95 | From Fired to Fortune: The Resilient Rise of Anchor Heating and Air with Stephanie Postell

Show Information 

Episode Number: 95

Date: July 7, 2025

Duration: 43:45

Host Contact Information

Host: Justin Deese

Website: JustinDeese.com 

Contact: Justin@JustinDeese.com

Guest Contact Information

Guest: Stephanie Postell

Company: Anchor Heating & Air

Website: https://anchorheatingandair.com

TikTok: @anchorheatingandairLLC

Facebook: Anchor Heating and Air LLC

Personal Contact: spostell@anchorheatingandair.com

Summary

In this inspiring episode of the Freedom Blueprint podcast, host Justin Deese sits down with Stephanie Postell, co-founder of Anchor Heating & Air in Charleston, SC. From being fired days before Christmas to building a multi-million-dollar HVAC business, Stephanie and her husband David’s journey is a story of faith, perseverance, and unapologetic community-driven growth.

Stephanie Postell shares how personal branding, authentic leadership, and creative social media strategy helped them build a $9M business in under four years—all while keeping their values front and center. Learn how their focus on culture, community, and connection helped them recruit top talent, grow a loyal customer base, and inspire others in the home services industry.

Takeaways

• Origin Story: How losing a job (twice) became the catalyst for starting Anchor Heating & Air.
• Building a Brand on Trust: Stephanie’s unique take on why authenticity beats paid ads every time.
• Community Marketing: Creative, low-cost ways to build loyalty and generate leads.
• Social media for Recruiting: How TikTok and Facebook have become hiring tools—not just ad platforms.
• Culture that Converts: What makes Anchor a place top techs want to work—and stay.
• Faith & Resilience: The deeper purpose behind their business and the role of faith in their journey.
• Freedom in Business: What it really means to work on your business, not just in it.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & Introduction

Justin introduces Stephanie Postell, co-founder of Anchor Heating & Air, and sets the stage for a high-impact conversation.

01:00 – Launching Anchor Heating & Air

Stephanie shares how she and David were unexpectedly fired and used that turning point to build their own HVAC company.

04:30 – Starting a Business… Two Weeks Before COVID

From honeymoon to hustle—how Anchor’s early days were shaped by a pandemic and unexpected adversity.

06:00 – Scaling Fast: From $2K to $9M in Under 4 Years

The key moves and mindset shifts that helped Anchor Heating & Air grow rapidly and profitably.

11:00 – Marketing on a Shoestring Budget

Why community engagement beats paid ads—and the real ROI behind birthday cakes, PTA meetings, and local sponsorships.

16:30 – Rejecting Google PPC & Outmarketing with Authenticity

Stephanie breaks down why Anchor has spent less than $7K on Google ads—and doesn’t regret it.

20:00 – TikTok for Recruiting? Yes, Really.

How a creative approach to social media became Anchor’s secret weapon for hiring top techs.

27:00 – Social Branding = Culture Amplified

Showing the human side of the business through fun, authentic content—and how it drives team loyalty and local awareness.

34:00 – Life Outside the Business

From bourbon collecting to off-road adventures—how Stephanie and David stay connected and grounded as married co-owners.

38:45 – The Freedom Fast Five

Rapid-fire insights on leadership, freedom, growth strategies, and one powerful lesson every business owner needs to hear.

43:45 – Final Thoughts: Culture Before Content

Why the foundation of culture must come before you ever pick up the phone to film a TikTok.

Keywords

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