Lights Out! Goons Out!

Photo Credit: Licentia Arms

We recently spoke with Robert and Tyler from Licentia Arms regarding their passion for night vision and the “Goon Squad”. In this Q&A they share what they’re doing to educate and support their clients regarding the available night vision product options and applications.

Question: How did you both develop your knowledge and experience with night vision technology?

Answer: Our knowledge of night vision evolved as a result of our own personal experience using it and morphed into a mutual passion. Night vision is highly customizable and very application driven. Because of that, forums and general internet research is hard to come by.

We have both spent vast amounts of time with each of the core systems on the market today. With our firsthand experience, we have learned the intricacies of each system, where they shine, and where they come up short. Combining our experience with industry collaboration, and self-taught research on the technology behind its practical use, we developed a strong understanding of both the practical and scientific sides of night vision technology.

Question: Can you elaborate on the underground subculture of night vision shooting, and some of the characteristics of that culture?

Answer: We love this question because it really touches on who we are at our core. One of the first aspects of night vision that attracted us to this field is the passion and commitment the community shares.

Daytime shooting is “easy” to facilitate. Shooting at night has a high financial barrier of entry and logistically having locations to shoot at night is difficult. People who shoot at night have a high level of commitment to learning and bettering themselves at this craft. Since there is more planning involved with shooting at night, whether it be just range night, a hunt, or even a professional night operation, the planning and execution builds a bond with your “crew”.

There is also a level of mutual respect when night vision users meet other night vision users. The phrase “goon squad” is frequently thrown around because of this. It is a perfect way to explain groups of shooters that spend their nights behind phosphor screens. Night vision isn’t mainstream in society’s culture which generally translates into individuals who enjoy counterculture and pushing the boundaries. It creates a social underground subculture full of awesome individuals and professional users.

Question: One of your mission goals is to educate your community, what are some of the ways you do this effectively?

Answer: Education is so important when it comes to night vision technology. Most consumers know “Gen 3” or “autogated” night vision is something they want, but most don’t understand what these terms mean or why they need it.

With the barrier of financial investment required to obtain night vision we believe it is our responsibility to help our customers understand where their money is going. We educate our consumers and the community with our social media channels and live demos. We spend a lot of time creating premium content including educational posts about the technology, gear setup, and other tips surrounding night vision.

On the LE side we conduct technology training sessions and demos, so departments and government clients understand what the technology they are purchasing is capable of and the best ways to implement it.

We focus on where our expertise lies, and that is with night vision technology and the associated kit. We don’t have combat experience with night vision tactics, this is something we leave to the professionals who have used night vision in combat. Our understanding of the technology enables us to take the needs of the consumer or an armed professional and translate those into a product set which will accomplish their goals efficiently.

Question: Who is a typical client for Licentia Arms?

Answer: Licentia Arms serves everyone from commercial enthusiasts, hunters, law enforcement to government clients. We have a strong belief that everyday citizens should have access to the same technology that LE and the Military use. Our business is truly split 50/50 between LE and consumer clients.

Question: Can you tell us a little about the consulting side of your business and what services you provide?

Answer: The consulting side of Licentia Arms is split into two facets. Content creation & marketing strategy on one side and gear selection & integration on the other. We have an extensive knowledge of social media and content creation along with gear selection and how it works in tandem with other equipment.
The consulting side of Licentia Arms extends this knowledge to other industry partners to help elevate their content and social media strategy. We see more and more consumers seeking education and knowledge around highly technical defense industry products than ever before. Many companies are missing free opportunities to educate the consumer and elevate the industry as a whole. Better content and more education create a smarter consumer and elevates higher standards and innovation in the industry.

We help our Industry clients show the full potential of their product and how it integrates with other products that consumers will likely use with them. We are in a time where it is not just iron sights and rifles. Gear is becoming more and more technical and industry products working with other products available in the market is critical.

We can help industry clients increase the representation of their products by pairing it with other products they may not have access to, but which the consumer may want to use. Frequently, this is lasers and other night vision related products.

Our support in this area helps them educate their customers on what is possible with their products and paints a picture of customization in the customer’s mind which increases the attractiveness and appeal of the products. We believe it is better to paint a picture for the consumer of a lifestyle and an what is possible with products versus just showcasing a product by itself.

We offer the same type of support to our law enforcement clients but for different reasons. LE clients typically need to have a similar understanding of kit selection around their night vision, not only for safety purposes, but also so they can be as efficient and effective as possible.

We spend time with LE departments to help them set up their kit in order to maximize the benefits of new products and those they have already implemented in the field. Our goal is not just to sell agencies night vision, but rather build them a total kit solution.

Question: What are some of your short and long-term strategies for growth?

Answer: Growth is something that is very important to us. Growth creates resources for higher standards and innovation. Looking at both short term and long-term growth we have a very customer focused approach. Short term we are striving to build a social media presence that will educate and reach more consumers as well as end users.

We want to continue to create a culture of education and provide amazing customer service. With night vision being such a small niche industry, word of mouth is huge. Continuing to invest in our customers pays dividends with referrals and additional business. Long term, we want to continue to push the boundaries with products, services, as well as creating more ways to reach the consumer. We focus on one key idea: if we offer the highest quality product available at a competitive price and can continue to reach and communicate with our customers, our business will continue to grow.

Question: Licentia Arms is an authorized distributor of CORE’s helmet lighting products, what do you consider to be the primary benefits and features of these products for your clients?

We solely recommend CORE Survival’s helmet strobe and lighting devices because of the simple but powerful functionality of the units. We do not sell or recommend a single piece of gear we have not thoroughly tested and trust.

CORE’S products are easily manipulated from feel without the need to see the device. With the location of IR location devices being primarily on top of the head, feel plays a major factor in the usability of a product. The tactile switches for changing functions on the device provide the user with confidence they are using the product correctly, and in the right mode under stress and with all different levels of kit on. Confidence and efficiency in this industry can mean the difference between life or death. We take that seriously and feel your products are the best in the market.

Question: What makes you different or unique from other companies who provide similar products or services?

Licentia Arms is different from our competitors in multiple ways, but all falling under one consistent theme – STANDARDS & EDUCATION. Unfortunately, we see many companies who have low standards regarding how they conduct their business. They are not giving consumers all the information they need to make an informed purchase decision.
Whether it’s poor education, low quality of content on customer facing media, or lack of product customization. We feel that we excel in holding to the highest standards on how we conduct our business.

Night vision is a highly customizable piece of gear and customers should have options to select from to make the perfect combination work for their needs. Whether it be different objective and ocular lens or different tube options we have a very open line of communication with our customers so they can get exactly what they need. We know that a night vision purchase is not a small one and we couldn’t be more grateful to the customers who trust us with their business.

Question: Who or what inspires you on a daily basis and why?

The passion for our craft is borne out of seeing the community react so positively and with gratitude for the education we provide. There is nothing better than when customers or potential customers reach out and thank us for explaining something to them or helping them understand the intricacies of a product. In short, watching and pushing this sector of the industry to grow in the right direction is our main motivation.

To learn more about Licentia Arms visit their website or check them out on Instagram