Teams have always been the center of Team Gear’s business model. Jeff Rappaport was working in retail sporting goods, but wanted to try his hand at making the apparel himself.

In 2003, Jeff and his wife Dana launched Team Gear as an embroidery company serving sports teams and schools. They started with one six-head embroidery machine and one two-head embroidery machine, with the goal of growing over time.

Today, the business offers specialized screen printing, embroidery, and even laser engraving for sports teams.

“We offer the complete uniform, head to toe,” says Jeff Rappaport, owner of Team Gear, Inc.

Team Gear prides itself on offering high-quality products from top brands, including Under Armour, Alleson Athletic, Warrior, and Brine. To provide customers with solutions across the entire decorated apparel spectrum, financing became a key part of the company’s expansion into new product markets.

“I’m in the decorating business, not the equipment business,” Jeff explains. “We need a partner in that business that we trust.”

Since that partnership began, Team Gear has grown to 19 pieces of equipment, 25 employees, and a 12,000-square-foot workspace. Working with Beacon has helped Team Gear evolve into a one-stop shop for all sports apparel needs.

Team Gear Snapshot

• Decorated apparel business established in 2003 in Whippany, NJ
• Offers screen printing and embroidery for team-related apparel
• Started as a husband and wife with 2 embroidery machines
• Expanded to 25 employees, 19 pieces of equipment, and 12,000 sq ft
• Beacon Funding financed 21 leases, including 7 screen printers, 4 embroidery machines, 2 gas dryers, and some laser printers and software
• Gross sales continue to grow 20%+ a year

The Complete Package

Team Gear began in 2003 as an embroidery business in Whippany, NJ. Fourteen years later, the company expanded into screen printing, laser engraving, direct-to-substrate printing, and more.

They design, create, produce, package, and ship products—all under one roof.

 “What makes Team Gear different is we’re a complete service business. At Team Gear we like to control the whole process from start to finish.”

This full-service approach includes timely shipping, an online platform for team organizers, and complete uniform packages. Being their own distributor gives Team Gear the flexibility to adapt to each customer’s needs.

Their online stores and bundled packages simplify the ordering process for organizations. Instead of handling multiple vendors, a team member can order from the team’s store and receive a full uniform—including shoes and accessories—delivered without hassle.

“Our customers are buying the service and convenience of a full package,” Jeff says. “We take a big group and make it small.”

Beyond uniforms, Team Gear also offers UV printing, dye sublimation, and laser printing. These capabilities allow them to produce items like poker chips, golf balls, and printed banners.

This level of diversity is made possible by the equipment Team Gear has acquired over the years with Beacon’s support.

“Beacon has been a wonderful source of funding and a provider of used equipment, helping us save money and add to our bottom line,” Rappaport says.

Movin' On Up With Financing

Team Gear has worked with Beacon since 2004. Embroidery equipment vendor Barudan originally recommended Beacon due to the lender’s industry expertise.

“My rep is an expert—I value his opinion,” Jeff says.

The company’s financing journey began with embroidery equipment and expanded significantly over time. Today, Team Gear has financed 21 leases, covering embroidery machines, screen printers, gas dryers, laser printers, and software.

“Beacon is our partner in financing,” Rappaport explains. “They have a stake in the equipment and want to make sure we get the right product.”

Team Gear Screen Printing Machine Financing

For Jeff, the financing process has become routine. Paperwork is often completed within 24 hours, and deals move quickly.

That efficiency proved critical during a major transition in 2015, when Team Gear relocated from its previous building into a much larger 12,000-square-foot space. Unsure how to finance the move, Jeff turned to Beacon.

Unlike traditional banks or other vendors, Beacon showed confidence in Team Gear’s existing equipment.

“It was nice to see that the investment we had made could be used as collateral for new financing. Beacon went outside the box of a typical financing company and truly became our partner.”

By leveraging their assets, Team Gear was able to fund its expansion with Beacon’s support. Beacon cared about the move and wanted a stake in the company’s continued success.

Pump Up the Volume Growing and Growing

Team Gear delivers a full-package uniform experience thanks to high-quality production and advanced equipment. What started with a handful of clients has grown into production runs of 100 to 1,000 pieces at a time.

Since their expansion, the company’s gross sales have continued to grow by 20 percent or more each year.

“We’ve come a long way since 2003 with the help of Beacon Funding,” Jeff says.

---------

Thank you to Team Gear for participating in Beacon Funding's Success Spotlight program. The Success Spotlight program gives Beacon customers and partners a chance to shine with recognition of their equipment financing success. This is achieved through enhanced exposure and free nationwide publicity through Beacon's online channels.

To learn more about the program click here.