(Almost) Reckless Episode 1.10 - Fran Camaj
Nov 26, 2025
Fran Camaj, founder of the Gjelina Group in Venice, California, shares his entrepreneurial journey with Amy Smilovic. He discusses the evolution of his brand, from the original Gjelina restaurant to multiple thriving locations, emphasizing his gut instincts and passion. Fran reveals the challenges of learning to manage a business without mentors and the resilience required after setbacks like a fire in NYC. He highlights the importance of community authenticity, the creative constraints faced while expanding, and the value of real estate in driving his ventures forward.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Unexpected Setback At Gjelina New York
- Fran describes opening Gjelina in Venice in 2008 and later expanding to New York and Las Vegas. He recounts New York's opening halted by a fire that flooded and closed the space for a year and a half.
Early Jobs Built Practical Skills
- Fran tells how he arrived in L.A. in the mid-'90s and worked as a waiter, substitute teacher, and football coach. Those jobs taught him people skills and resilience that later helped run restaurants.
Don't Inflate Early Problems
- Don't catastrophize early problems: most problems feel huge in the moment but shrink in retrospect. Work through issues and you'll often find they were less severe than they felt.