From Pizza Driver to Franchise Owner | John Lepant, Craft Axe Throwing

In this episode of Living in the Ozarks, we sit down with John Lepant, owner of Craft Axe Throwing in downtown Springfield, Missouri, to talk about what it actually takes to go from employee to franchise owner — and build a business that keeps people coming back. We cover the unlikely path from Papa John's to escape rooms to axe throwing, what he's learned about people, pricing, and persistence, and why genuine connection is the hardest part of ownership nobody talks about.This episode is part of the Ozarks Experience series, focused on the people behind the work shaping our region.