Today we’d like to introduce you to Vasily Campbell.
Hi Vasily, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The idea came about in March 2021 when I was shopping for ammunition online for myself (and having difficulty doing so). The entire ammunition industry was and still is, in a shortage so I identified a problem and wanted to fix it. Ammo was expensive and it was really hard to get certain products, even in the big box stores like Academy and Bass Pro. I always wanted to start my own business…be my own boss – this problem/solution provided the opportunity to do so. Turns out, you can’t escape a boss – now the customer is my boss, but that’s a much easier pill to swallow than someone looking over my shoulder 24/7.
I started the LLC and organized the basics in April/May 2021 and on June 24th, 2021 we made our first online sale. The company started in my garage and we quickly noticed that having big trucks with ammunition driving into our residential neighborhood in Grand Prairie was not ok. So, we searched for commercial space and found the right landlord in Arlington.
Through word of mouth, guerilla advertising on Facebook/Reddit/comment sections, our company started growing very fast. In 6 months, we worked 7 guns shows in the DFW area – talk about 7 days a week! We set ourselves apart by having everything live on our site (no backorders/delays) and driving packages from the garage to UPS on the same day it was ordered. Soon enough we developed enough cash flow to start advertising on the web and ammo-specific search engines.
Every day is a challenge to keep up with the ever-increasing orders. We now have gun shops, police departments, State Land Mgmt depts, and people from all walks of life purchasing from us. I could not have done it without the help of my wife, who had to quit her 9-5 in September 2021 to come help the business full time. She now makes more money in a day than she did in an entire week at her former position. Currently, we’re looking to hire the right talent to help us through this tremendous growth and expand our warehouse. That will be the next nut to crack.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
To be quite honest, it has been a smooth ride so far. Every month we are surpassing our goals and previous month’s sales numbers, so that positive cash flow helps make things “easy”. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been struggles. Making the decision to sign a 3-year lease was huge. At the time, the business was entirely supported by my salary/commissions and my wife had quit her job already – so I had all of our personal expenses (mortgage, cars, dogs, etc.) on top of the business expenses to take care of. It was a true leap of faith.
The biggest struggle is wearing ALL of the hats in the business. From finding/ordering ammo, shipping, taking calls, managing the website, dealing with claims, accounting, taxes, PR, and finding time to eat food – time management is the biggest challenge. Prioritizing my time is paramount to remaining successful. People ask Elon Musk (definitely not comparing myself to his genius) how he does it, and he says that he breaks out his days into 5–15-minute blocks. I didn’t think that was possible – but now I know it’s necessary. Otherwise, you’ll never get everything done – not that you ever get everything done, but at least the important stuff.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are an online distributor of ammunition (KIRAMMO.COM). We serve the lower 48 states and also take special orders for guns (not a big fan of selling guns, but we do have a license to do so – the gun market is way different than ammo, kind of like owning a car dealership vs. a gas station). We are most known for our fast shipping (same day!), excellent customer service (I pick up the phones), and ability to find hard-to-get calibers/ammo.
We want the customer to feel appreciated, not just “another order”. The whole business is founded on the bad things I experienced when buying ammo online – bad/no customer service, slow shipping, high prices, no availability. I strive to do the exact opposite. It isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. There is an altruistic motive behind the business too. We’re not in it just for the money – money is important, but there are other important things. We firmly believe in Constitutional Rights and helping people exercise theirs.
Hunting and shooting sports are a lifestyle. This is a generational pastime passed down from grandfather/mother to father/mother to kids. We are blessed to be able to be a part of people’s lives in that respect. Providing this service allows our customers to put food on the table – many in parts where Kroger is 50+ miles away. That makes it worth it.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
A lot of people think we are a big company – it’s just me and my wife (and our 3 dogs who we call “The Welcome Committee”). Also, we are open for local pickups – most people think that we are online-only. I always feel bad when shipping something to Arlington, Mansfield, or Grand Prairie…
Pricing:
Coupon code: voyage5
for $5 off your first purchase
Contact Info:
- Email: sales@kirammo.com
- Website: https://kirammo.com/
- Instagram: @kirammotexas
- Facebook: @kirammotexas
