Meet Alicia & Shawn Rizzo: Owners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alicia & Shawn Rizzo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alicia & Shawn, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind our success is our culture. It is the foundation of everything we do. When we were birthing Kraken Motorsports we wanted to create a place that was different, a place where everyone was welcome regardless of status or knowledge level. The foundation to achieve that had to be the culture. We had to hire people that foundationally have the same values at their core that Shawn and I do. People who not only love performance, but care about the car and the person driving it. People who have pride in their work, strive to provide the highest quality possible and are honest (sometimes to a fault) all while treating Kraken as a home, not just a job. Our brand is our culture, it’s the paintings on the walls, the laughter, the crazy Australian Shepard that greets people at the door, the kick butt cars we build, the base for the level of quality work we do, the standards we live by on a daily basis and it all starts with the people that are this team. The culture and values this team holds is what makes the extra hours everyone puts in enjoyable and meaningful rather than frustrating. Culture also helps accelerate the drive to succeed and decrease the fear because when you have a strong culture, anything is possible.

What should our readers know about your business?
We are an automotive performance shop specializing in Japanese cars. We do everything from alignments, repair and maintenance to suspension, engine builds, fabrication, basically anything you can do to maintain or improve your vehicle we can do here. We have partnered with Calvin Dotson of Dotson Tuning, the top tuner in the area and if we may be so bold, the USA to be able to provide a one stop shop for our customers. The level of quality we provide in every aspect of our work, our culture and the level of agility we have sets us apart from other shops. One of the things that sets us apart is we consider ourselves to be a true partner with the community. We work with charity organizations each year, such as Toys for Tots, Animal shelters, 22 Kill which supports veterans and first responders and Christ’s Haven. We are most proud that we did it, did it well and are growing. Was it easy…..LOL….absolutely not. It has taken a lot of hard work, planning, dedication and flexibility. We overcome challenges because we are willing to change quickly. This is incredibly important when owning a business. You cannot succeed with the “it works, we’ve always done it this way” mentality. What works still may not be the best way for the success of your business. What has really helped us is the shared passion for what we do. Shawn is an expert in JDM vehicles, match that with my Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and business acumen = success (or at least the best attempts at success). LOL! We want the world to know we work on ALL Japanese make cars (ex: Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, Nissan, Mazda) and some European cars like Porsche and BMW. So dont hesitate to call us at 817-744-8240. We we are here to meet all of your needs when it comes to JDM vehicles. If you want to come to a place where you can fully trust the Technicians and owners, then come see us. We bridge the gap between the car you drive and the car you dream of. Whatever that dream looks like.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is hard for us, as a small business we dont get a ton of time for this. LOL! So here is our best shot at it: 1. Dinner at Eddie V’s in Fort Worth — cause well YUM! 2. A day trip to Blue Ostrich Winery in St. Jo. They have great wine, views and did I mention the Ostrich?? 3. Fort Worth Art Museum cause a little culture is always good for the soul 4. Botanical Gardens – a great place to just clear your head 5. Stockyards – because everyone loves to see the cattle drive, the food is great and it’s fun. 6. We would also take a trip to Dallas to check out the Aquarium 7. If it’s not COVID, Bass Hall for a show.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We want to dedicate our shoutout and success to all those that helped make this dream a reality; Sam Rizzo, Scott Ripley, Paul & Linda Sanford, Donna & Bill Liebbe, Suzanne & Calvin Dotson, Josh Stogsdil at Frost Bank, everyone at the Small Business Development Center (especially Cynthia) & SCORE, the folks at the 2019 City of Fort Worth Business Plan Competition and of course all of our friends, family and customers that have supported us. Special thanks go to our team, Josh Duncan, Ben Hedum and Phillip MacPherson for all of their hard work and dedication.

Website: www.kraken-motorsport.com
Instagram: @krakenmotorsports
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krakenbuilt/
Youtube: Kraken Motorsports DFW

Image Credits
Side B Productions LLC