Meet Lexi Swearingen | Owner, Republic Shooting Range

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lexi Swearingen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lexi, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

My husband Zach was leaving a very successful career in the Navy. I was leaving a career in news and starting a career in political consulting. We wanted to do something that utilized my husband’s expertise but afforded us the autonomy to start a family and be close to our family in Pueblo.

We both had very successful careers. As I tell people, starting a small business is very humbling because you learn a lot about what you DO NOT know.

We started this business as a family business. My father and brother in law are also owners. The support of a family is key when you are starting something of your own.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

My husband Zach was a US Navy SEAL for 9 years. We opened the range together along with my father-in-law, Bob Swearingen, who is a retired engineer and US Navy Veteran as well. It takes dedication, strength – both mental and physical, as well as intelligence and a unique commitment to your country and service to become a SEAL. It was certainly not easy for him, it’s not easy for anyone in special forces. But, it instilled and grew confidence and a leadership style in Zach that helped him undertake a new business – something he had never done before.

I was a television news producer in my past career. I started at CNN and then moved to Fox News Channel in Washington, DC where I became the Senior Producer of Weekend Programming in Washington, DC. I produced several shows for the national network. After leaving Fox News, I moved into politics. I was a Communications Advisor for Presidential Candidate Rick Perry, Senior Communications Advisor for Presidential Candidate Carly Fiorina’s Super PAC and a Senior Producer for the 2016 Republican National Convention. My job was very difficult, long hours, high stress and a lot of demands. Like my husband, it instilled in me confidence that I can do what I set my mind to and a leadership style that motivates others.

We are a uniquely driven family that is dedicated to service and giving back. We named our business “Republic” because that is what our country is built as, a Republic. Our family has a dedication to pride in America, service to our community, dedication to our family and faith in our God.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

When our friends come to town, we start with a day at the range. We love to take people to see our business and get them out of the city and out to the mesa. We show them the farms and take them to eat at places like Musso’s and Milberger Farms. We spend at least one day day/evening downtown, shopping at Zach’s sister’s store RazMaTaz and all the other shops on Union and then eating and strolling along the Riverwalk. We make sure to stop in the Center for American Values because that is a special place to us. We also like to take our guests fishing because that’s Zach’s favorite pass time.

(If our friends have young kids like us, we take them to the Buell Children’s Museum).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Zach and I would like to dedicate this shout out to our family and our Pueblo community. We opened this business with the support of our family – financially, emotionally and physically. We have done this as a team from the start and still are reliant on our team today. That team has grown to include volunteers and staff members that have become like family to us like Bob Turano. The Pueblo community has been very supportive of our family and this business. Fellow businesses in the gun community have also been extremely supportive. We have been mentored by other business owners – past and present- who have helped guide us along the way.

Website: RepublicShootingRange.com

Instagram: @RepublicShootingRange

Facebook: @republicshootingrange