Tim Palazzolo shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Tim, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I wake up and work on tagging and posting a video to our social media that I edited the day or days before. Then it’s time to get ready for the day. The first part of my day in the office starts out doing billing and going over the hours that my employees billed the day before. Then it’s on to the financial side of the business and I go through the bank and credit card charges from the previous day. I monitor everything and work on billing daily. This allows me to be more descriptive with the customers invoices because I am in the shop and I know what was done and how long it took. I start tracking shipments, work on parts needed, and plan out what tasks need to get done on which car that morning.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Tim Palazzolo, and I am the Owner and President of GAP Industries Inc. We specialize in building high end, high horsepower classic vehicles that can perform as good, if not better than today’s modern vehicles. I have a passion for building vehicles and building a relationship with the customer during the process.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My marriage has really shaped who I am today and how I see myself. I met my wife before I started the business. We would ride around in a 300.00 truck and she did not care about money, assets, or anything material. It was not something I was used to and it changed how I viewed myself and my relationship with others. She has been with me through the growth of the business. She has pulled me through the downs and pushed me through the ups.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Years ago, I sank a ton of time and labor into a vehicle to try and get the company name out there, build my brand, and earn some awards. After the car did what I had intended it to do, the customer went back on his word as far as repayment for me and my business and it was a definite gut punch. I was devastated, financially and emotionally. To put your heart and soul into something for 4 plus years and its ripped away for someone else’s financial gain was tough. It was a very valuable lesson. But I good friend and customer talked me off the ledge. He actually encouraged me to build him something to outshine that car and it did just that. I often joke that I would not still be building cars if it was not for him and his encouragement. He is no longer with us as he passed away a few years ago. But I know he would be proud of where we are today and what me and my team are doing.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
I am the public version of myself. That is a good and bad thing sometimes. You never have to wonder what I am thinking or how I feel about someone. I have no problem just saying it like it is. I make it a habit to be as open with my customers as possible as well. They are invested in me and my business when we are building a vehicle. It is a process and I try to make it as enjoyable as possible. I also tell them the truth, even if it’s not what they want to hear. I found it’s just easier that way.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I grew up dreaming of customizing cars. I would sit in class and draw on my notebooks. I was obsessed with changing and doing anything I could on a vehicle. It started with BMX bikes, then progressed into mini-trucks, and then into classic cars. I never in a million years thought I would get paid, much less make a living doing what I am doing. I never thought I could have a shop like I own, have employees who amaze me with their growing skills daily, and customers who are friends and a huge support group. I get to go to work (if we want to call it that) everyday and do what I love. There is not another job in the world that I would want to do. If I won the lottery today, I would still come in and do exactly what I do now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.builtbygap.com
- Instagram: @gap_industries
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gapindustriestx/
- Youtube: GAP Industries
Image Credits
Car photos from Not Stock Photography
