Becoming a firearm trainer??

Cameronswmp9

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I was talking with the wife and the topic of becoming a trainer came up. I did some research and had a few questions.

I know going through the NRA is going to be the best bet. I was having a hard time finding classes offered on behalf of the NRA local or semi local (Raleigh area). Does anyone know who offered them? I looked at TSA and they showed a intro women's class, nothing on BIT.

Outside of CCW, what are some popular classes people want to go into? I know it's a bit subjective, but looking at a bit of market research.

What are thoughts on doing Armorer's classes?

For a small time instructor, worthwhile to get an FFL for transfers to supplement income?

I don't have anywhere to shoot for the class. Privately I've ised TSA and PDHSC, and friends land (well, friends of friends). For a lot of classes, especially CCW, it's required. That would be a requirement for me to find, and pretty close to the Cary area for now.

I'm not looking at an overnight industry switch, just taking a hobby I love and turning it into a way to help pay for itself. If it goes, then even better.

What else could you think about that could be good information?
 
I have almost every instructor certification offered by the NRA as well as licensed to teach the CHP class in N.C. I hardly use either. Shooting is my passion and while I enjoy teaching and sharing that passion with others, you seldom get anyone who gives a crap which way the wind blows in a CHP class. They are there because they have to be, not because the want to be. 95% of folks that show up already know it all.... I don’t know about you, but standing in front of 10-20 people rolling their eyes and sighing every few minutes can make for a very long day.

And don’t even think you’re going to make money doing it. If you do it right, you’ll spend far more than you’ll ever make. You have to do it because you enjoy it or you’ll be miserable pretty quick. It simply isn’t a profitable venture.

However, I have done some private classes for small groups, some of which were NFL players, NASCAR guys, and even a few PGA guys and have enjoyed every minute of those! Why? It wasn’t because I was charging more or teaching wealthy people, it was simply because they wanted to be there. They were great students that made the job pleasurable. This is about the only kind of class that I will do nowadays. I’m not a Groupon kind of guy...yes, I said Groupon, that’s what your competition will be doing.
 
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Been doing instruction for 40 odd years and like @hlpressley I hold about every NRA designation they have. Some of mine are related the the GSP Academy in Atlanta and I still do some classes there but the most fun I have had recently is teaching the reloading classes. As was stated, it's more fun when you have people that WANT to be there instead of having to attend.

The loading classes are fun because you dispel some myths and introduce knowledge that only comes from doing something for years. When students learn that I began reloading at the ripe old age of 16 they must think I'm pushing 100 but we quickly dispel that notion.
 
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