07/21/2026
Today marks the 15-year anniversary of PDX Arsenal!! đđđ
Did you know that approximately 20% of businesses fail within their first year?
By five years, that number skyrockets to 50%.
And at the ten years mark, the failure rate rises to a staggering 65â75%. đ¤Ż
I intentionally waited until the day is almost gone because I donât want the creditânor do I desire it.
I want to make one thing crystal clear: The glory goes to God, and God alone.
He knew from the moment I entered this world that teaching would become my calling. From day 1 one starting PDX Arsenal my only goal has ever been to make a positive impact on peopleâs lives and to do it to the very best of my ability, every single day.
Since July 20, 2011, PDX Arsenal has brought seasons of successâbut, more often than not, seasons of doubt, uncertainty, stress, anxiety, and moments where I was convinced that I would become just another statistic⌠one more small business that simply couldnât find a way to survive.
Instead, this journey has given me something far more valuable than financial success ever could:
It has blessed me with friendships, relationships, and lifelong bonds that no amount of money could ever buy.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank every single person who has ever supported PDX Arsenal in any way, shape, or form.
Whether you have attended a class, left a review, referred a friend, shared a post, partnered with us, or simply believed in what we were trying to buildâyou have played a part in this journey, and without you, this wouldnât have been possible.
Because of your support, my team and I have had the incredible privilege of helping tens of thousandâs of people become safer, more educated, and more confident firearm owners. That responsibility is something we will never take for granted.
When I first started this company, if I had walked into a bank asking for a business loan based on my business plan, I would have been laughed out the door.
Yet here we areâ15 years laterâstill operating under the very same philosophy we started with: earning the trust of new students every single week, knowing there is no legal requirement for them to ever return once theyâve received their license.
That means every class, every recommendation, and every review has to be earned.
Some of you have supported PDX Arsenal in ways that are impossible to measure. Youâve invested your time, your encouragement, your expertise, your referrals, your prayers, and your friendship, and I want you to know I could never possibly repay you for what youâve done for me.
But I can promise you this: I will always do my best to pay it forward.
If thereâs one thing I hope everyone takes away from this post, itâs this:
Dream big. Set goals that in thr moment you feel are impossible. Believe in yourself, even if no one else believes in you. Work harder than everyone else in the room, but most important, Trust that God has a plan for your lifeâand when He opens a door, have the courage to walk through it.
Cheers to the first 15 amazing years⌠and God willing, the next 15+ as well!
Long live PDX Arsenal. đđ
