Franchise to Framework and the People-First Profit Strategy - Dana De Vito

Today we welcome Dana De Vito, a longtime business owner, franchise operator, and co-founder of Elite Performance Associates. From owning Jack in the Box and Scooter's Coffee franchises to coaching business leaders, Dana shares his insights on responsible growth, the difference between consulting and coaching, and why defining a desired end statematters more than tactics. This conversation digs into lessons learned from franchising, building culture, and balancing ambition with life outside of business.     Timestamps:    00:01 – Intro & welcome to the show     00:32 – Meet Dana De Vito: from teacher-track to consulting     03:02 – Moving to Prescott & buying Jack in the Box franchises     04:55 – Lessons from fast food ownership & team development     06:03 – The ups and downs of franchising relationships     07:36 – Why Scooter's Coffee: leadership culture & systems     10:10 – Consulting vs. coaching: the real difference     13:38 – Why some owners act—and others never do     18:14 – Crisis survival: losing 97% of revenue & bouncing back     20:50 – Expanding reach: writing books & people-first profits     24:30 – Speed kills: when growth gets ahead of control     27:48 – Start with desired end state, not tactics     28:50 – Matt's personal lesson: ambition vs. family balance     38:15 – Who believed in Dana: lessons from his parents     43:33 – Closing thoughts & how to connect with Dana     Resources & Links   Connect with Dana:    Instagram: @dana_devito   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-devito/   eliteperformanceassociates.com   [email protected]     Want to be a guest on the show, or have a deal that you would like for us to evaluate? Apply here   Follow Us on Social Media   Instagram: @AmpedSuccess   LinkedIn: Amped Success   Tiktok:  @Ampedsuccess   YouTube: @AmpedSuccess 📧 Contact Us: For inquiries, reach out at [email protected]