There's nothing quite like a family recipe passed down through generations. When that recipe becomes the foundation of a thriving business that spans restaurants and nationwide retail distribution, the story gets even more fascinating.

Dan Costello, CEO of Home Run Inn Pizza and fourth-generation family member, joins us to share the remarkable journey of this iconic Chicago brand. From humble beginnings on 31st Street where his Italian immigrant grandparents hosted Sunday family dinners, to now being available in grocery stores across all 50 states, the Home Run Inn story exemplifies how staying true to your roots while embracing innovation can lead to lasting success.

What started accidentally in the 1950s when a customer requested partially-baked pizzas to take to his Wisconsin summer home has evolved into a frozen pizza powerhouse. Today, the CPG side represents 85–90% of the business, but the restaurants remain vital to their identity and serve as living laboratories for authentic Chicago-style pizza.

Costello candidly discusses the challenges unique to family businesses, including a difficult succession process that ultimately led to one branch of the family exiting the business entirely. He shares how the company's core values of Family, Pride, Grit, and Courage guide decision-making through tough times, including the pandemic when protecting employees while meeting surging demand required transparent leadership.

For any leader who’s ever felt alone in tough calls, Costello’s story offers a grounded look at what it means to run toward the roar—leaning into discomfort and uncertainty with clarity and conviction. His simple but powerful business philosophy: identify what you do that others can't or won't do. For Home Run Inn, it's their dough-aging process—a technique passed down from his grandfather that creates a distinctive taste competitors can't replicate in the frozen pizza market. While other brands develop products in R&D labs, Home Run Inn remains committed to recipes “born in a kitchen.”

This is peer-powered disruption at its most personal—where family legacy meets operational excellence, and tradition fuels innovation.

Ready to taste the difference four generations of pizza-making expertise brings to the table? Look for Home Run Inn in your local grocery freezer or visit one of their Chicago restaurants to experience this family legacy firsthand.

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