Company overview & vision — James Sellers (Founder / CEO)
Can you give us a brief overview of Sellmark's journey — How did it start, and what have been some of the key milestones over the past decade?
“I founded Sellmark Corporation in 2000, starting in a garage in Texas providing marketing services with sales consulting. In 2002 it pivoted to distributing Eastern European-made products and in 2007 – this time to designing our own innovative products. This strategic evolution led to the launch of Sellmark’s first brand, Sightmark, followed by Firefield 2 years later. By 2009 Sellmark had built a reputation of creating “Brands That Sell” by successfully launching Pulsar in North America.
In 2019, we acquired KJI, further strengthening our product portfolio. The following year, in 2020, Sellmark expanded into the personal protection market with BulletSafe. In 2022, we enhanced our tactical lighting line by acquiring INFORCE. Most recently, in 2025, we launched Dark30, introducing high-tech Dark 30 Defiance 640 PTZ thermal camera — an advanced vehicle-mounted solution that’s redefining imaging technology. We established our first overseas headquarters in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2017 followed by a regional office in Bangkok, Thailand in 2022.
Sellmark’s acquisitions have also played a vital role in our growth. In 2008, we were awarded our first patent for Universal Boresights, laying the foundation for future innovation. Today, Sellmark holds over 100 patents.
This year we celebrate our 25th anniversary, and we are constantly evolving and innovating to keep bringing the best products to the global outdoor market. We have updated our vision to be “Fostering Memories. Furthering Traditions” to reflect the expanding markets but staying true to our core beliefs. From where we are today, I see nothing but opportunities and the feeling that the best is still to come.”
With Sellmark operating in multiple global regions, what challenges have you faced in expanding internationally, and how have you overcome them?
“Global expansion hasn’t come without hurdles. Regulatory challenges were among the first obstacles we faced. Many of our products can be classified as 'dual use' technology, meaning their export and sale are often tightly controlled by governments. To navigate this, Sellmark developed a robust compliance strategy, ensuring adherence to all applicable laws.
The company emphasizes honesty, respect, and integrity — core values that transcend cultural differences and have been fundamental to Sellmark’s global success.”
Growth & development
Looking at the company’s evolution, what do you consider to be the most significant milestones in the past five years?
“A cornerstone of Sellmark’s has been growth through strategic acquisitions. One of our first was Kopfjäger, favorite among SWAT officers and precision shooters. In 2025, we rebranded Kopfjäger to KJI, a name that better reflects the technical superiority while avoiding potential misinterpretations. In January 2021, we expanded into personal protection and acquired BulletSafe, a Michigan based manufacturer of bulletproof vests and body armor. For Sellmark, this marked a strategic leap into a new market — one centered on saving lives.
In 2022, Sellmark made another significant acquisition: INFORCE. The brand focuses on high-intensity flashlights and infrared illuminators designed for rifles, pistols, and helmets. With INFORCE onboard, we could now offer a comprehensive suite of tactical equipment, including firearm accessories, protective gear and lights, creating a well-rounded portfolio of complementary brands that reinforce each other.”
What were some of the biggest challenges in scaling the company, and what lessons have you learned along the way?
“Scaling requires balancing rapid growth with operational efficiency. One of the biggest challenges has been maintaining the culture and quality that made us successful while expanding our reach. We’ve learned that investing in strong leadership, fostering innovation, and staying customer-focused are critical to sustainable growth.”
Looking at the next 3-5 years, what are your strategic goals for Sellmark?
“We’re focused on expanding our global presence, enhancing our digital optics offerings, and strengthening our US manufacturing. Additionally, we’re looking to deepen our connections with the hunting, law enforcement, and defense communities to ensure our products continue to meet real-world demands.”
Are there any new markets or industries you’re considering expanding into?
“As technology evolves, we recognize the potential for high-tech hunting solutions that integrate advanced optics and smart features. Additionally, while our core remains rooted in hunting and shooting sports, we see opportunities for expansion into related outdoor markets, such as fishing, where similar advancements in gear and technology could provide valuable solutions.”
With increasing demand for smart optics and digital innovation, how is Sellmark preparing for the next wave of technological advancements?
“We’re actively exploring emerging technologies that have the potential to revolutionize the outdoor experience. We're looking into lidar technology, which could present exciting potential opportunities for rangefinding and object detection. In the optics realm, high-resolution advancements in PTZ cameras and thermal riflescopes allow for clearer imaging and greater target identification at long distances. Additionally, modular lighting systems, provide adaptable illumination for a variety of scenarios. By investing in these technologies, we anticipate the future of high-tech hunting and outdoor innovation.”
Regional market growth & challenges — Gregory Sharpe (Director, Sellmark OOD – European Operations)
Sellmark OOD has played a key role in expanding into the EMEA and APAC regions. What have been the biggest achievements and challengesin these markets?
“Sellmark OOD was the proof of concept for our expansion. We saw what worked and did not work in our expansion activities. We saw where our products needed to change. We saw where our sales and marketing approaches needed to be altered. Most importantly, we saw where we could focus effort better, with less resources.”
How do customer preferences and market demands differ between EMEA, APAC, and the US?
“The US market is dominated by the AR platform. Shooters can purchase firearms, licenses and experience shooting for a fraction of the cost in the rest of the world. In EMEA and APAC, the focus is more on hunting and sport shooting in competitions as the regulations are stricter and firearm ownership has larger barriers to entry. So, we are seeking to tailor some of our solutions to better meet market expectations.”
Product & brand positioning in EMEA & APAC
With Sightmark, Firefield, KJI, and Inforce catering to different user groups, which brand is seeing the most traction in EMEA and APAC, and why?
“Sightmark is our brand with the largest traction because we have made the most effort to expand the product selection outside of the traditional AR platform. We have seen large success with Firefield with the airsoft community who seek great optics for their passion.”
What unique advantages does KJI offer to shooters, law enforcement, and military users in these regions?
“KJI represents the most stable solution designed and tailored for SWAT teams and teams in highstakes situations. We are expanding our selection to offer more robust products for other use cases like hunting and competition shooting.”
Growth strategy for EMEA & APAC
What are your key priorities for 2025 to drive further growth and brand awareness in EMEA and APAC?
“We are seeking further integration of our global sales and marketing efforts. We have grown past the capability of our local teams and we brought in experienced professionals to help us optimize our efforts.”
How does Sellmark support distributors and dealers across these regions to ensure long-term partnerships and market expansion?
“We make a true effort to offer marketing support, focused sales efforts and customer service that seeks to be essay to work with. We offer to assist with website information and banners, provide social media posts, work on graphic design for roll-up banners, branding for stores and other locations that can impact customer awareness. We want to help them increase sales by assisting in their marketing efforts for our brands. We seek to be easy to work with logistically and with respect to compliance.”
What is your long-term vision for Sellmark OOD and its impact on the company’s global success across EMEA and APAC?
“Our long-term vision is to ensure every end-user, in every country in our sales area has the opportunity to buy our products to help them foster new memories and have great outdoor experiences.”
