Episode 20 | Garth Fasano & Christi Loucks with guest, Evan Stewart Buying the business is the easy part. Leading it is not. In this episode of Bought the Biz, Garth and Christi sit down with Evan Stewart, owner and CEO of Direct One, a 70+ employee commercial print and direct mail company. Evan shares what it really felt like stepping into a production-heavy business, realizing he was the least knowledgeable person in the building, and learning that authority isn't granted at close. It's earned. They unpack the realities searchers don't always see coming: fragile legacy systems, tribal knowledge that never shows up in diligence, the stress of working capital swings, and the uncomfortable leadership moments where being kind matters more than being liked.Evan also walks through how he approached cultural change, built credibility with long-tenured operators, and repositioned a legacy business for long-term growth in a changing industry. If you're considering entrepreneurship through acquisition, or already living the operator life, this episode is a grounded look at what it actually takes to earn trust and lead after the deal is done.