Grit Won’t Quit #200: Meatballs, Mozzarella, and a Masterclass in Perseverance with Joe Leone & John Hilla
It is our 200th episode and we are celebrating with a Jersey Shore original. Tom sits down with brother-in-laws and business partners Joe Leone and John Hilla, the duo behind Joe Leone’s Italian Specialties. What began as “a few meatballs and mozzarella” became a Shore staple powered by grit, community, and a whole lot of dough, both literal and figurative.
The Origin Story: A Summer Job That Never Ended
In the late 90s, Joe had the culinary chops and a tiny Point Pleasant Beach storefront. John came home from college for a summer delivery job and never looked back. Opening week was scrappy: coins emptied from car consoles to make change, four employees hired before there was cash to pay them, and an “open the doors at 2:00” mantra born from a broken bread oven and Joe’s lucky number two. The plan was simple. Turn on the lights. Work today. Work harder tomorrow.
Early lesson: You do not need a perfect business plan. You need customers, courage, and the willingness to learn fast.
Listening Built the Menu
The first offerings were bread, fresh mozzarella, meatballs, prepared foods, and salads. Customers drove the evolution. Someone asked for a tray of lasagna. Someone else wanted antipasto for Saturday. Catering was born because the community asked for it. Even the meatball recipe changed after a family-led taste tour of local favorites. Joe adapted his grandmother’s fluffy style to a firmer, fork-cut classic that now sells by the thousands each week.
Early lesson: Let your customers co-create the product. Write down what they ask for and find a way to deliver.
Trials by Fire, Water, and a Pandemic
Fifteen years in, Joe and John opened their larger flagship store on June 2, 2012, at 2:00. Four months later, Superstorm Sandy hit. With power out and walk-ins warming, the team cooked everything they could on propane, set up battery lights, opened the doors, and fed neighbors, first responders, and National Guard units. Years later, during the pandemic, they pivoted to curbside overnight and ran 300 transactions a day with a one-page “describe it and we will pack it” menu.
Crisis lesson: Do the right thing first. Revenue follows relevance. Teams follow clear decisions.
Growing the Right Way
From a nine-person opening crew to a team of 150, growth came from surrounding themselves with people “better than us.” An 88-year-old Brooklyn baker leveled up the bread. Experienced chefs brought technique. Leadership matured with a COO, people leadership, and a clear focus on culture. In 2022, they added Manasquan, taking over the beloved Center Food Market location and honoring its neighborhood charm.
Growth lesson: Hire for expertise. Invest in your culture. Keep the core simple and excellent.
Why They Are Still Here
Joe and John credit faith, family, and relentless work. They also stayed close to the Shore on purpose. The ocean, the parishes, the neighborhoods, the lines out the door on holidays. Success was never instant. It was earned one holiday rush, one repaired oven, one catering tray, and one neighborly favor at a time.
Two Entrepreneur Tips You Will Actually Use
Joe: Stay in your lane. Do what only you can do. Bring in pros for the rest. Most mistakes came from trying to be someone he is not.
John: Expect to grind. Success takes more effort than you planned, then more than that.
Episode Highlights (Approximate Timestamps)
0:50–2:30 The “delivery driver” call that changed everything
4:10–7:30 Opening with no safety net and paying people at day’s end
11:00–14:30 Customers shape the menu, the meatball makeover
15:50–21:30 New flagship store opens, then Sandy hits, and the team feeds the community
22:40–24:30 Pandemic pivot to curbside and a one-page menu
26:45–29:30 Manasquan story and honoring a local legend
33:00–35:30 The holiday rush that taught them to level up systems
35:20–37:10 Two candid tips for founders
What This Episode Teaches
Listening beats guessing. Your customers are your best product managers.
Culture compounds. Ten people who care become 150 who care if you invest in them.
Resilience is a habit. Practice small pivots so you are ready for the big ones.
Roots matter. Place and community are strategic advantages when you show up for them.
Celebrate the 200th With Us
Press play to hear the full conversation, the laughs, and the stories that did not make the summary. Share it with a friend who is building something from scratch.
This podcast episode was filmed at Wingman Planning in Belmar.
