So I am considering starting a QUALITY reef store...

[Jon Fishman]

Well, no offense, but if that is you in your avatar, from one bearded gentleman to another, you don’t really look like an accountant.....

 

[William Robinson]

Well, no offense, but if that is you in your avatar, from one bearded gentleman to another, you don’t really look like an accountant.....

I don't look 37 years old, speak fluent Japanese and work for a major aerospace company as a senior engineer when I'm on my street glide with my beard flying in the wind but I do...

 

[ChuckTownReefer]

Start small set up a a few frag grow out tanks at your house to get your feet wet. and sell locally and online. then you can see how you like it and if there is enough sustainable business in your area before you take the big leap. ya get what I'm saying..

 

[Clownreef]

Im going to give you some advice:

I am a Chef. I own a restaurant. I work that restaurant every single day. I own it. I don't have any investors.

Ive heard this a ZILLION times:

"Oh I love to cook at home and Ive heard many times I should open my own restaurant".

Passion does not pay the bills. Simple as that.

I have to worry about payroll, taxes, food cost, labor cost, taxes, taxes, if something breaks, if plumbing leaks, a bad yelp review, unhappy customers, raising rents, lack of staff to hire, training people, the press, staying relevant, bad press, good press, no press... and I haven't even started cooking yet.

If you are willing to gamble it all, go right ahead. You might as well light that money on fire.

I bet you wonder why I do what I do if in complaining about it.

Because I know NOTHING else. I don't have any options. It is my job. Do I love it? Sure. Do I hate it sometimes? Yes.

Im not telling you what to do with your money. I am just telling you passion doesn't pay the bills.

 

[bblumberg]

So I have been in the hobby a few years and I am absolutely in love with it, however I really really can't stand my current accounting job. I am considering starting a reef related business. So I would like some ideas that you all would have? Also what needs in the hobby do you reefers think needs to be filled?

I missed other opportunities to do what I love so I want this to go right and no longer just be in it for the money, I want a fulfilling job that makes me want to wake up every morning. So if I can turn my hobby into that I would love some advice on how to start that journey.

This may be a few years down the road, but no better time than the present to start planning, am I right?!?!

As others have noted, you could start small by putting adding a frag growout system and selling direct to other hobbyists or LFS. I never considered this, but stumbled onto a local fish store who asked me if I had anything to sell them. It turns out that he was willing to buy everything excess that I have. Every single piece I can provide. Usually this is stuff that has overgrown such as zoas. I sell him fast growing zoas such as Everlasting Gobstoppers and Utter Chaos, sometimes for cash, other times for store credit. The per head price is not terrific, but it is nice to clear out the frag rack at once. Now I don't even both to put on frag plugs and grow out large ceramic squares or disks.

While I am probably not making much money on the deal, I have fish that I would have been reluctant to pay cash for (rainbow bassletts, Lineatus wrasse, pintail fairy wrasses, Achilles tang) as well as some fancy hammers and torches. Recently I sold him most of an Indo gold hammer that I grew from a single head 3 years ago for a nice pile of cash. The hammer had vastly outgrown my tank so I was glad to cut it back and start again.

If you are successful on a small scale then perhaps it would make sense to try your own reef store?

 

[siggy]

Most LFS are pet stores that will specialize in something. Exotic Birds, reptiles, saltwater.ect dont forget the designer dog foods and wild bird seed. Start a Koi pond craze or something. Diversify "Fish Tanks & Taxes Done Here"
I

 

[ThatTennesseeBeardedGuy]

Most LFS are pet stores that will specialize in something. Exotic Birds, reptiles, saltwater.ect dont forget the designer dog foods and wild bird seed. Start a Koi pond craze or something. Diversify "Fish Tanks & Taxes Done Here"
I

That's some solid advice HAHAHAHA

 

[ReefGrammie]

My first question is WHERE? My second question is can I work for you? By the way, I'm also an accountant... ;Joyful

 

[Opus]

I think that you could definitely have a reefing business without opening an actual LFS. If I were to do this, I would probably dedicate my basement to having a few nice frag tanks and a smaller fish system. There definitely are exporters that will sell you fish even if you don't have a storefront. Without having to worry about the major costs of running a separate building, I think you could keep your costs lower and even develop better relationships with your customers as they can see your personal reef tanks.

Most people do not research the legal aspect of doing this. Tick off a lfs and they could have you shut down, depending on the local/state laws. It is good advice though. I've seen probably a dozen or so people do that locally over the last year or 2. Only a couple are still doing it after a year.

 

[andrewkw]

I've been in the hobby almost 15 years and there have been times I thought of getting into the industry but the fear of destroying my hobby has stopped me. Each passing year of working jobs I don't like, up to and including running a business makes me consider it more.

Personally I'd like to have a coral farm and just sell large orders to stores if I could. My location limits me now since I'm not near a major airport but I do hope to move eventually. Different in the US since real estate can be a lot cheaper, but maybe you'd be happy making $15 an hour working at an LFS. If I could do that somewhere and actually own a house I would consider it, but not possible here.

 

[Salt & Peper]

Im going to give you some advice:

I am a Chef. I own a restaurant. I work that restaurant every single day. I own it. I don't have any investors.

Ive heard this a ZILLION times:

"Oh I love to cook at home and Ive heard many times I should open my own restaurant".

Passion does not pay the bills. Simple as that.

I have to worry about payroll, taxes, food cost, labor cost, taxes, taxes, if something breaks, if plumbing leaks, a bad yelp review, unhappy customers, raising rents, lack of staff to hire, training people, the press, staying relevant, bad press, good press, no press... and I haven't even started cooking yet.

If you are willing to gamble it all, go right ahead. You might as well light that money on fire.

I bet you wonder why I do what I do if in complaining about it.

Because I know NOTHING else. I don't have any options. It is my job. Do I love it? Sure. Do I hate it sometimes? Yes.

Im not telling you what to do with your money. I am just telling you passion doesn't pay the bills.

I'm in the same boat. Just the start up costs alone are enough to put people in bankruptcy. Then we'll everything he said above! Do your research and then do it again. But if you don't take chances we will never know. Good luck!!!

 

[Clownreef]

I've been in the hobby almost 15 years and there have been times I thought of getting into the industry but the fear of destroying my hobby has stopped me. Each passing year of working jobs I don't like, up to and including running a business makes me consider it more.

Personally I'd like to have a coral farm and just sell large orders to stores if I could. My location limits me now since I'm not near a major airport but I do hope to move eventually. Different in the US since real estate can be a lot cheaper, but maybe you'd be happy making $15 an hour working at an LFS. If I could do that somewhere and actually own a house I would consider it, but not possible here.

$15 an hour working at a fish store?!!!!! where????

 

[andrewkw]

$15 an hour working at a fish store?!!!!! where????

Well min wage is $14 in the province of Ontario. I really don’t know what employees of non chain fish stores make but I would imagine it’s at least slightly above min wage or no experienced reefers would want the jobs.

 

[Clownreef]

Well min wage is $14 in the province of Ontario. I really don’t know what employees of non chain fish stores make but I would imagine it’s at least slightly above min wage or no experienced reefers would want the jobs.

Not here in the US and A. No one makes that at a mom and pop fish store. Unless it’s a state imposed wage.

 

[Reefyyy]

what location because depending on where it is i would for sure visit and pick up some things. i suggest as well as maybe feeling corals which i think was the point in the first place also to sell some food like phytoplankton or reef roads and maybe some shrimp or other small crabs like hermit crabs as well because those are common buys i find which will bring in reasonable profit. i also would suggest have all the frags on easy display to the buyer/ public because it makes for a nicer environment and more trustable store in my opinion. idk these are just things i look for in a coral store i guess haha.

 

[Reefyyy]

Definitely respectable, but I am not sure if its for me. I dont know if I can just keep doing constant office work where I dont work with my hands a bit.

that is so me i feel you so hard on that lol that was probably the stupidest sentence i have ever written but its the truth. i love to work with my hands and could never be stuck doing something inside all day at a desk. i need to be free!

 

[ThatTennesseeBeardedGuy]

My first question is WHERE? My second question is can I work for you? By the way, I'm also an accountant... ;Joyful

Lol I just started but i work at rodefer moss in east tn

 

[mrpizzaface]

Try and get a part time job at a fish store near you and see if you like it.
There are many ways to be involved in the aquatics industry without it being your sole profession. It is not too hard to have an aquatic side hustle, be it selling frags, growing aquatic plants or breeding fish.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Skip the store front all together, imagine the new Door Dash

 

[Jeepguy242]

I started a gun shop just before sandy hook happened

took a hobby and turned it in to a very lucrative business.

in 3 years we were clearing half a mil a year

sold the whole business 2 years ago because frankly I was tired of customers

Now I don’t even go shooting or talk about guns anymore because it was that bad.

anytime you turn a hobby into a business it sucks the love for it right out of you