Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Hufstedler.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Diana. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in a post-communist country in Eastern Europe and moved to the US at the age of 18 to pursue my formal education and the dream that I can do anything I set my mind to. Following a BA and an MBA, I started working in the outdoor industry and became introduced to shooting sports. I became enamored with the idea of adrenaline-packed competitions that also taught me real-life defense skills. I quickly moved from shooting just pistol to the fast-paced and largely male-dominated world of 3 Gun Competition shooting (pistol, shotgun & AR-15 real-world scenarios) – a run-and-gun sport where swift decisiveness, power, and speed are detrimental. I was one of the very few women at the time…
I pushed through and soon started winning some state, regional and national titles. Before I knew it, I was a sponsored athlete wearing a professional jersey and shooting for some of the most respected brands in the industry – Taran Tactical Innovations, STI International, 5.11 Tactical, Safariland, Streamlight, and Expansion Ammunition. I was a real athlete! I became known as the Gun Queen and often advocate for women in the shooting sports and daily concealed carry; I even give private shooting lessons from time to time.
After serving as a Director of Marketing for several corporations, I founded GunQueen.com and currently work as an independent marketing consultant in several industries. I love shooting and sharing my adventures on my social media – so please, join me and explore the gun world with me – it is not that scary at all.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road to success is long and always bumpy. I had to fight with stereotypes in both my shooting and corporate career. I was too young, too pretty, had an accent, too short, too opinionated, too hyper, too… just too much for some people. But I was never a pushover and stood my ground if I believed in something. And let me tell you – it is not always easy when both your worlds are full of people who think they know better. Not to mention that women in the shooting industry were still a rarity at the time. Now we are an army!
And then, there is a hostile political environment with all the misconceptions about law-abiding gun owners. I fight these stereotypes daily and struggle to educate and empower women with knowledge and skill.
My advice to young women is to #doitanyway. Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. And that courage will carry you through incredible adventures and some horrible failures. But at the end – no pain, no gain. Dare to be yourself and everything will fall into place.
Or maybe calculated recklessness comes easy to me – I am a Sagittarius so I jump first, then I figure out where I will land. 🙂 In all honesty – it is better to fail than never try at all. How else would you know what you can do?
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
While I am mostly known as a shooter (check out my Instagram), my proudest professional accomplishment is the lifestyle brand and marketing agency I launched – GunQueen.com. It is a true expression of who I am, what I know, and what I can do best. I work with a variety of clients on branding strategy, email & social media marketing, content & digital… but I still try to make time for shooting lessons and my passion for speed.
What sets GunQueen.com apart is industry knowledge combined with the polished sophistication of a detail-oriented veteran marketer.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
I believe that having a happy childhood gave me the confidence to try harder. I also had many good role models in my family – strong, passionate men and women who tried to do the best they could even when the going was rough. One person, in particular, stands up as an influence on my life and career – my Grandfather Donko. He was rough around the edges, firm but kind, and a man of great integrity.
Pricing:
- GunQueen Swag – $14 & up – https://gunqueen.com/shop/
- GunQueen Shooting Lessons – $150 & up – https://gunqueen.com/book/
- GunQueen Marketing Services – $2000 & up – https://gunqueen.com/services/
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gunqueen.com/
- Email: Diana@GunQueen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianahufstedler/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diana.hufstedler/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianahufstedler
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-hufstedler/
Image Credit:
Ralph Horne Photography, Konx Media, Hawk Vaccaro Photography, CLG Photography
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