To start a fish/herp shop? Poll

[cichlid2006]

maybe get a little more experience at life like paying bills on your own first. having to live on a budget and all that. general life experience. your still very young to be going into a business without having lived as an adult with all the bills to match. its not that i think that young lads shouldnt start a business or have great ambitions its just that you will probably be better for a little experience and a little wiser when you do decide to go for it. plus at your age getting any loans to start up will be nearly impossible. made even harder by the current economic climate.
if you decide to go ahead then good luck but i do hope you go and live a little first.

 

[andro23]

I manage a LFS, its well established and the only LFS within a 2hr radius...we have quite a bit of turnover and since I do the books we make a good profit. My owner also owns a couple of carlots...hes never around, this was a hobby for him and now its a side income and a tax write off...he likes to come in and play with it every now and then tho. It is *ALOT* of work, since hes never around I have to deal with everything. When I came to the store...there were 2 netters that didnt even keep fish muchless know an oscar from a green terror. We have 50 sale tanks, 7 display tanks and about 15 tanks in a back room as well as an indoor pond and a small selection of reptiles, birds and small animals. We are open from 10-8pm...but there is atleast 1 of us there from 9-9 every day. I usually work a midshift and its non-stop the whole day, and I usually go in for a quick visit on our only closed day(Sunday) just to make sure there arnt any deaths or equipment failures or anything.

Work at a LFS...before you own one, working at this one has made me realize I never want to own one. Youd learn alot about how to run a shop, as well as how not to run a shop....all at somebody elses expense.

 

[djarmstrong]

Should i try and aim to start a petshop with a mate? Were both 18, id have fish and he'd have reptiles. We are in Britain. Were both very determined to do this also but what do other people reckon?

Keith

In English please !

That makes no sence to me at all .

 

[Noto]

One thing to consider is that running a shop is a bunch of different jobs balled into one, and at first you will probably be doing all those jobs yourself. Obviously maintaining the stock and equipment is one, and probably the one you know most about. But you also have to make sales, buy stock, look after accounts, keep on top of taxes and fees, make sure you're compliant with all applicable regulations, handle advertising, even down to keeping the shop swept and mopped. It's a lot to take on.

Here's a thought: before you go whole hog into starting up a shop, how about starting a home-based business breeding and selling fish, repackaging and distributing bulk products, maintaining commercial and residential tanks, building tanks and stands, or something along those lines.

The way I see it this has a few major pros:

1) The startup investment is much, much smaller.

2) It is easier for you to control the scale of your business and find out just how much you can handle.

3) You can work a regular wage job as well until your business becomes consistently profitable.

4) It is a relatively low-risk way for you to become an established and trusted name among hobbyists; this will be a big boost if and when you start a store.

Just something to consider.

 

[justin guest]

I went and got the degree (Aquaculture major), then went and worked in an lfs for someone else first where I really started to learn... Learnt from my mistakes with someone else´s money and decided to do something else. No matter how many safety measures you think you may have planned into the business, the unexpected will happen. It wasn´t a money issue but you have the live animal systems in the back of your head 24/7. I´m not trying to discourage you but think about this very carefully before trying this. Good luck whatever you decide

j<><

 

[DucatiDragster]

Yes, open up a business. Just don't go bankrupt within the first year.