Free Pizza and the Deep Dish Business Lesson

The doorbell rang just as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hit its stride. I paused the movie, wondering who could be stopping by unannounced on a Sunday night.

I opened the door to an arctic blast of Indianapolis winter and... a clear bag sitting innocently on my doormat, steam condensing against the plastic like a tiny fog machine.

No delivery person. No explanation. Just abandoned food.

I picked it up—unexpectedly HEAVY—and brought it inside.

"Giordano's," I observed, spotting the logo.

My eyes widened. Having lived in the Chicago burbs, I'd heard the legends of Giordano's—the penthouse of pizzas, the royalty of round food—but I'd never actually experienced one myself.

I'm notoriously not a pizza person, but this wasn't just any pizza. Somewhere out there, someone was about to be very disappointed. I owed it to them to honor their dream by eating their pizza. It was practically a public service.

I opened the box to find what can only be described as a pizza skyscraper. This wasn't a pizza—it was a geological formation with cheese. Almost two inches thick and constructed backwards: crust on the bottom, then toppings, cheese, and sauce layered on top like a savory lasagna.

I Googled out of curiosity: a $50 DoorDash delivery meant for someone else entirely, delivered to the wrong address.

I debated pizza karma for a moment before taking a tentative bite. And just like that—mind blown. The crust wasn't just perfection, it made me a better woman.

I've had recurring dreams about that pie. I've written it poetry. I've considered changing my relationship status to "it's complicated" with Giordano's. If pizzas could file restraining orders, this one would have grounds based on how often I've thought about it.

And there it was—the business lesson hiding in the cheese:

The best innovations often come when we're willing to flip the conventional approach upside down.

THINK ABOUT IT: 

• Giordano's literally reversed the expected order of pizza construction to create something extraordinary
• They didn't just make a "better" pizza—they fundamentally questioned what a pizza could be

The most successful clients I've coached don't just improve the existing model—they stay curious enough to ask: "What if we approached this completely differently?"

• Staying flexible enough to recognize opportunity when it doesn't match your expectations.
• Staying curious enough to try things that challenge your preconceptions.
• Staying present enough to appreciate the unexpected gifts that land on your doorstep.

That accidentally delivered deep dish wasn't just dinner—it was a masterclass in business innovation disguised as cheese and dough. Sometimes the universe knows what you need before you do—you just have to be present enough to receive it, flexible enough to try it, and curious enough to enjoy it.

What conventional approach in your business might be ready for an upside-down reinvention? What if your next breakthrough is just waiting for you to flip your thinking?

If you're ready to dream your extra-cheese dream and discover what's possible when you turn your conventional approaches upside down, set up some time with me at https://www.freetime.chat.