One Pint At A Time

Most people who meet F.W. Pearce and Charlie Apt say the same thing: They have the best jobs in the world. "Every dinner party we go to, someone says, 'I can't think of a better job,"' says Apt, president of Ciao Bella Gelato, a gourmet ice cream maker in New York. "And they're right."

Beyond the obvious pleasures of spending his days sampling grapefruit Campari sorbetto and mint chocolate chip gelato -- Apt has gained 40 pounds on the job -- there has been plenty of hard work. Apt and CEO Pearce have transformed a 300-square-foot scoop shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side into a $10 million, 75-employee company. They got a nice push in September after two teams from The Apprentice vied on air to create new flavors -- red velvet beat out vanilla donut -- helping boost retail pint sales 30% for the year.