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Jamie: Marketing has always been my passion and after spending many years in print and broadcasting sales, I opened an advertising agency (2011).
When the Coronavirus shut down many of my clients in California, I had to decide whether to focus once again on securing new clients for my business or exploring new opportunities.
During this discerning process, I moved to Florida. When my cousin, Brian, came to visit me and noted my active lifestyle, many times among large crowds, he noted the need for safety awareness for me and my community of friends.
Brian suggested a personal safety and threat awareness workshop for my new community in Florida, and given the scheduling of a large music festival we were all attending within a few months, it seemed like a good time to have some of his training.
When I posted the “safety awareness gathering” on social media, within 90 minutes more than 30 friends had replied that they wanted to attend. With the uncertainty we are all living with during these crazy times post Covid-19, everyone seems a little more conscious of their safety.
With the huge success of the first safety awareness seminar and the subsequent outcry for more events, I decided to step away from seeking additional advertising prospects and shift focus towards starting a new business geared at providing personal safety awareness and self-defense.
Brian answered the call of serving the United States of America in military service with the Marines for many years; and likewise, realized at a young age that only the presence of effective military forces makes possible the relative peace and security we maintain in our country.
Following his Marine experience, Brian was employed by the State of Ohio as a Hostage Negotiator, Violent Fuguitve Recovery Specialist, and Defensive Training Specialist, creating and providing self-defense and safety programs for the state of Ohio’s largest law enforcement agencies. Although he had secured a dream job with the state of Ohio, Brian felt just as strong of an order to teach civilians the training he received and taught in the US Military and Ohio Law Enforcement.
Upon expressing his vocation aspirations to a mentor of his, Brian was told that he was crazy to give up his full-time job and teach self-defense on his own. He suggested Brian open a gym as a stepping stone, and lure people into self-defense that way. Four years ago Brian took the risk and opened that training facility, Combat Athlete Performance Academy, in Warren Ohio. Unfortunately, Brian discovered that people were more concerned with their body image than with protecting themselves or others.
Realizing that as just one person becomes safer and takes that message and their training back to their families and community, Brian, together with his cousin Jamie, formed Weapon Brand in an effort to make the world a safer place, one person at a time.