The Nine Hour Week w/ Craig Melillo of Gracie's Apizza

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On this episode, meet Craig, owner/operator of Gracie's Apizza in Portland, Oregon who runs his restaurant like no one else I've ever met. Three days a week, nine hours total, and he's completely content with that. No debt, no investors breathing down his neck, no pressure to expand or chase the latest trends. This conversation completely shifted how I think about what success looks like in the restaurant world. Craig has built something that works for HIM, not what others tell you a restaurant should be, and not what food media says you need to do, but what actually makes sense for his life. This isn't about grinding harder or scaling bigger—it's about building something sustainable that works for you. Craig proves you can be successful without burning out, profitable without debt, and respected without playing games you don't want to play.

Chapters:

0:00 - Can there be too Much Pizza?

2:31 - Working Solo 10:10 - Building Neighborhood Community

21:16 - Business Philosophy: What's the Point?

28:15 - Craig’s Model: Open Nine Hours Per Week

32:14 - Avoiding Anxiety

41:12 - Portland vs Philadelphia

56:59 - Running a Debt-Free Business

1:13:33 - Parenting Changes

1:27:34 -Authentic Customer Service