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July 1, 2025
Building Better Ranges: Why NexGen Never Misses The Expo
Jeff Swanson on Business Planning, Profit Centers and the Power of One-on-One Industry Engagement
When it comes to starting or growing a shooting range, few people have seen more success stories than Jeff Swanson, Managing Member of Next Gen Range Consulting.
We caught up with Jeff at the NSSF Range-Retailer Business Expo® to talk about what it takes to successfully launch and grow a shooting sports facility.
Jeff’s journey with NSSF began over a decade ago with the launch of Wilshire Gun, a flagship range in Oklahoma City that remains one of the premier multi-use shooting sports facilities in the country. Since then, Jeff and his team at Next Gen Range Consulting have supported over 100 successful range startups, many of which began with conversations at NSSF events.
“We’ve been NSSF members from day one,” said Swanson. “And when we launched Next Gen, we stayed connected, serving as a Range Action Specialist, helping clients become members and attending every single Range-Retailer Business Expo™ as an exhibitor. We wouldn’t miss it.”
Helping Range Owners Plan, Launch and Scale
Next Gen Range Consulting supports businesses through every stage of the journey, from startup feasibility studies and business planning to helping existing ranges diversify their profit centers and stay competitive.
“We’re a true à la carte consulting service,” said Swanson. “We help clients write their business plans, evaluate markets, develop financials and prepare bank-ready feasibility studies. We also assist with buying, selling, due diligence and ongoing profitability strategies.”
At the Expo, Jeff gets the chance to reconnect with many of the range owners he’s helped launch and hear where they’re going next.
“We’ve been very fortunate to help over 100 ranges that are all still open today,” he noted. “At the Expo, we get to catch up, hear how they’re doing and talk about where they want to grow. That might be events, food and beverage, training programs or membership models, it’s all about helping them expand smartly and profitably.”
Profit Centers that Drive Longevity
One trend Jeff is seeing more and more? Ranges are looking beyond traditional lanes and retail to keep customers engaged longer and spending more.
“Owners are thinking about how to get people to stay longer, whether it’s offering food and beverage, a more robust event business or tiered memberships,” he said. “The longer a customer stays, the more likely they are to take another class, sign up for a membership or increase their average ticket. That’s great for business and for retention.”
Why the Range-Retailer Business Expo™ Works
Jeff is a long-time SHOT Show® attendee and advocate, but he’s clear about the unique value of the Range-Retailer Business Expo™.
“This is the event where you get to talk directly with the people building or expanding brick-and-mortar shooting sports businesses,” he said. “It’s a more intimate setting where vendors and attendees can actually sit down and dig into the specifics. For us, it’s the one event we always attend. Every year.”
Swanson also had a hand in developing the first Range-Retailer Business Expo™ alongside NSSF’s Zach Snow. Years later, he says the value is stronger than ever.
Thinking About Starting or Expanding Your Shooting Sports Business?
Whether you’re launching your first range or looking to grow your current facility into a multi-channel operation, the Range-Retailer Business Expo™ is where you’ll find the people, tools and knowledge to get there.
Join NSSF, Jeff Swanson and dozens of top industry experts at the 2025 Range-Retailer Business Expo™, July 15–17 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Want to Learn more from Jeff Swanson?
Don’t miss the upcoming education session “Buying & Building: How to Start Up and Step Up Your Business!”
In a world of increasing development costs, the time is ripe for both startups and existing business owners to look outside their four walls for opportunities. We will share strategies for inorganic growth through buying shooting sports-related businesses (potential mergers and acquisitions) and explore ways to organically grow your existing business by stepping up your business analytics, professional development, and creating new strategic partnerships to add new revenue streams. Action item takeaways and financial examples for these opportunities will also be shared.
Categories: BP Item, Education, Featured, Ranges, Retailers, Top Stories
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