Closing Out 2025

I’ve always believed that archery has a way of revealing who you are when things don’t go smoothly. You can’t muscle your way through a bad release. At some point, you have to stand there, bow in hand, and accept exactly what the arrow tells you.

The past year felt a lot like that.

Not just as an archer, but as someone trying to bring something new into the world–something that I had never attempted to build before. And to do that in an industry that does not hand out easy wins. I’ve spent most of my life in the great outdoors. I know bows, I know hunting, but I also know I’m not world-class in either of those categories. One thing I definitely did not know was how to build an app.

And yet, here we are.

Nomadic Archer went from a crazed business writing session in a camper to something real – something that launched right on the edge of hunting season, when time is scarce and attention is already elsewhere. That alone felt like threading a needle. Doing it while learning an entirely new business discipline along the way was something else entirely.

Going from Zero to One

There is a phrase in tech – zero to one. It means you leap from nothing to something. It sounds clean and orderly when you read it. Like it’s a logical progression and proceeds in a straightforward and regimented manner. In practice, it’s messy, humbling, and sufficiently exhausting to build. 

The language was unfamiliar and the possibilities were unknown. Learning required the same approach as mastering archery and hunting: showing up, paying attention, missing the target often, but ultimately trusting instincts to find the right path. Crucially, success was built on finding the right people for solid advice and assembling a team capable of performing the software work necessary to bring the vision and intent to life. 

Some days feel like progress while others feel like standing at full draw and your shoulders are collapsing from exhaustion. Occasionally, the only honest move was to let down and let an opportunity pass because it was rushed and would not result in anything other than a poorly executed showing. 

What carried the vision forward wasn’t speed or brilliance. It was repetition. Raw and ugly perseverance, trial-and-error, and the occasional rage-fueled session in the gym to square things away mentally. Ultimately, it was the discipline to keep the core idea driving forward as opportunities passed by because we were not ready yet.

Launching on the Edge of Season

Launching near hunting season is a gamble because everyone’s attention is already pulled toward the tags in their pockets, gear setup, final prep, and even traveling to scout locations. Practice was already accomplished and folks were heading into the field with the skills and kit they had gained throughout the spring and summer. But somehow, it also felt right to launch anyway.

Nomadic Archer was not built to compete with hunting season, it was built to support the work that leads into it–and the work that continues in-between hunt camps, or in-between weekends when work schedules demand most of your time. 

Getting to release the Nomadic Archer App meant pushing through headwinds that did not always announce themselves clearly. Technical hurdles, platform requirements, and review periods that pushed us all the way to the end of August. Couple that with real-world implications that nearly all my target audience is already out in the field.

But archery teaches us lessons outside of the stick & string too – like how you don’t abandon good form and proper discipline just because the wind picks up, the light is fading, or your frozen muscles are creaking trying to draw back in sub-freezing temps. You adjust your kit, aim smaller, but you still trust in the process. That mindset carried our team across the finish line. 

Entering the Wild

Building something is one thing. Releasing it into the hunting industry is another. 

This space values authenticity as a basic instinct. There is little place for marketing fluff, just check out the latest threads on ArcheryTalk. Good luck trying to swindle people and pass something off that screams “cash grab.” Fortunately, the majority of folks in the hunting scene can discern when something is built by someone who knows the culture, and when it isn’t. 

That’s not something you can manufacture your way out of.

There may be exceptions to this rule in the industry, but I am dead-set on making sure Nomadic Archer stays true to its grassroots growth. Conversations over campaigns, demonstrations instead of declarations, and offering a helpful tool rather than a flashy gadget.

There is humility required when you step into a space that already knows itself well. The goal isn’t to disrupt – it’s to contribute something useful and earn trust throughout the community. This process can take time, and that’s ok.

Carrying the Lessons Forward

As 2025 draws to a close and we look at stepping into a new year – I’m not focused on grand statements on what is coming next. The past year reinforced something that archery teaches us every day – the proof is on the target and it could not care less about what you say your ability is. That big talk is fine for hunt camp, the truck, and around the fire with your buddies. Progressions that are worth it rarely announce themselves, but they are apparent when you see them. 

Nomadic Archer exists to serve that reality – serving the everyday archer. Not just catering to an idealized version of it.

What matters is continuing the work with the same discipline that got us here. To refine instead of reinvent, and pay attention to how people actually train. Respecting the reality of time, commitments, and imperfect conditions. 

Taking the lessons from 2025 and applying it to the new year ahead means staying honest, staying useful, and continuing to build something that holds up to real use – not just good intentions. 

Looking Ahead

If there is a common thread between archery and building something new, it’s this: you don’t get to skip the uncomfortable parts. You don’t get clean outcomes without messy work. And you don’t get to earn trust without time. I’m proud of what made it into the world this year–not because it’s perfect, but because it’s real. It’s the first attempt at something that will ultimately stand the test of time, and hopefully build trust with our users over that time.

Heading into the year ahead, nothing about the approach changes. You show up, you do the work, and you let the results speak. That’s how groups tighten, and that’s how things worth keeping get built.