Summary

Six weeks into 2026, Justin and Kristen Deese sit down to unpack a whirlwind start to the year—conference travel, frozen pipes, live podcasting at PHCC San Diego, and a major family decision they never saw coming.

On December 31st, just hours before the new year, they officially purchased East Hill Pizza in Pensacola—alongside their kids. In this episode, they pull back the curtain on why they said yes, how leadership transitions really affect teams, and what happens when you apply home service business principles to an entirely different industry.

From DISC profiles and team psychology to scorecards, food cost controls, and why vocabulary matters more than you think—this conversation is packed with lessons for any business owner thinking about growth, legacy, or acquisitions.

Key Takeaways

Why involving your team early builds trust during ownership transitions
The power of giving people the numbers they control
How small operational tweaks can drive massive financial impact
Why most employees fear change—and how language can reduce resistance
What restaurant ownership revealed about leadership across industries
How to build a business your kids can grow into—not inherit as a mess

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & why 2026 already feels wild
02:30 – PHCC San Diego: live podcasts, chaos, and air horns
08:20 – Handling distractions and pressure as a leader
11:50 – Frozen pipes, Florida problems, and real life
12:40 – The “family business” conversation with the kids
14:30 – Why East Hill Pizza caught their attention
18:20 – Buying a business fast (and what that really means)
21:30 – Leading a team through an ownership transition
24:45 – Scorecards, transparency, and immediate results
27:30 – Applying home service principles to restaurants
31:45 – What’s next for the business and the family

Keywords

#FreedomBlueprintPodcast #FamilyBusiness #BusinessAcquisition #LeadershipDevelopment #RestaurantOwnership #TradesLeadership #EntrepreneurLife #BusinessWithFamily #Scorecards #TeamCulture #DISCProfile #LegacyBuilding #SmallBusinessGrowth #JustinDeese #KristenDeese #WhenYourBusinessPartnerIsYourSpouse

Mentioned in this episode:

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