Canvas Rebel: Meet Heidi Lyn Rao

March 30, 2022|North American Outdoors|

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Canvas Rebel: Meet Heidi Lyn Rao – NRA Women.com

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Heidi Lyn Rao a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Heidi Lyn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I have spent the last 28+ years helping and teaching people how to enjoy the outdoors, both personally & professionally.

I have always had a passion for introducing people, especially women and first time firearm owners, and teaching the safe and responsible handling, marksmanship, and storage of them..

I am the 2022 Golden Bullseye Award recipient for “NRA Women Industry Woman of the Year”

Read about it here: https://www.nrawomen.com/content/driven-by-the-fun-nra-women-s-heidi-rao-awarded-nra-golden-bullseye/

I am a LIFE member of the NRA; as well as an NRA Training Counselor (able to train and certify Instructors), certifying NRA Range Safety Officers, Rifle, Pistol + Shotgun Instructors and am a Level I Shotgun Coach. I also teaches NRA CCW, Personal Protection Inside and Outside the Home. In addition to certifying Instructors, I offer and conduct many BASIC and introductory pistol, rifle and shotgun classes.

I am a certified Texas License to Carry “LTC” Instructor.

I served on the NRA Youth Programs Committee, and currently serve on the NRA Ladies Pistol Project team. I have been a contributing writer to NRA Hunter’s Leadership Forum, and currently write for NRA Women and serves with NRA Women’s Leadership Forum.

I see the need to train, educate and empower women and first time firearm owners, and am offering as many classes as possible to meet this demand. In 2020 there were 22.8 million guns sold, and in 2021 18.5 million guns sold. There were 5.4 million first-time gun buyers in 2021 – and my mission is to reach as many of these individuals as I possibly can – to make sure they are safe and know the proper use, handling and storage of firearms.

Heidi Lyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have spent the last 28+ years helping and teaching people how to enjoy the outdoors, both personally & professionally.

I have always had a passion for introducing people, especially women and first time firearm owners, and teaching the safe and responsible handling, marksmanship, and storage of them.

I started my own business: North American Outdoors

Visit my website: https://northamericanoutdoors.org/

I am the 2022 Golden Bullseye Award recipient for “NRA Women Industry Woman of the Year”

Read about it here: https://www.nrawomen.com/content/driven-by-the-fun-nra-women-s-heidi-rao-awarded-nra-golden-bullseye/

I am a LIFE member of the NRA; as well as an NRA Training Counselor (able to train and certify Instructors), certifying NRA Range Safety Officers, Rifle, Pistol + Shotgun Instructors and am a Level I Shotgun Coach. I also teaches NRA CCW, Personal Protection Inside and Outside the Home. In addition to certifying Instructors, I offer and conduct many BASIC and introductory pistol, rifle and shotgun classes.

Find classes here: https://northamericanoutdoors.org/firearm-training

I am a certified Texas License to Carry “LTC” Instructor.

Find classes here: https://northamericanoutdoors.org/ltc

I served on the NRA Youth Programs Committee, and currently serve on the NRA Ladies Pistol Project team I have been a contributing writer to NRA Hunter’s Leadership Forum, and currently write for NRA Women and serves with NRA Women’s Leadership Forum.

Read articles here: https://northamericanoutdoors.org/articles-1

I see the need to train, educate and empower women and first time firearm owners, and am offering as many classes as possible to meet this demand. In 2020 there were 22.8 million guns sold, and in 2021 18.5 million guns sold. There were 5.4 million first-time gun buyers in 2021 – and my mission is to reach as many of these individuals as I possibly can – to make sure they are safe and know the proper use, handling and storage of firearms.

I have a weekly podcast called North American Outdoors, which can be found anywhere you listed to podcasts. The topics are anything and everything “outdoors” with a focus always on safety and getting more people into nature!

Listen here: https://northamericanoutdoors.org/podcasts

I also write books – currently to date, I have 7 published:
“A Girl’s Guide to Firearms”
“A Boy’s Guide to Firearms”
“Introducing Kids to Firearms and Hunting: A Parent’s Guide”
“How to Raise a WILD Child”
“Entering the World of the Predator”
“Entering the World of the Predator: National Parks Edition”
“Survive! Knowing the Signs and Surviving the Yellowstone-Tetons Ecosystem Predator Encounters”

I sell many outdoor products and accessories, keeping people safe and educated in the outdoors.

See books and products here: https://northamericanoutdoors.org/store/ols/products

What sets me apart? I am one of the few women in this field who is knowledgeable, trained and experienced with firearms. I am an excellent instructor and communicator, and remove all sense of nervousness of all my students both in the classroom and on the range. We have FUN in my classes!

What am I most proud of? Being the 2022 recipient of the NRA Golden Bullseye Award!
Also – having taught over 200 firearm safety courses, training over 2,000 students!

I am passionate about teaching others and know my subject well. Nothing gets me more excited than seeing someone overcome any doubt, whether perceived or real, and become confident and empowered all while learning firearm safety!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I am a very good instructor and communicator. My goal and mission is to have each and every one of my students feel they have gained new knowledge, improved their skills, and improved their confidence with and around firearms. It seems each and every Basic Firearm class I teach, I have many women, and several first time firearm owners including men, who were hesitant of this new “thing” they just purchased. After enrolling in my Basic Firearm class, that hesitation is soon dissolved.

Learning about firearms can be compared to learning a foreign language. There are terms that are specific to firearms and ammunition, that only describe parts and accessories, and do not translate into any other language. So understandably, this can seem daunting to a new participant.

In the classroom, I have several training aids and show-and-tell items for students to handle and learn from. I use many visual aids to help explain the topic and spark questions and discussion. After a few hours of some great hands-on classroom time, we then head to a private range where we turn this new knowledge into FUN!.

I have taken many shooters, a large number of them who are women, to being proficient and confident with their new skill. Many of them have gone on to join shooting clubs, leagues, and some have even gone onto competitive events and have advanced beyond their wildest dreams!

Nothing beats a great referral, and word of mouth travels best. I have had students hear about my amazing classes from not only the Greater Houston area (where I mostly teach), but have traveled from the Texas Panhandle, South Texas, El Paso, and several have traveled in from other states to take my classes!

I keep a database of all of my students, what classes they took with me, and any notes like what else they are interested in taking or getting a certification. I communicate with them frequently and always offer them to come back to any class they have already taken – (only having to pay their range fees if they choose to shoot again with me) – as a refresher or if they have additional questions.

I do my best to answer my phone and immediately reply to text messages and emails when questions come across or people are seeking information about an upcoming training. That is one of the recurring comments on my evaluations: I am always available and immediately reply to a question or request.

I take pride in my business, my training, and continue to take care of all of my students, beyond the classroom and range!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

With the 41.3 million guns sold in 2020 and 2021, and estimated 5.4 million first-time gun buyers in 2021, there is definitely a need and demand for safe firearm training.

I have watched many, many new firearm owners be sold a gun that was way too “big” or “uncomfortable” for the person who will be handling it. I have watched many people suggest a model or caliber that wasn’t the best option for someone just getting into firearms.

I take an individual, case-by-case approach to all of my classes. I teach from the ground-up, educating the basics and terminology from an introductory level. I leave no one behind. I there are questions, I answer them right on the spot. If I have more “experienced” individuals in my class, I involve them to share some of their experiences and help teach the newer students.

When on the range, because I teach “BASIC” classes, I teach the fundamentals of shooting. I break down how to aim, teach breath control, holding, trigger press and how to to follow through. Another frequent comment on all of my evaluations is that most people never were taught these Basic Fundamentals of Shooting – they never learned how to improve their techniques and skills to become a better target shooter and marksman.

I do my very best to remove all nervousness when on the range. We have FUN on the ranges and I make learning fun. Word travels and spreads and I feel that my students continue sending their friends and family to my classes because of the way I teach and help their confidence and skills with and around firearms.

Beyond the basics, it is very important to protect yourself and your loved ones. I am a certified Licensed to Carry (LTC) Instructor and teach the laws, safety and storage of firearms.

Find out more here: https://northamericanoutdoors.org/ltc

I continue to communicate with and involve all of my students, inviting them to future classes and asking how I can help make them more successful as they continue to become empowered as their confidence soars!

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