94 | Don’t Wing It: Why Systems Matter- Justin & Kristen Deese

Show Information

Episode Number: 94

Date: June 30, 2025

Duration: 41:14

Host Contact Information

Host: Justin Deese

Website: JustinDeese.com

Contact: [e-mail]

Guest Co-Host Contact Information

Guest Co-Host : Kristen Deese

Company: Virtual CFO

Guest Co-Host Website: www.KristenDeese.com

Guest Co-Host Email: [e-mail]

Sow The Land: https://www.youtube.com/c/SowtheLand

Summary

In this episode, Justin and Kristen Deese reflect on their first experience raising 50 meat chickens on their property—and the surprising number of business lessons that came with it. From the importance of planning and systems to knowing when to ask for help, they share insights that every home service business owner can relate to. Whether or not you care about chickens, you'll walk away with practical, grounded strategies for building a better business—one stage at a time.

Takeaways

• Start with the end in mind. Like raising chickens, business success requires a clear outcome and a roadmap to get there.
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• Systems must evolve. What works in the early stages won’t scale—know when to upgrade.
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• Research matters—but execution matters more. Get educated, but don’t wait forever to act.
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• Ask for help. Hiring coaches or experts can shortcut costly trial and error.
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• Measure what matters. The results—just like chicken weights—are worth tracking.
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• Don’t let emotion block tough decisions. Business leaders must learn to separate care from sentimentality.
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• Many hands make light work. Delegation and teamwork dramatically increase efficiency.
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Chapters

00:00 – Welcome to the Chicken Episode

02:00 – Why We Started Homesteading

07:15 – Choosing Meat Chickens: A Short-Term Farm Project

13:30 – Business Begins with Research and a Plan

18:45 – Phase One: The Brooder Stage

24:10 – First Losses and Learning from Mistakes

27:30 – Upgrading Systems as the Business (and Birds) Grow

34:00 – The Power of Routine and Team Buy-In

38:15 – Processing Day: Planning for the Final Step

45:00 – Coaching, Courses, and Outsourcing in Business

53:45 – Emotions vs. Leadership: Making Hard Decisions

59:10 – The Final Product: ROI on 275 Pounds of Chicken

66:00 – Lessons Learned and What We’d Do Differently

72:00 – Applying the Chicken Process to Business Growth

Keywords

#BusinessSystems #LeadershipLessons #HomeServiceSuccess #EntrepreneurMindset #FarmToFreezer #SmallBusinessGrowth #OutsourceWisely #TeamEfficiency #EmotionalDiscipline #ChickensAndBusiness #FreedomBlueprint #JustinDeese #KristenDeese #HomesteadingBusiness #BusinessPlanning #KnowYourWhy