WHy did i start this?
Welcome to the Society! I am Eliza Brooke and today I will tell the story of how I came up with Wylde Ways. It has been a long journey, I assure you. So let that be a testimony to all of the “failed” ventures along the way. They are not failures, but merely stepping stones.
I started out in the firearms industry under interesting terms. I was at The Martial Arts Super Show in Vegas, July of 2021 and stumbled upon someone in the firearms industry that needed a female face for the company. This here is another story for another time, however it slingshotted me into the gun world and I knew I was…for lack of a less cheesy cliche…home. I wanted to teach women how to use a pistol for concealed carry, as that was where and why I started in this industry. My other company, Valeria Protection, was and always will be my first love. However, my perception of guns quickly evolved into a love of the world of firearms beyond self defense. I went through many chapters of which some being wonderful fun and others being taxing as well as at certain points hopeless, I felt many times as though I was an imposter that should just quit and also evolved many times over who I thought myself to be. But for those of you wondering if you should keep pushing at that one thing that lights your soul on fire, I am here to tell you, yes. Most ardently yes. Keep pushing because you will eventually catch your stride. All of the challenges, heartbreak and setbacks create a place for you to fine-tune your craft. That has been the journey of Wylde Ways. My big break that was my ultimate launching pad was getting hired onto the Classic Firearms Team. I had been dreaming of a way to get more into the industry…but with a lack of community, I was stagnant. I felt completely stuck. But then God came in and laid the biggest opportunity I had ever experienced right into my lap. In that moment I realized all of the training I had my entire life, my years of teaching martial arts which translated to teaching in the firearms industry and being comfortable in front of the camera, my own journey and trials in the industry for the prior 4 years which laid the foundations of my firearm competency and my own combatives training which helped in both mindset and expertise was leading me to this exact moment. I signed on with Classic and thus began the chapter that has held the most fulfillment and joy thus far.
I had made excuse after excuse, refusing to take full responsibility for my stagnation. I told myself I didn’t really have a place to gain the knowledge I needed to be in this space (because the internet being the double edged sword that it is with no way to really decipher the true and the false practices without a trustworthy sounding board), I didn’t really know enough people in the industry, I didn’t have enough know-how to make content and that I didn’t have the resources. All of which that were obliterated by my opportunity to work with Classic Firearms. I joined the team and gained every resource I could need, a trustworthy and good hearted community and a place to really and truly learn. I was given the chance to step into my most authentic self and it blew wide open the doors of creativity. I was given the opportunity to shoot guns I had never dreamed I’d get to shoot and learn drills that helped further by skill building along. So I am sure you can now start to see how Wylde Ways began to evolve. I fell in love with the firearms industry in a way I never had. I suddenly wanted to shoot every caliber I could get my hands on, and just HAD to know what these calibers would do to different objects. I became obsessed with testing different guns under different conditions and wanted, nay, NEEDED to know which platform/company/model would be best for specific purposes. So thus was born Wylde Ways. I wanted to share my findings with the world and help others have a space to learn alongside me. To help trim down their barrier to entry into the firearms space and also to give some entertainment to those equally as curious as I am. I started this company in November of 2025 and I am beyond excited to take Wylde Ways to its highest peak. Thank you for following along with this journey and come with me into The Wylde
-Keep pushing and find your own Wylde,
Eliza
