Fayetteville Observer's 40 Under 40 Class of 2022: Brian Graybill
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Name: Brian Graybill
Age: 39
Birthplace/where you were raised: Born in Leominster, Massachusetts. I grew up primarily there and here in Fayetteville with a couple of other locations scattered around. Army brat!
Where do you live now? Haymount
Employer: I'm self-employed!
Job title: On paper, I'm the CEO and owner of Graybill Hospitality Co., LLC. In reality, I'm a cook, dishwasher, plumber, HR, manager, creative director, etc., and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Who are your immediate family members? My wonderful and talented wife, Staci, and our kids Joslyn, 15, and Connor, 7. We also have a German Shepherd puppy named Severus, and two cats, Gisele and Newspaper. Yes, the cat's name is Newspaper.
Education: I graduated high school here at Jack Britt after a few years at Douglas Byrd. I went to Appalachian State for a year and the following summer in 2002 I enlisted. I was an Army air traffic controller, NCO, and loved (almost) every minute of it.
What community and professional groups are you affiliated with? I am on the executive board of an amazing nonprofit, the Veteran's Farm of NC, and also affiliated with the MOX Collective!
Here's the list: Meet the Fayetteville Observer's 40 Under 40 award winners for 2022
What are your guiding principles? I'll illustrate this in a couple quotes.
"Rules? There are no rules. Do whatever you want." Grant Achatz, chef, Alinea
"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult." Seneca
"Well done is better than well said." Ben Franklin
How do you volunteer your time in the community? With the VFNC, which is an amazing organization that aids and educates veterans and transitioning military into a life in agriculture. In serving on the board of VFNC, I get to work and collaborate with some incredibly smart, passionate and dedicated people to help connect two groups I will always be behind, military veterans and farmers. Aside from work with VFNC, at our restaurant Napkins, for example, we try to continually give back to the community as often as possible. For example, this past winter we ran a program turning all profits from our "Burgermeister Meisterburger Burger" into a shopping spree for toys, donating over $1,700 worth to a few local organizations in time for Christmas. We had more fun as a staff ransacking Target and Hobby Lobby with carts full of all sorts of toys than I can even begin to explain!
Who has helped you achieve success in your life and career? Oh, wow. Well, the support from my wife and family is the biggest and most important driving force behind any of it. Taking a big bet on yourself is terrifying sometimes, and without them behind me, things would surely be different. Immediately after that, as anyone who has been out to Napkins knows, we have the most incredible group of people that I've ever had the privilege of working with. Full Stop. I also have to give credit to my mom, Cheryll, who growing up always encouraged my creativity, and my dad, Steve, through his long and inspiring service to our country in the military and beyond and his uncanny ability to just ... always know just what to do and how to do it right. Nobody gets anywhere all alone. Community is everything.
What goal would you like to accomplish before turning 40? Well, I'm running out of time on that one! I guess I just hope for continued personal and professional growth, maybe eke in a vacation with the family, get our new restaurant Pan rolling downtown. Nothing too crazy!
What's your favorite book? Fiction: "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. Nonfiction: "Washington: A Life" by Ron Chernow
What are your hobbies? I really should make more time for hobbies. I do enjoy riding a motorcycle, watching my Boston-based sports teams (Go Sox!), a little Irish whiskey, watching any and all soccer.
What's your most prized possession? I'd have to say my dog, Severus, even if he has a passion for stealing shoes. Or maybe my grandfather's pocketknife.
If you had a theme song for your life, what would it be? I'd like to say it was the theme song from James Bond movies, but it's probably more like the intro from "The Office."
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville Observer's 40 Under 40: Brian Graybill of Napkins
