Today we’d like to introduce you to Joey Perea.
Hi Joey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I didn’t grow up with a roadmap to success. I built everything from the ground up with no money, no safety net, and no guarantees. My story started in 2013 with a lie — and a dream.
I was working nonstop, traveling the country for someone else’s company, barely making ends meet, and rarely seeing my kids. It cost me my first marriage, and I realized one day that I didn’t just lose a relationship — I was losing time with my children. I wanted to be a father who was present, not one who lived on the road. So I took a leap of faith.
I started my first company, ProQuality Polishing, with no insurance, no equipment, and no business plan — just a skill, a little courage, and a lot of prayer. I borrowed tools, rented machines, and talked my way into jobs I probably shouldn’t have had. I took small loans from friends and family who believed in me when no one else would. Somehow, it worked. I paid everyone back within six months, and I’ve stayed loyal to those same people ever since. Those relationships are what built me.
In 2015, life gave me a lesson in humility. I was matched as a T-cell donor for a person fighting acute myeloid leukemia. I went through the full harvesting process — and they survived. That moment grounded me forever. It reminded me that purpose matters more than money, and giving life will always outweigh taking risks.
By 2018, I was exhausted, broken down, and honestly lost. Then I met Keshia, my best friend and the woman who became my wife. She brought me peace when my life was chaos and gave me balance when I only knew survival. We got engaged in Kauai after skydiving during my uncle’s wedding trip, and we returned to that same island on Valentine’s Day 2023 to get married surrounded by our friends and family.
In 2019, I almost sold everything and went back to work for the man who wanted to buy me out. But our visions didn’t align. It failed, and I was back at square one. That failure turned into my second chance. In 2021, my brother and I started Blacked Out Concrete Construction — a new company built on everything we’d learned through years of mistakes. Within months, we were landing big contracts: government projects, big-box commercial jobs, and private developments across multiple states. At one point, we had 30 employees working full time across the western U.S. When COVID shut the world down, we did the opposite — we pushed harder. Empty buildings became our opportunity.
But success comes with its own weight. My body began to fall apart after years of labor. Arthritis in my hands, chronic pain, exhaustion — I felt 60 years old at 35. Then, in 2022, some friends introduced me to Hydrate IV Bar in Denver. I tried a Myers Cocktail after a long night out, and I couldn’t believe how good I felt. Then I discovered NAD+ IV Therapy — and it changed my life. My inflammation faded, my joints felt brand new, and I was energized again. I found myself flying back to Denver every chance I got until finally I convinced the owners to sell me a franchise so I could bring it home to Utah.
In 2023, my brother and I, along with friends from our construction circle, built Hydrate IV Bar South Jordan from the ground up. We tore the place down to studs and rebuilt everything with our own hands — electrical, framing, flooring, cabinetry, and finish work. Almost everyone involved was someone we’d grown up with who now owned their own business. We opened our doors in February 2024, and that same year I partnered with Dr. Darin Stettler to bring advanced regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy, and peptides under the same roof. Together, we built Stettler Medical Monitoring, offering human umbilical cord stem cells and modern peptide-based treatments that help people heal naturally.
But 2024 was also one of the hardest years of my life. The economy crashed. Interest rates soared. Banks froze lending, and construction came to a halt. My accounts went negative for the first time since Blacked Out opened. On top of that, we had an employee suffer a seizure behind the wheel of a company truck, crashing through two cars and a power pole. It turned into a massive lawsuit. Between that and the slowdown, I thought I was done. I thought I was going to lose everything.
When the banks turned me down, I made one last call to a friend — and put up everything I owned as collateral. I risked it all one more time. We fought, we worked, and we clawed back from the edge. By October 2025, we’d made over $3 million, paid every debt, and finished the last payment on that lawsuit.
Today, I stay grounded through the same things that kept me going — my family, my community, and my kids. I’m a father to three amazing children: Brayden, Aiden, and Kaya. They’re my reason for everything. I also coach at Cyprus High School, where I help build young men into leaders through football. Coaching is my way of giving back — I was once that kid who almost quit school until my coaches and teachers saved me. Now I try to be that person for others.
We’ve started community programs like The Pirate Honor, which recognizes students who can’t play football but still make a big impact in our school and city, and Taking Off the Cape, a mental health initiative that gives our athletes a safe space to talk about life. I’m proud to be part of something that helps rebuild belief in our kids, our school, and our community.
From construction to wellness to mentorship, my story isn’t about success — it’s about second chances. I’ve failed, rebuilt, and failed again. I’ve lived in the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and walked the fine line between survival and surrender more times than I can count. But I’ve also learned that the only way you truly fail is if you stop trying.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through it all, it’s this: It’s not easy. It’s hard. But if you want it bad enough, you can do it. I started with a lie and a borrowed machine, but I built my truth through hard work, faith, and family — and I’ll never forget where I came from.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. My journey has been built on struggle, sacrifice, and faith. I started with nothing — no money, no equipment, no insurance — just a dream to be home more for my kids. I lied to get my first jobs, borrowed tools, and worked until I could stand on my own.
Over the years, I’ve faced lawsuits, broken partnerships, and financial collapse. In 2024, the economy crashed, construction slowed, and an employee accident nearly wiped us out. My accounts went negative for the first time, and I almost lost everything I’d built.
But I refused to quit. I made one last call, put everything I owned on the line, and rebuilt from the bottom again. It’s never been easy — but every hardship taught me resilience, humility, and perspective. When you’ve truly hit rock bottom, you learn to appreciate every step forward.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m the owner of Blacked Out Concrete Construction, where we specialize in high-end concrete polishing, surface preparation, and commercial projects across the western U.S. We built our reputation on trust, quality, and relationships, the same people who helped me when I started from nothing still work with me today.
I also own Hydrate IV Bar South Jordan and partner with Dr. Darin Stettler at Stettler Medical Monitoring, where we focus on regenerative health — IV therapy, NAD+, peptides, and stem cell treatments. Together, we help people heal naturally and feel their best.
Outside of business, I’m a father and football coach at Cyprus High School. Coaching gives me a chance to mentor young men through programs like The Pirate Honor and Taking Off the Cape, which focus on character, leadership, and mental health.
What sets me apart isn’t what I’ve built, it’s why I built it. Everything I do is about helping people rebuild; whether that’s a floor, a body, or a life.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
First and foremost, I thank God for never giving up on me, even in the moments I was ready to give up on myself. Everything I have built and survived is because of His grace.
My wife and kids are my reason for everything. They have been my motivation, my support, and my grounding force through every up and down. My mom has always stood by my side no matter what, and I owe her more than words can say.
My brother, Matt Perea, deserves a huge amount of credit. He is my best friend, always by my side no matter what. He is the best uncle to my kids, and he is the reason I had the drive to take the leap because I always knew he was right behind me.
I am grateful for Dr. Darin Stettler, who believed in me and trusted me as a partner in medicine and wellness. Together we have built something meaningful that truly helps people.
To my work family, not employees but family, thank you for your loyalty and heart. People like Chris Forsyth for believing in me, Adam and Israel from A&I Flooring for being absolute powerhouses and even better humans, and Chad and Amy Grote along with Katie Wafer, the founders of Hydrate IV Bar, your belief in me helped turn a dream into reality.
None of this happened alone, and I will never forget the people who helped me climb when I could barely stand.
Pricing:
- $259 Katie Cocktail
- $199 Myers Cocktail
- $199 Anti Aging
- $179 Athletic Performance
- $129 Recovery IV
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.HydrateIVbar.com
- Instagram: Hydrateivbar_SouthJordan
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16TSut5LrD/?mibextid=wwXIfr
