Million Dollar Shot: What It Takes to Build a Bullet Proof Business, Create Freedom, Defend Your Empire, And Give Back

I do book reviews from time to time on things that I feel would positively impact my readers. This is the first time I have known the author, Dale Mochan.

I met Dale about two years ago. I am a bit of a firearm enthusiast, and I had driven by his shop, D&A Armory, several times. Driving by several times is an understatement. I thought the shop was a little sketchy. It took some courage to walk in the first time. I am just joking about that. I had driven by the location many times but never had the chance to stop in and see what the location offered.

D & A Armory is located on Royalton Rd in Grafton, Ohio. It is not to be confused with Wichita, Japan. Sorry, that is a joke that only Dale, myself, and one other person get.

The first time I walked in, the first person I saw was Dale. He is hard to miss. I was like, who is this guy? I did not spend much time in the shop the first time, but I walked away with a new gun—a brand new H&K SL8. I probably did not need it, but Dale made me feel really good about my purchase. The things that Dale talks about in his book are true. Customers are not just a number to him. Not just the next sale. I believe he takes a genuine interest in everyone who enters his store.

“I don’t call anyone in my store a customer. They are my clients.”
Dale MOCHAN

That first sale and introduction quickly led to a strong friendship. Dale is one of those guys who is full of positive energy. He is loyal beyond belief and an incredible husband and father. He is just someone you want to get to know, break bread with, and ask for advice—even when he is not blowing himself up (See chapter 2, Nine Lives, No Fear).

I am a little biased because of our friendship. He has hit a home run with this book. I think of him as the “Andy Fricsella” of Grafton, Ohio. I am not sure which of them uses the English language more colorfully.

Introduction

“Million Dollar Shot: What It Takes to Build a Bullet Proof Business, Create Freedom, Defend Your Empire, And Give Back” by Dale Mochan is a comprehensive guide for aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business owners.

This is not just a book for entrepreneurs. Framing it only as a business book would cause you to lose sight of its other powerful messages. Any father, man, or person looking to improve themselves, learn from their mistakes, and become successful should give this book a quick read.

Throughout the book, he continuously challenges you to reflect on three questions:

How can you better yourself?
How can you better those around you?
How can you give back?

In this book, Dales draws on his extensive life and business experience to provide actionable strategies and insights aimed at building a resilient and successful enterprise.

These same actions, strategies, and insights can be applied to becoming a better man, father, mentor, or whatever else you want to improve.

The book blends motivational advice, practical business tactics, and personal anecdotes, making it both informative and engaging.

As a side note, he does challenge Andy Friscella and David Goggin’s overly artistic and impactful use of the “F” word. I find this to be very entertaining, and as a friend of Dales, I can see that he is pouring his heart into every word in this book.

Structure and Content

Dale Mochan organizes the book into several key sections, each focusing on building and maintaining a robust business or diving right into self-improvement and personal success.

The structure is logical and easy to follow, guiding the reader from the initial stages of business conception to the advanced strategies for defending and growing an established empire.

The book begins with the foundational elements of starting a business. Dale emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision and mission, which serve as the guiding principles for any successful venture.

Throughout the book, he reflects on his guiding principles that help him and the people that he mentors get in the right mindset. He emphasizes the importance and value of their lives and constantly asks the reader to reflect on: “What is your life about?” “What is your life worth?” and “What is your family worth?”

Early in the book, he introduces you to his Dream Achieve Money (DAM) Tactical Entrepreneur Audit Toolkit. Dale’s coaching helps his students learn how to identify market opportunities, conduct thorough research, and create a solid business plan. This section is rich with practical advice, making it highly valuable for those in the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey.

If you have a chance, stop by D&A Armory and have a quick conversation with Dale. You will quickly find that reading the book is like conversing with Dale.

In the subsequent sections, Mochan delves into real-life examples of business operations, management, and life experiences. He covers topics such as building a strong team, developing efficient processes, and leveraging technology to enhance productivity.

Each chapter forces some self-reflection and provides key takeaways for the reader.

His insights on leadership are particularly noteworthy. He often highlights the success of his team members and the importance of his customers.

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” – Albert Schweitzer.

His approach to leading by example reminds me of Albert Schweiter’s famous quote, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” He highlights the significance of leading by example and fostering a positive company culture.

Mochan’s advice is grounded in real-world experience, providing readers with a realistic view of what it takes to manage a thriving business.

Creating Freedom and Defending Your Empire

Dale is really focused on creating freedom through entrepreneurship and take control of each day.

He argues that a successful business should not only be profitable but also provide the owner with the freedom to live life on their own terms. It should provide the opportunity for individual sovereignty and also the ability to give back.

Part of this is taking control of your life each day.

I absolutely love this last point. Dale gets it and I just wrote about this recently in my post about Building Meaningful Relationships.

Mochan offers strategies for achieving financial independence. He also discusses the importance of a business model that allows for personal freedom and flexibility. He talks about the commitment that is required to make this happen. Commitment to your family. Commitment to your mentors. Commitment to standing out. Commitment to building, not buying relationships. The final one I feel is the most important, after family, is commitment to growth.

Defending your empire is another crucial theme in the book. Dale addresses the challenges and threats that businesses face. I would say that the business threats Dale uses as examples, are also threat we could all face in our self-development path towards success.

Dale’s keystone failure to success story in the book is his million dollar loss story. A trusted friend and partner caused him significant finanacial burden and near company failure.

Through failure, we can gain valuable insights. They help us discover necessary improvements for a project or strategy we are working on.

Failure creates the opportunity to learn from experience.

Dale’s book takes you on this journey of learning from failure, building experience, growing from that experience and building success.

He provides practical advice on risk management, legal protections, and strategic planning to ensure the longevity and stability of the business. His emphasis on being proactive and prepared for potential setbacks is both timely and relevant in today’s unpredictable business environment.

Dale highlights five critical steps each day that will keep you focused on the path to success:

No snooze buttons. Just get up and get out of bed and start your day
Chose one thing to better yourself. Not your business, not your home, just you.
Choose one thing that you can do to better your business
Connect with your circle.
Pull out your bad weeds. Not everyone is your friend.

Giving Back

Be courteous to all, but intimate with a few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friend shipt is a play of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shock of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.
GEORGE WASHINGTON

Dale calls out this famous George Washington qoute in his book at the start of chapter four, Plants Seeds and Grow Your Circle.

This example really demonstrates that Dale actually practices what he preaches. He was burned once by someone he trusted but instead of cutting all people from his life, he learned from his mistakes and put the systems and rules in places to allow him to filter out the bad weeds from his life. He continued to understand the important of building his network for more importantly choosing the right circle of people.

Dale now has a system in place that makes sure that he is giving back and caring for the right people and weeding out the wrong people, which he calls “avoiding the million dollar loss.”

A unique and admirable aspect of Mochan’s philosophy is his focus on giving back. He believes that successful entrepreneurs have a responsibility to contribute to their communities and make a positive impact.

Dale stresses that success only comes when you become more caring, giving, thoughtful and disciplined.

People don’t realize it, but giving is such an important trait
Dale Mochan

Dale is known to give everyone on his staff the fun the want for Christmas, no matter the cost. Hell, when I moved away from the Cleveland area he gifted me a Langdon Tactical Beretta 92, a very cherished firearm that I own. Floored me. That is Dale, if you are in his circle, he takes care of you but also expects you to be the best version of youself. He hold those that are in his circle to very high standards.

Dale provides guidance on how to integrate philanthropy into a business strategy, highlighting the benefits of social responsibility for both the community and the business itself.

Writing Style and Tone

Dale Mochan’s writing style is clear, concise, and highly motivational. He combines practical advice with personal anecdotes, making the content relatable and engaging. The tone of the book is encouraging and empowering, aimed at inspiring readers to take bold steps towards achieving their entrepreneurial goals. Mochan’s passion for business and his belief in the transformative power of entrepreneurship shine through in every chapter.

Conclusion

“Million Dollar Shot: What It Takes to Build a Bullet Proof Business, Create Freedom, Defend Your Empire, And Give Back” by Dale Mochan is a must-read for anyone looking to build a successful and sustainable business. Not only does the book offer a wealth of business knowledge, it also provides knowledge and practicle applications on self-evaluation, learning from failure and creating the networking and experiences you need to become successful.

Mochan’s emphasis on creating freedom and giving back adds a unique and valuable perspective to the entrepreneurial journey. Whether you are a budding entrepreneur or an established business owner, this book provides the tools and inspiration needed to take your business and personal development to the next level.

Overall, Dale Mochan delivers a comprehensive and insightful guide that is both practical and inspiring, making “Million Dollar Shot” a standout resource in the world of business literature and self-improvement.