125 | The Truth About My Year: Wins, Losses, and the Lessons I Didn’t Expect

Show Information

Episode Number: 125

Date: December 29, 2025

Duration: 21:01

Host Contact Information

Host: Justin Deese

Website: JustinDeese.com

Contact: podcast@JustinDeese.com

eBook: FreedomBlueprintPodcast.com/ebook

Upcoming LIVE Event: FreedomBlueprintLIVE.com

Virtual CFO for the trades: KristenDeese.com

Summary

In this special year-end solo episode of the Freedom Blueprint Podcast, Justin slows things down and gets real about the wins, losses, and lessons that shaped his year as a leader, husband, dad, and business owner. Instead of just talking highlights, he opens up about overcommitting, losing momentum in his routines, and walking through the grief of losing his mom—and how those moments reshaped his perspective on leadership and life.

Justin shares five powerful lessons he’s taking into 2026: how your past can shape you without limiting you, why people are more than their struggles, how presence beats productivity, why independence is good but connection is better, and how gratitude can anchor you even in the hardest seasons. He also talks about the shift from trying to “hang your crap at the door” as a leader to becoming a true servant leader who pays attention to the human being behind the performance.

On the win side, Justin celebrates his daughter’s move to college and the new empty-nester chapter with Kristen, a year packed with industry events and client visits, and the unexpected growth of the podcast from passion project to momentum engine. He shares the story behind hosting his own sold-out live event and previews Freedom Blueprint Live 2026 in Pensacola Beach—complete with Blue Angels energy. He also highlights the explosive growth of Kristen’s company, The Virtual CFO for the Trades, and how customer demand forced the business to grow in the best possible way.

Justin closes with a simple but powerful assignment: take 10 minutes to write down your wins, losses, and lessons from the year. It’s not just an exercise—it’s a clarity tool that can reset your focus and fuel your leadership momentum going into 2026 and beyond.

Takeaways

1. Losses—like overcommitting, losing routines, and even losing a loved one—can become the most valuable part of your leadership journey if you let them shape you instead of define you.
2. Your past can build your leadership “muscles”: independence, grit, determination, problem-solving, and adaptability often come from hard early experiences.
3. People are more than their struggles; as leaders, empathy is a superpower and we need to see the whole person, not just their hardest chapter.
4. Presence beats productivity—small, intentional moments with your team create more impact than another item checked off your to-do list.
5. Scorecards and Momentum Meetings (one-to-ones) aren’t “corporate,” they’re tools to reveal patterns and open human conversations with your team.
6. Independence is great, but connection is greater—you don’t win alone; leadership is built on relationships and shared energy (yes, even high-fives).
7. Gratitude doesn’t erase the hard stuff, but it gives you a stronger place to stand when life hits you with big challenges.
8. Hosting live events, building a podcast, or growing a new company all come down to consistent action, listening to feedback, and letting customers “demand” your growth.
9. A simple year-end reflection—wins, losses, and lessons—can bring surprising clarity and momentum for the year ahead.

Chapters

1. Opening: Why Reflection Creates Clarity and Momentum
2. Owning the Losses: Overcommitment, Lost Routines, and Losing Mom
3. Gifts from a Hard Childhood: Independence, Grit, and Problem-Solving
4. Lesson 1: Your Past Can Shape You Without Limiting You
5. Lesson 2: People Are More Than Their Struggles (Leading with Empathy)
6. Lesson 3: Presence Beats Productivity—Small Moments, Big Impact
7. Lesson 4: Independence vs. Connection and the Power of Shared Energy
8. Lesson 5: Gratitude as an Anchor in a Hard Year
9. Family Wins: Daughter’s College Transition and the Empty-Nest Chapter
10. Travel, Events, and Reconnecting with Leaders Across the Country
11. Shifting Focus: From Leap Service Partners to Serving More Contractors
12. Podcast Momentum: From Vision Board to Real-World Impact
13. Freedom Blueprint Live: Behind the Sold-Out Event and 2026 Preview
14. Kristen’s Win: The Virtual CFO for the Trades Takes Off
15. Your Assignment: Wins, Losses, and Lessons for Your Own Year-End Reset

Keywords

#FreedomBlueprintPodcast #HomeServiceBusiness #HVACBusiness #PlumbingBusiness #ElectricalContractor #TradesBusiness #GarageDoorBusiness #LeadershipLessons #YearEndReview #WinsAndLosses #ServantLeadership #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessReflection #GratitudeInLeadership #MomentumMeetings #TeamScorecards #EmptyNestLife #VirtualCFOForTheTrades #FreedomBlueprintLive #PensacolaBeachEvent #PipeDreamsToPayday #SellMyContractingBusiness #HomeServiceLeadership #BusinessOwnerGrowth

Mentioned in this episode:

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