Silencer Central CEO talks record year, taking on new national role
Feb. 8, 2023
This paid piece is sponsored by Silencer Central.
It’s the middle of the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City, and the Silencer Central booth is swarmed.
“I didn’t come here planning to work the booth, but we were overwhelmed,” CEO Brandon Maddox said.
“When I see us that mobbed, I have to step in.”
As leader of the Sioux Falls company that has grown to 200 team members nationwide, “they don’t usually let me talk to people,” Maddox joked.
But with more than 50,000 attendees at the event last week, Maddox balanced some booth time with a steady lineup of business meetings.
“There’s a need to have that one-on-one conversation,” he said. “Often, people don’t realize you can own suppressors, and they mentally check out. They think it’s too much paperwork and have 30 questions unanswered in their mind. But our customer insight has shown once they realize we handle everything and mail it right to your front door, they’re on board.”
In the past year, sales have continued to add up for Silencer Central, which saw 30 percent growth in sales of its suppressors, compared with the industry average of about 10 percent.
“While we reach customers many ways, often it’s a referral business,” Maddox said. “We see people at these shows who bought from us before, and they’re bringing two buddies, and they tell us they enjoy working with us.”
Supporting that best-in-class customer experience is a 130-person team in Sioux Falls that has grown significantly in the recent year. We caught up with Maddox to talk about the company’s record year and new developments heading into 2023.
You moved into a new headquarters in 2022 – the former Cigna building. Have you settled in yet, and how has the team responded?
I think we’ve definitely settled in. Probably 80 percent of our team has been there a year or less, so getting everyone in the same place, on the same page and communicating effectively is key. And we still don’t get to have as many one-on-ones as we’d like because the phones don’t stop. It’s crazy. We get 1,000 calls some days, and we have a big team, but there’s support needed on the front and back end of the process, so outstanding customer service is huge.
You’ve grown a lot, but are you still hiring?
We’re in a good position, but we do have several openings. We still need logistical support to get everything out the door in a timely manner. In our world, demand comes in waves, and it’s still very much a startup. For years, we only did events, and for the last few years, we’ve done a lot of direct to consumer, so it’s running every day. Some people enjoy that, and for them it’s a great fit. If you like solving problems that can change daily based on growth, this is for you. And if you have a passion for the outdoors and firearms, people really enjoy it. We have team members who say for the first time they’re proud to wear their company’s logo because they feel more connected than they did at other jobs.
You also recently took on a prominent national role. What does that entail?
I was named a member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation board of directors. It’s a large, influential coalition nationwide. We advocate for the outdoors, and that’s something that resonates across political lines. There’s more going on in Washington that affects Silencer Central than we realized, so becoming more involved is a benefit. It was a lengthy process being named to the board, and I think it brings us credibility along with a place at the table.
What are your goals for the year ahead?
One of our achievements in 2022 was a new exclusive partnership with Federal Premium Ammunition, where we became their exclusive silencer and they became our official ammo provider. So that’s created a lot of buzz and interest, and we want to build on it. One main goal this year is to create more strategic partnerships with brands that are noncompetitive to us and that are showing interest in us. As we create more partnerships with firearms manufacturers, for instance, we’re seen as a partner that can bring value to them and their customers, and it’s a win-win.
How do you enjoy giving back?
One of our favorite things to do is donate suppressors to events that organizations we support hold nationwide. We embrace the auctions and other events, so whether it’s Ducks Unlimited or Pheasants Forever or the National Wild Turkey Federation, we give free silencers, and in return they often become huge advocates. There are a lot of benefits to using a suppressor while hunting, and this helps highlight that while supporting the industries that support us.
