VIP Warranty Trilogy: Episode 1 - THE SHOWDOWN

“That warranty of yours will put you out of business in a year.”

That was the warning my dad heard on the floor of the biggest trade show in our industry. From the CEO of the largest optics company in the world.

The man pulled him aside, locked eyes, and dropped the line like a death sentence.

In that moment, it wasn’t just two men talking. It was the empire versus the upstart. A family business from Wisconsin standing toe-to-toe with the giant that ruled the industry.

The halls were buzzing with neon lights, massive booths, bigger egos. But for a split second, it felt like the noise went silent.

What do you say when the most powerful man in the optics world tells you your promise to customers is the very thing that will destroy you?

My dad just smiled. Nodded. And walked away.

Because deep down, he already knew: the VIP Warranty wasn’t a marketing ploy. It was a vow.

Years earlier, in our tiny retail shop, customers had walked in holding broken gear that manufacturers refused to fix. Red tape. Warranty cards. Fine print. Endless runarounds. Dad had spent hours earning their trust, only to watch it all go up in smoke.

So he made a promise: If we ever built our own brand, we’d do it differently. We’d have their back. No questions. No receipts. No loopholes.

That’s where the Very Important Promise was born.

Competitors mocked it. Some copied it, then watered it down with fine print and delays. One even tried to steal the spotlight with clever TV commercials. Ironically, they’re no longer even in the hunting and shooting industry.

But while others played defense, we kept playing the Infinite Game, serving people, not protecting policy.

You see, the showdown wasn’t really with that CEO in the hallway. The showdown happens every single time a customer reaches out:

Will you choose policy…or people?
Will you protect yourself…or protect your customers?

We chose customers. Every. Single. Time.

Every business faces this showdown: the moment you decide if your policies exist to protect you…or to serve them.

And twenty years later? The “one year” our competitor promised us has turned into decades of growth. The empire that mocked us? All but gone. The promise they tried to kill? Stronger than ever.

Loyalty isn’t built on loopholes. It’s built on people who CARE.

That’s why the Very Important Promise still stands...
because when you have your customers’ back, they’ll always have yours.