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On this episode, we sit down with Doug Mirielo, owner of DIMO's Apizza in Portland, Oregon, to discuss his incredible journey from opening with just $6,000 to creating one of the most unique pizza operations in the Pacific Northwest. Doug shares the story behind his unconventional two-oven method (Pizza Master + wood-fired oven), moving from the East Coast to LA to Portland, becoming a new dad during COVID, and why he's expanding with a deli concept next door. Plus, we dive into customer entitlement, the broken tipping system, and Doug's hot takes on pizza trends.

Chapters:

00:00 - Opening: Why Doug Started DIMO's Apizza in Portland

02:00 - How to Start a Pizza Shop with $6,000: Doug's Pop-Up Origin Story

05:22 - Opening a Pizzeria During COVID: New Dad, New Business Challenges

10:06 - Pizza Business Partnerships: When to Walk Away from Bad Deals

13:40 - Pizza Shop Management: Leading Teams and Work-Life Balance

21:39 - The Two-Oven Method: Why DIMO's Uses Pizza Master + Wood Fire

25:46 - New Haven Style Pizza: Recreating East Coast Tradition in Portland

28:36 - Pizza Perfection: Well-Baked vs Lightly Baked Pies

32:10 - Pizza Oven Capacity: How Many Pies Can You Really Make?

37:13 - Pizza Shop Traditions: Ranch, East Coast Foods, and Customer Preferences

41:02 - Moving from LA to Portland: Why Pizza Shop Owners Leave California

48:36 - Pizza Business Expansion: Adding a Deli to Your Pizzeria

57:21 - Restaurant Build-Out Reality: Why Every Project Goes Over Budget

1:05:33 - Pizza Industry Problems: Customer Entitlement and Tipping Culture

1:17:21 - Overrated vs Underrated: Half-and-Half Pizzas, Secret Menus & Pizza Trends

This Episode’s Sponsors→

🌾 Use Code: PIE2PIE to Get 15% Off Cairnspring Mills Flour: https://bit.ly/CairnspringMills

🌶️ Join The Pepper Flake Revolution: https://bit.ly/flatironpepper

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🚀HOW TO STEAL A RECIPE https://www.subscribepage.com/howtostealarecipe

🍕 Thinking of Opening a Pizza Shop? Start here: https://howtoopenapizzashop.com/

My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexkoons

In this episode, we dive deep into Candy's remarkable transformation from the corporate tech world to building one of Portland's most unique pizzerias in a converted craftsman home. Her engineering background shines through every aspect of her operation - from creating temperature-controlled "bubble homes" for sourdough starters to designing ultra-efficient kitchen workflows that pump out 350+ pizzas on busy nights with just four back-of-house staff.

Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction & Sponsor Messages 2:15 - Opening The Turning Peel: A 5-Month Soft Launch 3:30 - From Tech World to Restaurant: An Unconventional Path 4:25 - Building Dreams: The Craftsman House Transformation 6:17 - Two and a Half Years of DIY Restaurant Construction 8:13 - Getting Laid Off: The Push Needed for Change 10:01 - From Farmers Market to Food Truck Journey 11:40 - The Decision to Open in the Craftsman House 14:17 - First Day Reality Check: Selling Only Two Pizzas 16:30 - Building Community Through Pizza 17:10 - Solo Operations: Taking Orders, Cooking & Serving 19:14 - Efficiency & Engineering: The Hong Kong Influence 21:05 - Sourdough Philosophy: Feeding Your Starter Like a Baby 26:18 - The $25,000 Dough Ball Machine Disaster 32:13 - QR Code Ordering: Creating Operational Efficiency 35:46 - Simple Menu Philosophy: Let Ingredients Shine 39:52 - Husband's Role: Quality Control & Taste Testing 42:18 - The Crust Sauce Innovation: Reducing Food Waste 45:38 - From Car Deliveries to Professional Distribution 47:24 - Work-Life Balance: Family Time vs Restaurant Demands 51:21 - Pricing Philosophy: Keeping Pizza Accessible 54:01 - Management Structure: Learning to Let Go 56:05 - Setting Boundaries: No Weekend Work Policy 58:00 - Creating a Special Community Space 1:02:16 - The Hong Kong Childhood: 100 Square Feet, 7 People 1:06:49 - Running Away from Home: The Journey to America 1:13:19 - PhD Dreams and Parental Expectations 1:18:36 - The American Dream: Still Alive and Achievable 1:27:40 - Employee Retention: The Compensation Challenge 1:32:31 - 30-Day Goals: Stepping Back from the Line 1:38:10 - Learning from Mistakes: Embracing Failure 1:43:24 - Family Recognition: When Parents Finally Understood 1:49:41 - Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

This Episode’s Sponsors→

🌾 Use Code: PIE2PIE to Get 15% Off Cairnspring Mills Flour: https://bit.ly/CairnspringMills

🌶️ Join The Pepper Flake Revolution: https://bit.ly/flatironpepper

🎶 Maestro Sausage: https://bit.ly/maestro-sausage

🍕 Be in Business for yourself, not by yourself w/ SLICE : https://bit.ly/SLICENOW

Get a NEW GOZNEY: https://us.gozney.com/?dt_id=1529737

Here's some FREE stuff →

🚀HOW TO STEAL A RECIPE https://www.subscribepage.com/howtostealarecipe

🍕 Thinking of Opening a Pizza Shop? Start here: https://howtoopenapizzashop.com/

My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexkoons

On this episode, meet Darby Aldaco, owner of Pizza Thief! 🍕 We dive deep into Darby's journey from literally stealing pizzas as a teenager to becoming one of Portland's most respected pizzeria owners. Plus: Tony (Darby's business partner) makes a surprise appearance, social media burnout confessions, and why Darby thinks pizza ovens are overrated!

Key Ingredients

✅ How to transition from pastry chef to pizza maker ✅ Managing a team of 30+ employees across two locations ✅ The real cost of using premium ingredients (spoiler: their cheese alone costs $0.70 more per pound!) ✅ Why Pizza Thief's margins are only 30% on their most expensive pie ✅ The psychology of pricing $30+ pizzas in today's market

Chapters:

2:07 Pizza Maker Secrets: Why Baking Takes Talent, Pizza Takes Time

3:25 From Pastry Chef to Pizza Maker

10:25 Pizza Thief Origin Story: How Stealing Pizza Led to Prison Time

15:16 How to Start a Pizza Business: From Failed Bakery to Portland Success

19:47 Pizza Shop Partnership: When Business Partners Feel Trapped

23:08 Portland Pizza Scene: Market Analysis & Local Competition

37:47 Pizza Shop Operations: Managing Staff & Daily Challenges

31:36 Pizza Business Finances: The Reality of Premium Ingredient Costs

50:17 Restaurant Social Media Burnout: Is Instagram Hurting Your Business?

01:24:11 Pizza Equipment Deep Dive: Why Pizza Masters Are Overrated