SOULMATES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: MEET FIREHOUSE SUBS FRANCHISEES DAN AND LISA REDOLPHY
SOULMATES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: MEET FIREHOUSE SUBS FRANCHISEES DAN AND LISA REDOLPHY
It’s the season of love and in celebration of Valentine’s Day on February 14, we are recognizing some of the outstanding franchisee couples in the Firehouse Subs family.
Dan and Lisa Redolphy met two decades ago while they were working together at a popular country club in Naples, Florida. Dan was an aspiring professional golfer while Lisa was working in the food and beverage department.
The husband-wife duo own three Firehouse Subs restaurants in Southwest Florida – two in Fort Myers and one in Cape Coral – with a fourth location opening this summer.
Learn more about Dan and Lisa Redolphy and their advice on successfully operating restaurants with your spouse.
How long have you owned your Firehouse Subs restaurants with your spouse?
We opened our first restaurant nine years ago.
What’s your favorite part about working together?
I enjoy watching Lisa do what she does best, which is being a ‘people person.’ She is fantastic with our restaurant team members and guests and has the unique ability to make everyone around her feel comfortable.
What’s one thing that most people don’t know about owning and operating a restaurant with your spouse?
You have to REALLY be on the same page with each other. Two owners under one roof can be frustrating for the team and lead to mixed messaging. Most people think, “we can work together, heck, we live together!” That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Everything must be in-sync when you are working under the same roof.
What activities do you enjoy doing together outside of your restaurants?
We both love pool time at our home on the sunny days, entertaining friends, and watching our daughter Grace dance competitively.
What advice do you have for couples who work together?
The most frequent advice we received early in our career with Firehouse Subs was to try not to take the work home. When you are an owner, it is virtually impossible to do that. The key is finding the balance of private family time and time at home when work needs to be discussed. There must be a balance between both.
What does your ideal Valentine’s Day look like?
Our ideal Valentine’s Day would be a quiet night spent at home with either steaks on the grill or some type of BBQ on the smoker.
What are each of your favorite Firehouse Subs?
Dan enjoys the Firehouse Italian™ loaded with Captain Sorensen’s Datil Pepper Sauce and plenty of hot peppers! Lisa’s all-time favorite sub is the New York Steamer®.