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Paintball went from backyard weekends to big-box shelves in a few years. This is the inside story of that ride.

In 1995 Daisy Manufacturing hired a former Army recruiter and tournament captain to build a paintball division under the Brass Eagle name. Sales went from $4.3 million to $36 million in two years, then $75.1 million in 1998, with an IPO along the way and product in more than 10,000 stores. The same company that scaled that fast later walked away from the slogan, the players, and finally the brand.

J.J. Brookshire was in the room for the Talon, the rejected Angel, the ViewLoader deal, the Neosho plant, and the meetings where cost beat the product. The book is a memoir and a case study: what it takes to turn a passion category into a public company, and how easy it is to give the glory back.

For players and field owners, it is the record before the names disappear. For anyone building a brand that has to feel authentic, it is a warning with receipts.

The manuscript is in review. It is not for sale yet. Leave an email and we’ll send a chapter.