March 4, 2026 • 18 mins
The Amateurs and Experts podcast interviews Amanda and Alexa from AESIR Brands at the Otis Technology booth during SHOT Show 2025.
The discussion focuses on the launch of the Stealth Mount, a new M-LOK compatible storage system that allows rifles to "float" on walls.
Amanda explains how the business has grown from an online retailer to a brick-and-mortar store called Adventure Gear South in Florida.
They also highlight the difficulties small businesses face with social media "shadow banning" and the high demands of managing product development in-house.
Finally, they touch on future plans for universal safe adapters and quick-connect systems.
Links
AESIR Brands: https://hangarsystem.com/store/ — The primary site for the HangAR system and product information. (17:39)
Otis Technology: https://otistec.com/ - Mentioned as the host booth for the 40th anniversary. (00:04)
Adventure Gear South: https://adventuregearsouth.com/ - The brick-and-mortar tactical and survival store in Florida. (10:20)
Key Takeaways
Versatility: The Stealth Mount isn't just for storage; it functions as a hand stop for active shooting.
Speed: In-house manufacturing (3D printing/milling) allows small businesses to innovate faster than industry giants.
Education: Managing a Master's degree in marketing while running a business highlights the dedication required for small brand success.
Standardization Gap: The lack of standards in safe manufacturing makes "universal" adapter development a significant engineering challenge.
Key Words
AESIR, HangAR, Stealth Mount, M-LOK, Shot Show, 3D printing, Manufacturing, Hand stop, Gun storage, Adventure Gear South, FFL, Florida, Emergency preparedness.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
Okay, I'm gonna clap.
So we could sink.
Welcome to Amateurs and ExpertsPodcast.
We are at the Otis TechnologyBooth at SHACO 2025.
It is their 40th anniversary,and we're super excited to be
here.
I know.
They have uh graciously uh givenLet us come back after last
(00:21):
year, which is wild.
SPEAKER_00 (00:24):
And they like us still.
And we didn't drug them.
Or did we?
Uh questionable.
Anyway, we are excited to behere with uh A Sear.
SPEAKER_02 (00:37):
Yeah with Hang A R.
Yes, it's your second year atSHAT.
How's it going for you guys?
SPEAKER_03 (00:44):
It's good.
It's good.
Yeah, we um one day down, so wegot three more to go.
We're gonna try to paceourselves.
But yeah, traffic seems good.
I mean, people interested.
We rolled out a new product thisyear.
SPEAKER_02 (00:56):
I was just gonna say, so you guys, this was your
last year was your first year atSHOT.
Yep.
Um, and your second year with abrand new product.
Yeah.
So tell us about it.
SPEAKER_03 (01:05):
Yeah, awesome.
So we um last year we came here,uh, we had the Hang AR system,
which is a storage and displaysystem for uh rifles and uppers.
Um last year we came with justthe upper mounts, so it was
AR-15, AR10, upper receivers,and then um we have some
adapters for sides of safe andfor tactical walls, things like
(01:26):
that.
Um and so everybody's like, thisis awesome.
Where's your full gun hanger?
And they're like, okay, we'llbring it next year.
So this year we um kind of did alot of product development this
year getting it ready, and weofficially launched it at shot.
Um, the stealth mount, we'recalling it.
SPEAKER_00 (01:42):
Ooh, can we see it?
SPEAKER_03 (01:44):
Yeah, here I actually have one in my little
thingy here.
I'll give you that's outside thepackaging.
Here, you can see it.
SPEAKER_02 (01:49):
I like that you're both pulling out.
Why?
SPEAKER_03 (01:51):
We just carry them.
You learn you just have to carrythem in your little badge thing
because people ask you what youdo, and that's a good hint is to
carry them.
SPEAKER_02 (01:59):
The badge holders are nice with the pouches.
SPEAKER_03 (02:00):
I'm sorry, just to see it, but yeah.
So it is actually um for MLOC.
It slides open.
Uh-huh.
And so let's see how to explainit right.
So there is a low-profile littlebase plate that attaches to any
MLOC.
So any rifle with MLOC it'llwork on.
(02:20):
Um, and then the mount slidesonto the base.
Uh, it locks on with a balldetent.
And then you can also choose uhif you want to keep it on kind
of semi-permanently, it comeswith a set screw, so you can
keep it on.
Um, and then it will double as amodified hand stop if you want
to run your rifle with it on.
Um, or if you don't like it,that running it with it on, you
(02:42):
just pop that mount off and youjust have the low profile base
on there.
Um, and then the the main kitjust comes with a wall peg that
you install anywhere in thehouse.
We sell uh extra pegs so thatway you want to put it by the
bed at night, um, then move itto you know a gun room or
something during the day or theshower.
The shower.
(03:03):
So your rifle can just travelwith you wherever you want.
Yeah, exactly.
That's the whole point.
unknown (03:10):
I like that.
SPEAKER_03 (03:12):
I think I'm in the commercial for that.
SPEAKER_00 (03:18):
That's a marketing in the event.
That's a marketing effort.
Yes, yes.
I love it.
It's sleep deprivation.
SPEAKER_03 (03:26):
Just booty sleep.
Write it all down.
unknown (03:29):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (03:30):
That's kind of like our so our saying is that you
know, this ain't yourgranddaddy's gun rack.
Because in my mind, you know,growing up, there was always the
big wooden gun rack on the wallwith your rifles and like you
just would see this big rack.
And so now with this, it's justwe call it the stealth rack.
And it uh that way it justtravels with your gun, it's
invisible.
When your gun hangs on the wall,it's we call it a floating mount
(03:52):
and it's invisible, so yourgun's the only thing that shows.
SPEAKER_00 (03:55):
Um that is cool.
So yeah, it works.
Love the packaging.
SPEAKER_03 (03:59):
Thank you.
I wonder who helped us with thatdesign pod tactical.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (04:04):
Thank you, thank you.
This turned out really, reallyuh great.
SPEAKER_03 (04:08):
So that I'll give you, I should have brought you
an actual one without the stuffattached to it, but we got big
examples.
Um but yes, Jess has helped us alot over the last couple years
with launching our product andfiguring out packaging it.
She's so good.
SPEAKER_00 (04:21):
That is so cool.
So in here is the stealth gunmount.
SPEAKER_03 (04:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (04:26):
I just wanted to.
Oh, you have it on there.
SPEAKER_03 (04:27):
Oh.
SPEAKER_00 (04:28):
Yeah, so it's on the video so people know.
SPEAKER_03 (04:30):
Very fun.
SPEAKER_00 (04:30):
Um, that is so cool.
Thank you.
Not your granddaddy's gun rack.
I love that.
SPEAKER_03 (04:38):
Yeah, and the other thing we ran into last year is
because it's so hard because theproduct is so little, and to
show it being used, you have toshow it on a gun.
So everybody thought we wereselling guns.
And so we're trying to reallymake it plain that it's it's not
the guns we're selling, it's thethe amount of the system.
So, but it's um, yeah, it's alot of fun.
(04:58):
And um, so far it seems, youknow, that people are like, oh,
I never thought of that, youknow, because MLOC's not
everything anymore, you know.
That's yeah, it's kind of themain, you know, you still have
some other like you know,keyhole and continue stuff, but
MLOC's really the main.
But yeah.
That's great.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (05:15):
And so you guys have also been doing a really great
job at video and social media.
How has that helped out withlaunching the product and kind
of diving into this industry?
Because being a brand newcompany, a brand new product
line, it could be a littleoverwhelming being at shot and
being here, and you guys havebeen as a small business,
female-owned, it's a lot ofmoving parts.
SPEAKER_01 (05:34):
It's a lot of moving parts.
I think I think it's justplayers.
Everybody has like trying tobring oh all the way to that.
(06:01):
Shadow band is the term, Iguess, where if you say
something just right, you'lljust disappear because of your
stuff.
So you have her, you should likethat.
Like it's a I don't think peoplerealize it.
I think people just have a viralvideo and it's easy.
You know, those people workreally hard.
SPEAKER_02 (06:21):
So and and things that maybe you posted last week
were fine, this week forwhatever reason could disappear.
Yep, yeah, which it's not we'renot conspiracy theorists, it is
really a real thing.
Oh yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (06:36):
Oh yeah, yeah.
There's there's so muchinformation there out there
about it for sure.
And and the other thing is justeven for us, just finding the
time, you know, when you'rerunning a business, but then
also trying to keep up withsocial.
It's the thing that as we grow,and I will tell you, Miss Alexa
is getting her master's inmarketing too.
SPEAKER_02 (06:52):
Oh, congratulations, Alexa, the master marketer.
SPEAKER_03 (06:57):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (06:59):
I didn't even realize the layers that go into
this.
SPEAKER_03 (07:02):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, so that'll help launch usforward even more with that
education.
But if she does a great job, youknow, now, but it's just like
such a time, you know, and beingable when we can finally pull
her in full-time, you know, toput in the because all of those
different platforms, all thethings you have to do, uh the
posting, the coming up withcontent.
I mean, it's so time consuming.
SPEAKER_02 (07:22):
Well, we were just talking um with Steve from
Primary Arms last, and the mainthing that we were talking about
was product development.
And we as consumers, I think, inthis day and age are so used to
just having everything justhanded to us and given to us, we
don't think about the processthat goes into it.
So as a small business, you'renot only doing product
development, running thebusiness, working on it, in it,
(07:44):
marketing, product like all thethings.
Yeah, and you still have tosleep and eat, right?
SPEAKER_03 (07:48):
Yeah, it's like a hundred hats to wear.
Yeah, yeah.
And and and thank God, you know,we do so much in-house.
We've got the 3D printers andthe mills, and we're, you know,
doing the whole process frombeginning to end in-house.
You know, maybe it won't be thatway forever, but it's nice that
you can control the product.
And if you're like, oh shoot,that doesn't really work, you
can go back and change thedesign and print something new
in a couple hours and try itagain.
(08:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:10):
So that seems to be a theme this year of companies
really bringing stuff in-houseand stateside.
Obviously, manufacturing andgetting components overseas or
other areas is a necessarything, often cost and just
efficiency.
But I feel like the majority ofpeople that we've talked to,
they're like, Yeah, this newproduct, we made it here.
We made it here.
(08:30):
Yeah.
Yeah, which is fantastic.
I'm loving that.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (08:34):
It's huge.
And it's so important.
I think the changes used to bearound the globe.
I mean, it's important that wehave local sourcing.
And we are still a little stuck.
We have some little parts andpieces that we do have to
import.
Um, and but we're constantly onthe lookout for local suppliers
because something happens, youknow, globally, something
happens in Asia, and all of asudden you're stuck.
You know, so you want localsupply.
(08:54):
If you can't make it yourself,you want somebody close by that
can.
SPEAKER_00 (08:57):
Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.
I love that you're a smallbusiness and and you have that
control over your product, youknow, making sure that
everything is that leaves leavesthe warehouse is you know
something that um really is a isa great product.
SPEAKER_03 (09:13):
Right, I appreciate that.
Yeah, and something you youlearn um in the in the process
of developing your product isthen oh, well, we've got to
start taking care of qualitycontrol and really making sure
that all of these pieces thatleave are in spec.
And because that's the worstthing.
I mean, you're handling thebusiness yourself, you're the
one getting the phone calls.
If somebody gets somethingthat's wrong.
SPEAKER_02 (09:29):
And and being new, the brand awareness and that
reputation, if you don't haveyour hands on quality control,
then right out the gate, youcould be doing yourself a
disservice.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (09:41):
All of a sudden you get a bad name, and it yeah,
that's just and that's what likewe said, social media with you
know the way everything is now,people know in a heartbeat if
something's wrong.
SPEAKER_00 (09:49):
Yes, yeah.
Oh yes, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:51):
OCLP reviews.
On top of all of this, this pastyear, past year, it's only a
month into 2025, last year, youguys opened up a brick and
mortar shop.
SPEAKER_03 (10:01):
Yeah, yeah, we did.
SPEAKER_02 (10:02):
Tell us about that.
SPEAKER_03 (10:03):
Yeah.
So we've always, um, I wouldn'tsay always, but we've been
around for five years now, Iguess.
And we uh um have had themanufacturing, then we've also
been an online accessoriesretailer.
We have um so ACER brands uh hasACR manufacturing that does uh
the manufacturing side, and thenwe have Adventure Gear South.
(10:25):
So which we started as afirearms accessories tactical
gear store.
Um, and then we uh decided, hey,let's why not?
We need something else to do.
Let's go ahead and open a store.
Because we're not doing enough.
We need more things to do.
Um so we did uh go through andget our FFL and uh actually open
our brick and mortar gun storetactical store um last May, I
(10:47):
think it was.
Yes.
Jess came to the opening.
SPEAKER_02 (10:50):
Yeah, it was also a beautiful shop.
Thank you.
Yeah, very nice and a great, areally good um array and variety
of products that you guys havethere.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (10:59):
Yeah, we're small but mighty.
We try to carry a really goodvariety, um, especially in
Florida.
We're in like the main hurricaneband, and so emergency
preparedness and survival gearis a big um focus of ours.
Uh we really want to be a bigpart of the community and making
sure people are prepared whensomething comes and happens.
So, you know, we have a littleof everything MREs, water
(11:20):
preparation, and good qualityproducts.
SPEAKER_02 (11:23):
Yeah.
And that also educate on how touse a product and why that
product's better than maybesomething else that's just like
$9.99 on Amazon Black Friday.
SPEAKER_03 (11:31):
Yep, absolutely, absolutely.
Because that's the thing is thatyou can get about anything on
Amazon that comes, you know,from Lord knows where and has
who knows what in it.
But we really do try to usereally quality brands that
people can trust.
And that we I don't want to sellsomething that I don't stand
behind and I wouldn't use in myown home.
I love that.
Thank you.
Yeah, yeah.
So, what's in the future for youguys?
I don't know.
(11:51):
What's in the future?
Um, so hopefully continuing togrow the Hang AR system.
Um, we have uh really adapterson the horizon.
Um people have been asking a lotabout how to use it more in
their safe because obviously uma lot of our main adapters are
for outside the safe, buteverybody it has a different
(12:13):
situation.
You know, they may have smallchildren and it needs to stay in
the safe, or they, you know, umor may not have the room for to
have a separate gun room.
Um so and obviously actually aseparate gun room.
SPEAKER_00 (12:25):
That's on my bucket list.
I want a gun room.
SPEAKER_02 (12:28):
Yeah, yeah.
Like with a secret door.
Absolutely.
I have a friend, I won't saywho, a friend, who's building
like a secret hideaway room.
Like that you you don't knowwhere the door is, but it moves,
and that's like that's where thegun is.
Oh fancy.
That's awesome.
Yeah, actually, two friends thatare doing that.
SPEAKER_03 (12:44):
Yeah, they do that, or you know, you can also just
buy the safe door.
Some of even some of our likebyarm suppliers just sell, you
know, just the safe door, andyou can create a safe room and
then install the safe door, andthen yeah, so I'm sorry for
interrupting your thing.
No, sorry, we were like, yeah,no, no, no.
SPEAKER_00 (13:02):
Yeah, for sure.
But I think that's that's right.
I mean, a lot of if you havesmall kids and stuff, you don't
want your stuff hanging out.
SPEAKER_03 (13:08):
Right, exactly.
And it just depends on thesituation.
Like, obviously, you know, Lexcould tell you, we've got family
that um where the kids hunt.
I mean, they're very, verycomfortable around guns.
Um, they're very well trained insafety, and there are gonna be
times where there are guns outbecause they're going out
hunting and stuff like that.
Um, you know, but everybody hastheir own situation, and you
know if you need to keep uh yourfirearms protected.
(13:31):
And so people ask us, and thething is, is all the different
safe suppliers, there's notreally a lot of standards.
Everybody's safes are different.
So that's the only hard thingwith trying to develop a product
that is easily used in differentsafe systems.
Yeah, universal adaptable.
But there are some big brands,obviously.
So we're looking at some oftheir stuff.
Um, they have different types oftactical walls and things like
(13:52):
that.
So trying to look for adaptersthat we can create that will fit
that brand.
Um, because people are lookingfor it.
So, you know, if there's enoughcall for it, we'll try to meet
them meet the demand.
SPEAKER_00 (14:03):
I think that's cool.
Yeah.
Just just kind of and do youfind that people at SHOT Show,
do you get the best feedbackhere?
Or I get we get on the child.
SPEAKER_01 (14:13):
Yeah, walk up and they'll be like, this is great.
So that secretly somebody back'slike writing down.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (14:22):
We have Andrew who does a ton of our product
development, and he's back theremaking notes, or people, it's
good because it's so funny,especially when people find out
and they know you're a smallcompany and that you're doing
the development yourself.
They're like, ooh, what if youdid that?
Or ooh, what you know, they'retrying to give you ideas all the
time.
SPEAKER_00 (14:36):
And isn't that cool that I think SHOT Show is kind
of like where it's at for that,right?
Developing and and exchangingideas.
And we all come to SHOT Show fordifferent reasons, but I mean,
this is the place to connectwith people, and and actually
innovation happens.
SPEAKER_02 (14:52):
We say this every year, like the the perks of this
industry, just one of them beingthe kindness.
And I think that sometimesthere's people that are a little
over the line of well, youshould do this, you should do
that, well, I think this, butmost people are genuine, they
want to help you.
And I love that that it's justthe the integrity and the
passion that they want to seeyou succeed and give you the
(15:12):
ideas versus being like, well,if you pay me a consulting fee
of ten thousand dollars, I'llgive you my ideas.
Versus being like, Yeah, um, Ithink you should do this.
Awesome.
Have a great day.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (15:22):
And it's a million-dollar idea.
Yes.
And they don't even ask for thepatent.
SPEAKER_03 (15:28):
But I mean, it would, you know, think about it.
I mean, but it's a good place todo product research.
I mean, it is to bring somethingand let people, because I'll
tell you honestly, you know,like most people here are people
who are gonna be using you knowthese kind of products all the
time.
Or selling it.
Or selling it.
Yeah.
And I'll tell you what they'lllike.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (15:42):
We spoke with Lisa yesterday, Armscore.
Arms Corp, yes.
And she had that same, you know,commentary to say of doing shows
with you know B2C to likeconsumers is different.
You get certain feedback, but tobe in this show where it's B2B,
it's a whole differentperspective because you have
buyers and you have people thatare at your same tier who are
(16:03):
also doing product developmentand manufacturing and get a
different type of feedback,which is where else would you
really get that?
Right, right.
SPEAKER_03 (16:10):
You don't have those kind of contacts in your
everyday life for the most part.
Yeah.
So yeah, yeah, absolutely.
It's very helpful.
Hopefully, it doesn't send usback to the drawing board too
much.
SPEAKER_02 (16:17):
But no, I think that what you guys have launched here
is absolutely impeccable.
I'm excited to see what you guyscome up with in the future years
because I could see you guysprobably developing and
designing all sorts of differenthanging type products for
various firearms.
Right.
You know, you guys have startedin the AR bucket rifles, but who
(16:38):
knows where it'll take you.
Right, right.
SPEAKER_03 (16:40):
And yeah, absolutely.
And I think and looking at otherconnection opportunities, that's
something we're gonna dive intoin the next year.
Um, we would like to make itmore of a quick connect system,
so we just have to work some onthe development of what's gonna
make sense too.
So you don't have to, you know,Mlock mostly you use the MLOC
screws and nuts, and it's alittle bit of a manual process,
but once you know how to do it,it's super fast.
But a lot of people are lookingfor just something they can
(17:02):
click on.
So developing that.
That's probably something Iwould think we'll be coming back
with next year.
Hopefully, we'll be ready intime.
It's more of a quick connection.
Oh, you guys got this.
We got this.
SPEAKER_02 (17:10):
I mean, seriously, you literally did your first
shot last year, and this yearyou launched a new brand new
product.
I mean, you did a lot because Ialso worked with you guys.
I know how much you busted yourass and worked hard to go
through that.
I mean, Steve that we justtalked, like I said, from
primary armor.
I mean, they said some productdevelopment takes two, three
years for them.
Oh, okay.
So to as a small business bedoing everything you're doing,
you guys are crushing it.
SPEAKER_03 (17:31):
And you made time for us.
Thank you.
And thank you for making timefor us.
SPEAKER_00 (17:35):
Yes, thank you for being on the podcast.
So, if somebody wants to reachout to you, how do they get a
hold of you?
SPEAKER_03 (17:39):
Yeah, absolutely.
So um, the main uh way is youcan hit us on aceurbrands.com.
I know the name's a littleweird, it's A-E-S-I-R brands,
B-R-A-N-D-S.com.
And that has all of our contactinformation right there.
You can contact us through thewebsite, you can see the
product.
Um, we try to put some contenton there.
Yeah.
Nice.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (17:59):
Well, it was great having you on today.
Thanks for watching.
I'm so glad you came and made alittle time for us.
SPEAKER_03 (18:04):
We have so much fun with you guys.
I really appreciate it.
I know you guys stay so busyhere with Walnut and everything.
So in this beautiful booze fromOtis.
So thank you, Otis.
Yeah, I appreciate you guys.
SPEAKER_00 (18:13):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (18:14):
Well, have a great rest of shot, and we'll see you
next year.
Thanks, guys.
All right, see ya.
Okay, I'm gonna clap.
So we could sink.
Welcome to Amateurs and ExpertsPodcast.
We are at the Otis TechnologyBooth at SHACO 2025.
It is their 40th anniversary,and we're super excited to be
here.
I know.
They have uh graciously uh givenLet us come back after last
(00:21):
year, which is wild.
SPEAKER_00 (00:24):
And they like us still.
And we didn't drug them.
Or did we?
Uh questionable.
Anyway, we are excited to behere with uh A Sear.
SPEAKER_02 (00:37):
Yeah with Hang A R.
Yes, it's your second year atSHAT.
How's it going for you guys?
SPEAKER_03 (00:44):
It's good.
It's good.
Yeah, we um one day down, so wegot three more to go.
We're gonna try to paceourselves.
But yeah, traffic seems good.
I mean, people interested.
We rolled out a new product thisyear.
SPEAKER_02 (00:56):
I was just gonna say, so you guys, this was your
last year was your first year atSHOT.
Yep.
Um, and your second year with abrand new product.
Yeah.
So tell us about it.
SPEAKER_03 (01:05):
Yeah, awesome.
So we um last year we came here,uh, we had the Hang AR system,
which is a storage and displaysystem for uh rifles and uppers.
Um last year we came with justthe upper mounts, so it was
AR-15, AR10, upper receivers,and then um we have some
adapters for sides of safe andfor tactical walls, things like
(01:26):
that.
Um and so everybody's like, thisis awesome.
Where's your full gun hanger?
And they're like, okay, we'llbring it next year.
So this year we um kind of did alot of product development this
year getting it ready, and weofficially launched it at shot.
Um, the stealth mount, we'recalling it.
SPEAKER_00 (01:42):
Ooh, can we see it?
SPEAKER_03 (01:44):
Yeah, here I actually have one in my little
thingy here.
I'll give you that's outside thepackaging.
Here, you can see it.
SPEAKER_02 (01:49):
I like that you're both pulling out.
Why?
SPEAKER_03 (01:51):
We just carry them.
You learn you just have to carrythem in your little badge thing
because people ask you what youdo, and that's a good hint is to
carry them.
SPEAKER_02 (01:59):
The badge holders are nice with the pouches.
SPEAKER_03 (02:00):
I'm sorry, just to see it, but yeah.
So it is actually um for MLOC.
It slides open.
Uh-huh.
And so let's see how to explainit right.
So there is a low-profile littlebase plate that attaches to any
MLOC.
So any rifle with MLOC it'llwork on.
(02:20):
Um, and then the mount slidesonto the base.
Uh, it locks on with a balldetent.
And then you can also choose uhif you want to keep it on kind
of semi-permanently, it comeswith a set screw, so you can
keep it on.
Um, and then it will double as amodified hand stop if you want
to run your rifle with it on.
Um, or if you don't like it,that running it with it on, you
(02:42):
just pop that mount off and youjust have the low profile base
on there.
Um, and then the the main kitjust comes with a wall peg that
you install anywhere in thehouse.
We sell uh extra pegs so thatway you want to put it by the
bed at night, um, then move itto you know a gun room or
something during the day or theshower.
The shower.
(03:03):
So your rifle can just travelwith you wherever you want.
Yeah, exactly.
That's the whole point.
unknown (03:10):
I like that.
SPEAKER_03 (03:12):
I think I'm in the commercial for that.
SPEAKER_00 (03:18):
That's a marketing in the event.
That's a marketing effort.
Yes, yes.
I love it.
It's sleep deprivation.
SPEAKER_03 (03:26):
Just booty sleep.
Write it all down.
unknown (03:29):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (03:30):
That's kind of like our so our saying is that you
know, this ain't yourgranddaddy's gun rack.
Because in my mind, you know,growing up, there was always the
big wooden gun rack on the wallwith your rifles and like you
just would see this big rack.
And so now with this, it's justwe call it the stealth rack.
And it uh that way it justtravels with your gun, it's
invisible.
When your gun hangs on the wall,it's we call it a floating mount
(03:52):
and it's invisible, so yourgun's the only thing that shows.
SPEAKER_00 (03:55):
Um that is cool.
So yeah, it works.
Love the packaging.
SPEAKER_03 (03:59):
Thank you.
I wonder who helped us with thatdesign pod tactical.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (04:04):
Thank you, thank you.
This turned out really, reallyuh great.
SPEAKER_03 (04:08):
So that I'll give you, I should have brought you
an actual one without the stuffattached to it, but we got big
examples.
Um but yes, Jess has helped us alot over the last couple years
with launching our product andfiguring out packaging it.
She's so good.
SPEAKER_00 (04:21):
That is so cool.
So in here is the stealth gunmount.
SPEAKER_03 (04:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (04:26):
I just wanted to.
Oh, you have it on there.
SPEAKER_03 (04:27):
Oh.
SPEAKER_00 (04:28):
Yeah, so it's on the video so people know.
SPEAKER_03 (04:30):
Very fun.
SPEAKER_00 (04:30):
Um, that is so cool.
Thank you.
Not your granddaddy's gun rack.
I love that.
SPEAKER_03 (04:38):
Yeah, and the other thing we ran into last year is
because it's so hard because theproduct is so little, and to
show it being used, you have toshow it on a gun.
So everybody thought we wereselling guns.
And so we're trying to reallymake it plain that it's it's not
the guns we're selling, it's thethe amount of the system.
So, but it's um, yeah, it's alot of fun.
(04:58):
And um, so far it seems, youknow, that people are like, oh,
I never thought of that, youknow, because MLOC's not
everything anymore, you know.
That's yeah, it's kind of themain, you know, you still have
some other like you know,keyhole and continue stuff, but
MLOC's really the main.
But yeah.
That's great.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (05:15):
And so you guys have also been doing a really great
job at video and social media.
How has that helped out withlaunching the product and kind
of diving into this industry?
Because being a brand newcompany, a brand new product
line, it could be a littleoverwhelming being at shot and
being here, and you guys havebeen as a small business,
female-owned, it's a lot ofmoving parts.
SPEAKER_01 (05:34):
It's a lot of moving parts.
I think I think it's justplayers.
Everybody has like trying tobring oh all the way to that.
(06:01):
Shadow band is the term, Iguess, where if you say
something just right, you'lljust disappear because of your
stuff.
So you have her, you should likethat.
Like it's a I don't think peoplerealize it.
I think people just have a viralvideo and it's easy.
You know, those people workreally hard.
SPEAKER_02 (06:21):
So and and things that maybe you posted last week
were fine, this week forwhatever reason could disappear.
Yep, yeah, which it's not we'renot conspiracy theorists, it is
really a real thing.
Oh yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (06:36):
Oh yeah, yeah.
There's there's so muchinformation there out there
about it for sure.
And and the other thing is justeven for us, just finding the
time, you know, when you'rerunning a business, but then
also trying to keep up withsocial.
It's the thing that as we grow,and I will tell you, Miss Alexa
is getting her master's inmarketing too.
SPEAKER_02 (06:52):
Oh, congratulations, Alexa, the master marketer.
SPEAKER_03 (06:57):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (06:59):
I didn't even realize the layers that go into
this.
SPEAKER_03 (07:02):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, so that'll help launch usforward even more with that
education.
But if she does a great job, youknow, now, but it's just like
such a time, you know, and beingable when we can finally pull
her in full-time, you know, toput in the because all of those
different platforms, all thethings you have to do, uh the
posting, the coming up withcontent.
I mean, it's so time consuming.
SPEAKER_02 (07:22):
Well, we were just talking um with Steve from
Primary Arms last, and the mainthing that we were talking about
was product development.
And we as consumers, I think, inthis day and age are so used to
just having everything justhanded to us and given to us, we
don't think about the processthat goes into it.
So as a small business, you'renot only doing product
development, running thebusiness, working on it, in it,
(07:44):
marketing, product like all thethings.
Yeah, and you still have tosleep and eat, right?
SPEAKER_03 (07:48):
Yeah, it's like a hundred hats to wear.
Yeah, yeah.
And and and thank God, you know,we do so much in-house.
We've got the 3D printers andthe mills, and we're, you know,
doing the whole process frombeginning to end in-house.
You know, maybe it won't be thatway forever, but it's nice that
you can control the product.
And if you're like, oh shoot,that doesn't really work, you
can go back and change thedesign and print something new
in a couple hours and try itagain.
(08:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:10):
So that seems to be a theme this year of companies
really bringing stuff in-houseand stateside.
Obviously, manufacturing andgetting components overseas or
other areas is a necessarything, often cost and just
efficiency.
But I feel like the majority ofpeople that we've talked to,
they're like, Yeah, this newproduct, we made it here.
We made it here.
(08:30):
Yeah.
Yeah, which is fantastic.
I'm loving that.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (08:34):
It's huge.
And it's so important.
I think the changes used to bearound the globe.
I mean, it's important that wehave local sourcing.
And we are still a little stuck.
We have some little parts andpieces that we do have to
import.
Um, and but we're constantly onthe lookout for local suppliers
because something happens, youknow, globally, something
happens in Asia, and all of asudden you're stuck.
You know, so you want localsupply.
(08:54):
If you can't make it yourself,you want somebody close by that
can.
SPEAKER_00 (08:57):
Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.
I love that you're a smallbusiness and and you have that
control over your product, youknow, making sure that
everything is that leaves leavesthe warehouse is you know
something that um really is a isa great product.
SPEAKER_03 (09:13):
Right, I appreciate that.
Yeah, and something you youlearn um in the in the process
of developing your product isthen oh, well, we've got to
start taking care of qualitycontrol and really making sure
that all of these pieces thatleave are in spec.
And because that's the worstthing.
I mean, you're handling thebusiness yourself, you're the
one getting the phone calls.
If somebody gets somethingthat's wrong.
SPEAKER_02 (09:29):
And and being new, the brand awareness and that
reputation, if you don't haveyour hands on quality control,
then right out the gate, youcould be doing yourself a
disservice.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (09:41):
All of a sudden you get a bad name, and it yeah,
that's just and that's what likewe said, social media with you
know the way everything is now,people know in a heartbeat if
something's wrong.
SPEAKER_00 (09:49):
Yes, yeah.
Oh yes, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:51):
OCLP reviews.
On top of all of this, this pastyear, past year, it's only a
month into 2025, last year, youguys opened up a brick and
mortar shop.
SPEAKER_03 (10:01):
Yeah, yeah, we did.
SPEAKER_02 (10:02):
Tell us about that.
SPEAKER_03 (10:03):
Yeah.
So we've always, um, I wouldn'tsay always, but we've been
around for five years now, Iguess.
And we uh um have had themanufacturing, then we've also
been an online accessoriesretailer.
We have um so ACER brands uh hasACR manufacturing that does uh
the manufacturing side, and thenwe have Adventure Gear South.
(10:25):
So which we started as afirearms accessories tactical
gear store.
Um, and then we uh decided, hey,let's why not?
We need something else to do.
Let's go ahead and open a store.
Because we're not doing enough.
We need more things to do.
Um so we did uh go through andget our FFL and uh actually open
our brick and mortar gun storetactical store um last May, I
(10:47):
think it was.
Yes.
Jess came to the opening.
SPEAKER_02 (10:50):
Yeah, it was also a beautiful shop.
Thank you.
Yeah, very nice and a great, areally good um array and variety
of products that you guys havethere.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (10:59):
Yeah, we're small but mighty.
We try to carry a really goodvariety, um, especially in
Florida.
We're in like the main hurricaneband, and so emergency
preparedness and survival gearis a big um focus of ours.
Uh we really want to be a bigpart of the community and making
sure people are prepared whensomething comes and happens.
So, you know, we have a littleof everything MREs, water
(11:20):
preparation, and good qualityproducts.
SPEAKER_02 (11:23):
Yeah.
And that also educate on how touse a product and why that
product's better than maybesomething else that's just like
$9.99 on Amazon Black Friday.
SPEAKER_03 (11:31):
Yep, absolutely, absolutely.
Because that's the thing is thatyou can get about anything on
Amazon that comes, you know,from Lord knows where and has
who knows what in it.
But we really do try to usereally quality brands that
people can trust.
And that we I don't want to sellsomething that I don't stand
behind and I wouldn't use in myown home.
I love that.
Thank you.
Yeah, yeah.
So, what's in the future for youguys?
I don't know.
(11:51):
What's in the future?
Um, so hopefully continuing togrow the Hang AR system.
Um, we have uh really adapterson the horizon.
Um people have been asking a lotabout how to use it more in
their safe because obviously uma lot of our main adapters are
for outside the safe, buteverybody it has a different
(12:13):
situation.
You know, they may have smallchildren and it needs to stay in
the safe, or they, you know, umor may not have the room for to
have a separate gun room.
Um so and obviously actually aseparate gun room.
SPEAKER_00 (12:25):
That's on my bucket list.
I want a gun room.
SPEAKER_02 (12:28):
Yeah, yeah.
Like with a secret door.
Absolutely.
I have a friend, I won't saywho, a friend, who's building
like a secret hideaway room.
Like that you you don't knowwhere the door is, but it moves,
and that's like that's where thegun is.
Oh fancy.
That's awesome.
Yeah, actually, two friends thatare doing that.
SPEAKER_03 (12:44):
Yeah, they do that, or you know, you can also just
buy the safe door.
Some of even some of our likebyarm suppliers just sell, you
know, just the safe door, andyou can create a safe room and
then install the safe door, andthen yeah, so I'm sorry for
interrupting your thing.
No, sorry, we were like, yeah,no, no, no.
SPEAKER_00 (13:02):
Yeah, for sure.
But I think that's that's right.
I mean, a lot of if you havesmall kids and stuff, you don't
want your stuff hanging out.
SPEAKER_03 (13:08):
Right, exactly.
And it just depends on thesituation.
Like, obviously, you know, Lexcould tell you, we've got family
that um where the kids hunt.
I mean, they're very, verycomfortable around guns.
Um, they're very well trained insafety, and there are gonna be
times where there are guns outbecause they're going out
hunting and stuff like that.
Um, you know, but everybody hastheir own situation, and you
know if you need to keep uh yourfirearms protected.
(13:31):
And so people ask us, and thething is, is all the different
safe suppliers, there's notreally a lot of standards.
Everybody's safes are different.
So that's the only hard thingwith trying to develop a product
that is easily used in differentsafe systems.
Yeah, universal adaptable.
But there are some big brands,obviously.
So we're looking at some oftheir stuff.
Um, they have different types oftactical walls and things like
(13:52):
that.
So trying to look for adaptersthat we can create that will fit
that brand.
Um, because people are lookingfor it.
So, you know, if there's enoughcall for it, we'll try to meet
them meet the demand.
SPEAKER_00 (14:03):
I think that's cool.
Yeah.
Just just kind of and do youfind that people at SHOT Show,
do you get the best feedbackhere?
Or I get we get on the child.
SPEAKER_01 (14:13):
Yeah, walk up and they'll be like, this is great.
So that secretly somebody back'slike writing down.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (14:22):
We have Andrew who does a ton of our product
development, and he's back theremaking notes, or people, it's
good because it's so funny,especially when people find out
and they know you're a smallcompany and that you're doing
the development yourself.
They're like, ooh, what if youdid that?
Or ooh, what you know, they'retrying to give you ideas all the
time.
SPEAKER_00 (14:36):
And isn't that cool that I think SHOT Show is kind
of like where it's at for that,right?
Developing and and exchangingideas.
And we all come to SHOT Show fordifferent reasons, but I mean,
this is the place to connectwith people, and and actually
innovation happens.
SPEAKER_02 (14:52):
We say this every year, like the the perks of this
industry, just one of them beingthe kindness.
And I think that sometimesthere's people that are a little
over the line of well, youshould do this, you should do
that, well, I think this, butmost people are genuine, they
want to help you.
And I love that that it's justthe the integrity and the
passion that they want to seeyou succeed and give you the
(15:12):
ideas versus being like, well,if you pay me a consulting fee
of ten thousand dollars, I'llgive you my ideas.
Versus being like, Yeah, um, Ithink you should do this.
Awesome.
Have a great day.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (15:22):
And it's a million-dollar idea.
Yes.
And they don't even ask for thepatent.
SPEAKER_03 (15:28):
But I mean, it would, you know, think about it.
I mean, but it's a good place todo product research.
I mean, it is to bring somethingand let people, because I'll
tell you honestly, you know,like most people here are people
who are gonna be using you knowthese kind of products all the
time.
Or selling it.
Or selling it.
Yeah.
And I'll tell you what they'lllike.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (15:42):
We spoke with Lisa yesterday, Armscore.
Arms Corp, yes.
And she had that same, you know,commentary to say of doing shows
with you know B2C to likeconsumers is different.
You get certain feedback, but tobe in this show where it's B2B,
it's a whole differentperspective because you have
buyers and you have people thatare at your same tier who are
(16:03):
also doing product developmentand manufacturing and get a
different type of feedback,which is where else would you
really get that?
Right, right.
SPEAKER_03 (16:10):
You don't have those kind of contacts in your
everyday life for the most part.
Yeah.
So yeah, yeah, absolutely.
It's very helpful.
Hopefully, it doesn't send usback to the drawing board too
much.
SPEAKER_02 (16:17):
But no, I think that what you guys have launched here
is absolutely impeccable.
I'm excited to see what you guyscome up with in the future years
because I could see you guysprobably developing and
designing all sorts of differenthanging type products for
various firearms.
Right.
You know, you guys have startedin the AR bucket rifles, but who
(16:38):
knows where it'll take you.
Right, right.
SPEAKER_03 (16:40):
And yeah, absolutely.
And I think and looking at otherconnection opportunities, that's
something we're gonna dive intoin the next year.
Um, we would like to make itmore of a quick connect system,
so we just have to work some onthe development of what's gonna
make sense too.
So you don't have to, you know,Mlock mostly you use the MLOC
screws and nuts, and it's alittle bit of a manual process,
but once you know how to do it,it's super fast.
But a lot of people are lookingfor just something they can
(17:02):
click on.
So developing that.
That's probably something Iwould think we'll be coming back
with next year.
Hopefully, we'll be ready intime.
It's more of a quick connection.
Oh, you guys got this.
We got this.
SPEAKER_02 (17:10):
I mean, seriously, you literally did your first
shot last year, and this yearyou launched a new brand new
product.
I mean, you did a lot because Ialso worked with you guys.
I know how much you busted yourass and worked hard to go
through that.
I mean, Steve that we justtalked, like I said, from
primary armor.
I mean, they said some productdevelopment takes two, three
years for them.
Oh, okay.
So to as a small business bedoing everything you're doing,
you guys are crushing it.
SPEAKER_03 (17:31):
And you made time for us.
Thank you.
And thank you for making timefor us.
SPEAKER_00 (17:35):
Yes, thank you for being on the podcast.
So, if somebody wants to reachout to you, how do they get a
hold of you?
SPEAKER_03 (17:39):
Yeah, absolutely.
So um, the main uh way is youcan hit us on aceurbrands.com.
I know the name's a littleweird, it's A-E-S-I-R brands,
B-R-A-N-D-S.com.
And that has all of our contactinformation right there.
You can contact us through thewebsite, you can see the
product.
Um, we try to put some contenton there.
Yeah.
Nice.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (17:59):
Well, it was great having you on today.
Thanks for watching.
I'm so glad you came and made alittle time for us.
SPEAKER_03 (18:04):
We have so much fun with you guys.
I really appreciate it.
I know you guys stay so busyhere with Walnut and everything.
So in this beautiful booze fromOtis.
So thank you, Otis.
Yeah, I appreciate you guys.
SPEAKER_00 (18:13):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (18:14):
Well, have a great rest of shot, and we'll see you
next year.
Thanks, guys.
All right, see ya.
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