Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Frank Palazzo, Owner of St. Louis Race Gear & U.S. Race Gear, located in Berkeley, MO, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We stock Auto Racing Safety Apparel & Equipment, including Helmets, Head & Neck Restraints, Fire Retardant Suits, Shoes, Gloves & Underwear. Our customers are Racers of every kind, from Auto Crossers to Drag Racers to Dirt Track Racers to Road Course Racers and Rock Hoppers. "Our Mission is Our Customers' Safety."

Tell us about yourself

I decided to start doing Trackday Events (HPDEs) and was told I had to get a helmet. I soon discovered that no one in the St. Louis Region stocked helmets or any other racing gear that customers could walk in and get properly fitted. As I already owned a business in St. Louis that had the space available, I decided to fix that issue for racers of every kind in the region.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Filling a real need for our customers locally as well as online by taking the risk to try.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Staying the course when things get difficult.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Cash is King; never forget that.
  2. Do something that you believe in and have faith in yourself.
  3. Have fun.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.usracegear.com/


If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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