July 9, 2026

Repeat Buying Success Starts with Hosting First Shots

By Peter Suciu

Cadence Defense, a Carson City, Nev.-based firearms and personal training company, remains committed to providing practical and safe firearms training to shooters of all experience levels — from first-time gun buyers to experienced concealed carriers. Owned by husband-and-wife team Mike and Sarah Masters, Cadence Defense offers comprehensive classes on Nevada’s CCW courses and women-only handgun training.

USCCA-certified instructors and NRA-certified range safety officers lead the training.

Cadence Defense now offers First Shots^® experiences to its customer base, having just hosted its fourth event in June. First Shots is an introduction-to-shooting program developed by NSSF^®, providing instruction and course materials for handgun, rifle, clay target shooting and suppressor experiences.

Mike Masters explained they wanted to become a First Shots host for several reasons, chief among them recognizing a need to promote shooting sports locally — as well as safe and responsible firearm use.

After looking for First Shot events in northern Nevada and finding that none were around, the Masters opted to fill the void.

“By offering First Shots in this area, we’re able to provide a lower-cost introduction to the shooting sports, promote safe and responsible firearm ownership and get our business in front of more people all at the same time,” he said.

“People like to see others having fun, and tend to want to join in, so be ready to show that in your marketing. If you’re a host who loves to help people and see them succeed, I think you’ll love being a First Shots host.”

— Mike Masters, Cadence Defense Owner

Build It, And They Didn’t Come

There was no quick “Field of Dreams” moment, however, and the program didn’t become an instant hit among Cadence Defense customers. Masters acknowledged they saw very little interest in their first event, only attracting a single participant who happened to be a friend.

It was, in his words, “pretty disappointing,” but Mike and Sarah didn’t give up. They saw growing interest over the next three classes.

It took more than just holding the classes; the program required actual promotion, and for the Masters, it meant taking to social media.

“After each class, we like to share a few photos from the event, along with a description of what we did and how the participants gained new skills and left with a feeling of newfound confidence. The response from participants and the social media community has been extremely positive and supportive,” said Masters, who added NSSF was a willing partner that provided the supplies and education materials for the classes.

“The educational handouts and prepared presentations are professional, easy to understand and present. They’re complete, without overcomplicating the subject matter,” he added, noting the program was designed to be friendly and engaging.

“For the most part, the people who come to the First Shots events are nervous; possibly somewhat apprehensive,” Masters continued. “It’s important to recognize that and present the class in a way that helps to put them at ease. We simply treat them as we would want to be treated. We get a lot of comments about our calm, friendly demeanor as instructors.”

Mike and Sarah did find there has been more interest in handguns, with little for rifles, so the plan is to consider a different approach to promoting the rifle classes.

The Next Shots: Repeat Business

Even as the program is branded as a “First Shots,” one of its core goals is to develop repeat customers for hosts. At Cadence Defense, it has been effective. Mike and Sarah created a class for those who want to build on what they learned in their First Shots experience, dubbed “Next Shots.”

“The idea for Next Shots actually came about from customers asking, ‘So, what’s next?’ It just made sense to call it Next Shots, as it picks up where First Shots ended, with a .22 LR pistol,” said Masters. “Those who have taken our Next Shots class have loved it, with some going and purchasing their own handguns, or saying that they are going to start practicing with handguns they’ve had stored at home. I’d like to think of that as a success, all starting with First Shots!”

The Keys to Success

Of the takeaways that Mike Masters has to offer, one was perseverance is critical. As with many other facets of being a small business owner, effort needs to go into being a First Shot host — but the results can pay off.

“It’s not without effort,” Masters reminded. “Our first event was a discouraging flop, but we were determined to make it work because we believe in it.”

To that end, he said a successful First Shots host should trust in the program and understand it’s an introduction for people who may be stepping outside their comfort zone.

This is where shops need to be welcoming, especially to those who may be less experienced around firearms.

“People will always remember how you make them feel. If you can make the events safe, fun and engaging, the participants will leave with a sense of pride and accomplishment, and that pays in many ways,” Masters emphasized. “People also like to see others having fun, and tend to want to join in, so be ready to show that in your marketing. If you’re a host who loves to help people and see them succeed, I think you’ll love being a First Shots host.”

To be successful, Masters said, a First Shots host needs to utilize it for what it was designed to do — literally an introduction to shooting sports. That means making it affordable and available, and the partnership with NSSF can make that seamless.

“Use it to build a rapport with potential customers, and they will likely reward you with repeat business. It’s been very rewarding for us, as well as our customers,” said Masters, who sees the program as an extension of being a husband-and-wife team.

“People always tell us there is no way they could work with their spouse, but Sarah and I have worked together for most of our married life. We’re really just best friends who enjoy working together,” he added. “We each handle different aspects of the business and have been told by clients over the years that they enjoy how well we work together. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Be Part of Something Greater

NSSF has set a bold national goal: help 25,000 new shooters take their First Shots by the end of 2026.

To get there, we need ranges, gun clubs, firearm instructors and training facilities across the country to step up — and we’ve made it easier than ever to do exactly that.

We’ve launched a free webinar series to help fuel your success as a First Shots host. Whether you’ve never heard of First Shots or you’ve been hosting events for years, there’s a session built for where you are right now:

• New to First Shots? Join our New Host Webinar and learn how the program works, what it takes to get started and how to bring new shooters through your doors.
• Already a First Shots host? Join our Existing Host Webinar and discover proven strategies to fill more events, grow your new shooter pipeline and maximize your impact in 2026.

These webinars are free, focused and built around one mission: helping you play a meaningful role in growing the shooting sports.

Is First Shots Right for Your Range?

Do you want more customers? Is your facility equipped to introduce first-time shooters to safe and fun shooting? Do you have instructors and range safety officers who enjoy working with new shooters? If you answered “yes” to each of these questions — your facility is ready to reap the benefits of hosting First Shots.

An additional incentive to consider: Funding, which was previously limited to marketing efforts, is now available to qualifying NSSF member ranges, instructors and shooting sports organizations to help cover a variety of expenses related to First Shots hosting efforts. Hosts are eligible to receive $15 per First Shots participant, up to a maximum of $1,500.

To learn more or to sign up as a First Shots host, contact Ann Gamauf at [email protected] or Zach Snow at [email protected]. For more information on First Shots, visit the First Shots welcome page on the NSSF website.