We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Robin Evans a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Robin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

The whole concept of Chicks with Triggers is different from the industry standard. Every firearm class that I’ve ever been to was made to feel intimidating and like women didn’t belong. That simply had to change. I wanted something fresh and welcoming. The environment that I create for these women is extremely informal. They can just come as they are. We even listen to music from Rihanna, Beyoncé and Cardi B just to name a few. It helps set the “vibe” for the class. I’m not uptight at all and I never wanted my classes to be that way either. One thing I frequently do is get all of my guns cerakoted (painted). I have Louis Vuitton guns, Tiffany blue guns, hot pink guns and so much more! My purpose behind doing that is to make women feel more comfortable with the guns. It helps decrease their anxiety and increase their excitement which ultimately makes for the best experience I can provide them. If women are filled with fear about the guns, then they will never retain the information I’m attempting to teach them. However, once they let their guard down…they become excited and eager to learn any and everything.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Hey y’all! I’m Robin, the owner of Chicks with Triggers! Chicks with Triggers is a South Carolina based self defense company that specializes primarily in firearms. I’m a certified firearm instructor for both the NRA and the state of SC. I’m located in Greenville, SC but I do classes all over the state as well as in Georgia and North Carolina. Being the daughter of a retired NYPD officer, self defense and firearms have always been a part of my life. I started Chicks with Triggers because there is a clear attack on women…whether it be sex trafficking, human trafficking, domestic violence, murder or rape…it all must stop! Women are the minority in this country however when it comes to being victims of horrific and violent crimes we are the majority. That’s where I come in. I’m here to teach women to protect themselves and to be their own first responders by ANY MEANS NECESSARY! It’s time for us to level the playing field and take our power back.

The classes that I offer range from all experience levels. Whether you’re just starting out or been shooting all of your life…I have a class for you. Along with basic pistol classes, I also offer advanced pistol classes, tactical classes, knife fighting and hand to hand combat classes. We believe woman should be able to defend herself and her family from every angle.

I want all the women reading this to know that you have the power in you to fight back. You have the power in you stand up for yourself and your family. It’s always been in you. I’m just here to help you manifest it into reality.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I started Chicks with Triggers as a hobby/side hustle. I honestly didn’t even think people would come. I thought maybe I would have someone here and there but boy was I wrong! Women came from all directions to learn how to use firearms and defend themselves. When I first started out, I had classes of maybe two women at a time and now my classes are well above 20 women. It’s absolutely incredible to see so many women wanting to take their safety into their own hands. Not too long after I started this “hustle” of mine, I started meeting women who were abused, beat and raped and that’s when my whole mission changed for my business. Chicks with Triggers became my purpose. Helping women and fighting for women became my purpose. That’s when I went all in and decided to make Chicks with Triggers my full time business and I haven’t looked back since.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Learning how to defend yourself or use firearms isn’t just a one time class. I offer numerous follow up classes to make sure the women that I’m training are getting the knowledge and practice they need to succeed. In addition to my classes, I offer ladies night at the local ranges twice a week and gun cleaning classes once a month. It’s a friendly and welcoming environment for them to come and practice everything that I taught them in the classes. I also send out numerous videos/emails reiterating the law because having a gun is just half of the equation. I want to make sure they know the state laws associated with the gun…not just how to use it. Chicks with Triggers is not just a bunch of classes…it’s a community. Women who’ve never met before become friends, allies, and supporters of each other. I love that for them!

Contact Info:

• Website: Www..chickswithtriggers.com
• Instagram: @chickswithtriggers
• Facebook: @chickswithtriggers
• Other: Anyone who wants to read reviews from women that have trained with me can Google “Chicks with Triggers” and read them.