered service mark. Each episode features founders, leaders, and entrepreneurs on how they build businesses and teams. You can listen to this conversation on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and find more episodes at frontlinesourcegroup.com/podcasts.html.
Who is TJ Mehta and what is MStone Stone and Tile?
TJ Mehta is the founder of MStone Stone and Tile, a natural stone and tile company he started when he was only 22 years old. Today the company owns some of the largest quarries in India and sources stone from China and Europe as well. Before founding MStone, Mehta was on a pre-medical track, expecting to follow his father into medicine.
Why did TJ Mehta leave medicine to start a business?
Mehta was 22 and headed toward medical school when he decided to go another route, and it was not without scrutiny. As he recalled, when he declared to his family that he was not going to get into medicine, they went into scramble mode. His father was a doctor, and Mehta had planned to follow in his footsteps until he realized he did not want to go through school and residency.
What early challenges did TJ Mehta face?
After starting his business, Mehta learned as he went. His first shipment of materials had him scrambling, and when he asked his family for advice, they told him plainly that they had no clue what he was doing and that he had started a business and needed to figure it out. At the time he did not even have an office or a place to put his materials. He pushed through those early lessons and eventually hit his stride.
How did MStone find its place in the industry?
Mehta's company is now very successful, and he has figured out where he fits in the industry. As he put it, the reason someone like him has an opportunity in this industry is because people like to avoid dealing with suppliers directly overseas. By taking on the international sourcing that other buyers prefer to avoid, Mehta built a durable niche in natural stone and tile.
What can entrepreneurs take away from TJ Mehta's story?
Mehta's story is a study in confidence, adaptability, and learning by doing. He left a secure path, absorbed hard early lessons without a roadmap, and found his niche by embracing the parts of the business others avoided. It is a reminder that conviction and a willingness to figure things out can eventually lead to success, a theme that runs through the People. Process. Service. podcast. Listen to the full interview on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for the rest of the story.
How does Frontline Source Group help companies build their teams?
Frontline Source Group is a nationwide professional staffing and executive search firm founded in 2004 by Bill Kasko. The firm places contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire talent across accounting and finance, technology, administrative, human resources, engineering, energy, and executive search, backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty. Employers can submit an opening at frontlinesourcegroup.com/employer-request-form.html and review engagement details at frontlinesourcegroup.com/pricing.html, and candidates can apply at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html.
Frequently Asked Questions: People. Process. Service. and TJ Mehta
What is the People. Process. Service. podcast?
People. Process. Service. is the podcast from Frontline Source Group, named for the firm's registered service mark. Each episode features conversations with founders, leaders, and entrepreneurs about how they build businesses and teams. This episode features TJ Mehta, founder of MStone Stone and Tile, in conversation with host Tyler Kern and Frontline Source Group's Bill Kasko and April Milton.
Who is TJ Mehta?
TJ Mehta is the founder of MStone Stone and Tile, a natural stone and tile company he started at age 22. The company now owns some of the largest quarries in India and sources stone from China and Europe as well. Mehta was on a pre-medical track before deciding to build his own business instead.
How did TJ Mehta start MStone?
TJ Mehta founded MStone at 22, leaving a planned path into medicine. As he put it, when he told his family he was not going into medicine, they went into scramble mode. His father was a doctor, and Mehta had expected to follow the same route until he realized he did not want to go through school and residency. He learned the business as he went, without an office or even a place to store his first shipment of materials.
What challenges did TJ Mehta face early on?
Mehta learned the business by doing it. His first shipment of materials left him scrambling, and when he asked his family for advice, their response was that they had no idea what he was doing and that he had started a business and needed to figure it out. He had no office and nowhere to store his materials at the time, but he pushed through and eventually hit his stride.
What is MStone Stone and Tile's place in the industry?
MStone now owns some of the largest quarries in India and sources stone from China and Europe. As Mehta explained, part of the opportunity for a company like his comes from the fact that many buyers prefer to avoid dealing directly with suppliers overseas. By handling that international sourcing himself, he carved out a durable position in the natural stone and tile industry.
What can entrepreneurs learn from TJ Mehta's story?
Mehta's story is about confidence, adaptability, and learning by doing. He left a secure path, absorbed hard early lessons without a roadmap, and found his niche by taking on the parts of the business that others preferred to avoid. His experience illustrates how conviction and a willingness to figure things out can lead to lasting success, which is a recurring theme across the People. Process. Service. podcast.
Who hosts and appears in this episode?
This episode of People. Process. Service. is hosted by Tyler Kern and features guest TJ Mehta, founder of MStone Stone and Tile, along with Bill Kasko, Founder, President, and CEO of Frontline Source Group, and April Milton of Frontline Source Group. Together they discuss the history of MStone and how Mehta built a successful business in his twenties.
Where can I listen to the People. Process. Service. podcast?
You can listen to People. Process. Service. on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Additional episodes are collected on the Frontline Source Group podcasts page at frontlinesourcegroup.com/podcasts.html, which brings together the firm's podcast conversations with founders, leaders, and industry voices.
Who is Bill Kasko?
Bill Kasko is the Founder, President, and CEO of Frontline Source Group, which he founded in Dallas in 2004. He appears in this episode with guest TJ Mehta. His full bio is at frontlinesourcegroup.com/bill-kasko-staffing-services.html.
What does People. Process. Service. mean for Frontline Source Group?
People. Process. Service. is the registered service mark and guiding philosophy of Frontline Source Group. It reflects the firm's belief that great outcomes come from the right people, sound processes, and a service-first mindset, the same qualities the podcast explores through conversations with founders and leaders like TJ Mehta.
What is the 5-Year Placement Warranty?
The 5-Year Placement Warranty is the Frontline Source Group direct hire assurance, backing every permanent placement for five years. That is 20 times longer than the 90-day guarantee that is standard across the staffing industry, and it reflects the firm's 98.94% executive retention rate versus the industry average of 70 percent. Warranty terms are at frontlinesourcegroup.com/5year-placement-guarantee.html.
Who is Frontline Source Group?
Frontline Source Group is a nationwide professional staffing and executive search firm founded in 2004 by Bill Kasko, Founder, President, and CEO. The firm operates 32 plus offices, has completed 5,619 plus placements, holds a 98.94% executive placement retention rate, and maintains a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 plus verified reviews. Every direct hire placement is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty.
About the podcast: People. Process. Service. is the Frontline Source Group podcast, named for the firm's registered service mark. Host Tyler Kern and Frontline Source Group leaders speak with founders, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders about building businesses and teams. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and find more at frontlinesourcegroup.com/podcasts.html.
Listen to the full interview for the rest of the story.
