This weekend I worked at the range. At the end of the course someone mentioned the name of my blog(no, it wasn’t me). The class was all men and one of them said, “Oh, so you are in competition with LimaTunes”
He was being funny. He is a nice guy and I enjoyed spending the weekend with all the students, but on the way home his comment was the topic of a discussion I had with TSM.
The idea that women in the industry are in competition with each other. To some extent that is true. People are competing for business, but I not in the way that joke was made.
First, I have no goals in the firearms industry. I am not really trying to be an instructor. I took the NRA course because I was asked to and in order to have some creditably at the range, but I do not envision me doing any more than I do now. For one thing I do not have the time to dedicate to it in order to be qualified in a manner I believe instructors should be. For another, I have other goals.
Secondly, I don’t actively try to build up my blog or FB. One of the things I love is that my blog is a true reflection of who I am and in the process several folks have come along for the ride. They have shared with me, taught me, supported me, and let me into their lives. It has been a blast, but becoming a big blogger has never been my goal or desire.
However, one of the things I have found to be unique among the female firearms professionals is their amazing support and promotion of other women in the industry. I have worked in a variety of professions and while never directly been a target I have seen competition and desire to get ahead bring out the absolute worst in some women. Catty, back biting, gossip, jealousy, undermining…
Ambition, the desire to be the best, to succeed, to grow, to make money are excellent! Nothing wrong with those, but one does not have to step on others in order to get there.
Every single woman I know(that I personally know) in the profession of guns, instruction, firearms gear, self defense, Second Amendment, blogging etc., has been overly supportive of other women. They promote other’s ideas, their courses, their conferences, their books, their blogs, their growth…
I would like to take the time to thank these women(you know who they are) for their support and encouragement of me. It has been my privileged and honor getting to know each of you.