We had the good fortune of connecting with John P. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The idea for starting Redwire Gear came from a discussion about softball. A friend was explaining a game where a team had a comfortable lead and was no longer trying hard. It essentially came down to no one swings for the fences any more. As I was driving home from that I decided to swing for the fences and start my own business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The business was started to create practical accessories for the shooting sports, law enforcement and military communities. We strive to bring high value items to the market. Redwire has grown organically since its creation through use of social media and word of mouth from our customers and supporters. Growing the company has been challenging at times due to political and economic fluctuations over the years. In order to get where we are we have just kept our heads down and continued working. The biggest lesson I have learned is there are no friends in business regardless of what others say. We have had a few instances where we trusted a “friends” word and got burned. The most important thing we want people to know is that we exist.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We are mostly home bodies and don’t really go out much. If a friend from out of town were to visit we absolutely take them north to Sedona, Flagstaff and probably the Grand Canyon. As far as places to eat there are a ton of great breweries and small family owned restaurants along the way. We prefer to support smaller locally owned places as often as possible.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My friend and first business mentor Glen S. and my wife have both contributed to the success of the business.

Website: www.redwiregear.com

Instagram: @redwiregear

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