As you may recall, I was laid off from the Antarctic Program last April, and the job market here is dismal to say the least. So, I got my NRA Basic Pistol Instructor Certification in hopes of teaching CCW classes here in CO and up in WY. Well I've been working toward getting classes together for over 6 months, and have only had 3 students so far.
Last week, I got a call from a guy about a poster I'd hung advertising my course at a local Gander Mountain Store. He said that he worked for a company called Equiped 2 Conceal, and that they had an exclusive contract with Gander Mt. and he had to take my poster down. Well I went off a little
![Cussing [cuss]](./images/smilies/anim_cussing.gif)
, such typical
![BS [bs]](./images/smilies/anim_bs.gif)
. Well, the guy kept me on the line and ended up recruiting me to teach for them.
I almost feel like a sell out, but with a company teaching in 8 states, and with a web based scheduling and advertising program, how can I as an individual compete. Plus, unlike many such companies, they at least teach some of the local state laws governing the use of force. So, I agreed to an interview. In that, I found out that their Marketing Manager and Lead Instructor for Colorado had just quit. He didn't actually offer me the position, but he did say that they would be watching me as I taught for them over the next few months, and if I impressed them, this could go from teaching 3 to 4 classes a month for $75 each, to a full time saleried possition both teaching and marketing for them.
When I mentioned that my wife lives and works in WY near the NE border, and that I'd already considered trying to teach in both of those states, his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas Eve. He said that if I could open those new markets, there could be some serious compensation.
Yesterday, I sat in on one of their classes. Pretty much what I expected, an NRA basic pistol course where the use of the word Weapon is not frouned on. Yes they did discuss the CO Make My Day law, but there are far more legal issues that need to be incorporated into the program. Howerer, I think that I may be able to expand this from the inside, and turn this program around.
I also learned that there are several states, like FL, that has no residency rule and they have resiprocity with even more states than CO. Go figure. So anyone from anywhere, can get a CCW from FL and legally carry in lots of other states, however, under CO law, the FL permit is only good in CO if you have a FL residence, but only a few states have that provision. These things can get a little tangled.
Any way, wish me luck in this.
_________________
Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option
