The online aquatic business..getting into the game according to the "Fellman School of Business..."
As if I am some sort of mystic sage, and as if our company is the "bee’s knees", reefers seem to love to approach me about my thoughts of them starting an online aquatic-based business…I get questions on this almost daily…really. Crazy, right? Like I'm some great repository of knowledge? And, didn’t I just put up a post warning you about “experts?â€
Look, let’s be clear about one thing: My company, as good as WE feel it is, hasn’t come close to all of our intended goals yet. Mistakes happen often, perfection is elusive. It’s nowhere near the colossal success we intend it to ultimately be. We’re still on the steep upward climb. Happily, thanks in a large part to you guys and girls, we’ve gained a foothold in the market, and a loyal following of fans and customers, and we’ve moved towards our goals with great rapidity. Things are awesome. It’s been pretty satisfying, but there is so much more to do. We’d like to think that our initial success is the result of doing stuff right. The result of honesty, integrity, and plain old hard work.
And I think it’s pretty cool, because we’re only 2 years old in August, and, according to some pundits, are in that rare air of “successful†coral vendors. Okay, whatever…We don’t let this go to our heads. We can’t. Besides, some people despise us, and me in particular because I won’t shut up. Oh well. However, when I’m asked about how we got “here†(Wherever “here†is…), I don’t mind sharing my ideas…It helps ground me, and if it helps someone with ambition and the right attitude, cool. Mind you, there are many owners of businesses in this sector with long-duration track records, who are probably way more qualified than I to speak of how to create a successful coral business. Nonetheless, they don’t feel compelled to share their thoughts right now, and I don’t speak for them. I can’t.
We are...here.
I guess people approach me about their business ideas ‘cause they know that I’ll give you the straight skinny on this stuff… I’m not a grizzled old industry veteran, but I am a lifelong hobbyist, hold a marketing degree, and come with at least a fair share of industry experience. At the very least, I’ll give you my two cents worth about the gig. It will be based on my experiences and ideas…I warn you in advance that I may refer to things we’ve done here at UC- not to beat our chests or brag that we’re the shining model…but to illustrate the points I’m trying to make with real-world examples from my experiences. I can only speak of my own experience. As you expect, it will be filled with MY feelings on the subject…Some of it will confuse you. Some of it will be in line with your expectations. Some will probably tick you off.
Hey, you asked…
Here’s the deal: Lots of reefers entertain the idea of starting an online coral business…with dreams of making “a few bucks†to help offset hobby cost, and with hope against hope that they can parlay it into a full-time career. And you know what I say to that? YES! Go for it! You CAN do it…but you need to be realistic about some stuff.
First off, I can hear every coral vendor who’s reading this groaning, “Seriously, Fellman? You’re encouraging ANOTHER person to jump into this game?†To which I reply, “Sure. Why not?â€
If you’re good, and execute well, this industry, the hobby, the trade- can benefit. It forces us all to be better…to not be complacent. On the other hand, if you suck, well…you’ll get chewed up and spit out like a Berghia nudibranch tears into an Aiptasia.
Let’s be realistic about a few things:
Obviously, you need to have some experience, financial resources, and at least a rudimentary business plan before you get wet. This is not rocket science- it’s Business 101. You need to be realistic. Despite the seemingly easy proposition of buying a box of corals from a collector or farm in the South Pacific, slicing the corals up and growing them into little colonies in your basement for a sweet profit, it’s not that easy…There’s all sorts of stuff that comes into play before you park your car on Easy Street.
"Open the boxes, chop up the corals, repeat...What's so hard about that?" Yikes.
Oh, and as for the people who say “You can’t make a lot of money doing this..†I say, “N0, YOU can’t make a lot of money at this!†Rule one- Don’t ever, ever, ever believe ANYBODY when they tall you that, or anything else about what you CAN’T do…Because, if you do it right- if you figure out the way to make it happen- you CAN and WILL be able to make as much money as your talents, ambitions, and resources can allow you to. There is always, always, always a way to do something better, differently, or more profitably than has been done in the past.
Now, for purposes of this piece, I’m not gonna go into every detail of how to grow corals for profit, what the best lights are, etc…Mr. (Anthony) Calfo wrote the gold standard book on that a decade ago, and I’d refer you to his work. That being said, what I WILL touch on is the other side of the equation…the mindset, philosophy, marketing concepts, and psychology that you would want for this business. It’s not much different from other businesses…well, yeah it is..but…
MINDSET…the “big ideaâ€, revisited:
1)Try to be different…Do SOMETHING differently, or better, than every other guy in the market…You can…And it’s not just coming up with a better name, logo, cooler website, or catchy slogan…Create value, market separation, or, ahem…â€uniqueness†that sets you apart from the rest of the hype-mongering coral slingers out there. What makes your coral company better than mine? Why should hobbyists do business with YOU?
2)Believe in what you do…believe in your mission, your purpose for existence, and the fact that you CAN and WILL achieve your goals. If that means taking out a few competitors along the climb up…so be it. Sorry. No “Kumbaya†here. Success comes at a cost. This is business…not a frag swap or an excuse to have lots of cool tanks…Sure, you can have respect and be friends with other coral vendors, but you need to be more concerned about YOUR mission, your business, what you’re offering- than you do about theirs. Share some ideas, experiences, etc., but why give away the farm, literally? Some stuff is proprietary, and needs to stay that way…a bit different than the hobby approach, I know, but essential for survival.
3)Don’t waste time worrying about failing. Success favors the brave. Worry will simply do you in, help you buy into the naysayers, fall into the comfortable lap of mediocrity. Instead, worry about how you’re going to bring your best to the table, every day. Don’t accept “averageâ€, ‘cause your not. Create, innovate…move…put distance between yourself and the masses -quickly. If you’re going to worry about something, worry about not being like everyone else. In fact, here’s great advice on the subject: If you see all the other coral vendors doing something a certain way- take it as a message that you should do something else. Quickly.
4)Let the world know who you are and what your mission is…and execute. We shot out of the box with our “Conscientious. Sustainable. Responisble†manifesto right from day one. It ruffled feathers, ticked off the establishment in our industry…caught a few people off guard. We weren’t being arrogant. We were simply adopting a philosophy and sharing it with the world. Because no one ever spoke up in our industry about what they were all about in such a public way before, it gave us an aura of hubris, according to some. Oh well…at least people knew what we stood for right away. Leave people with no doubt about what you’re all about, and be courageous.
Let there be no doubt what you stand for.
5)Walk the walk. If you are going to publicly state that you’re different because your company does _____________, then do it, man! Nothing is more ridiculous than saying things like, “We only offer fully healed, completely encrusted frags at least 1.5†in size†and then delivering fresh-cut microchips to your customers…Hello, mediocrity. Don’t be mediocre. Be true to yourself and to your customers. Internal consistency is huge. Apologize when you screw up. And oh my god- OBSESS over customer service. Treat them like the VIP’s that they are. It’s the only way to succeed in this game.
6)Have vision. That means not just knowing what you’re gonna do..Rather, it means projecting your goals and holding yourself responsible for getting there. Accept the fact that you’re gonna fail once in a while..No- a LOT. You will…it’s part of the game. We’ve screwed up so much you can’t believe it. We still screw up- a lot less than we used to, but we still screw up. Everyone in this biz does. “We†(and that’s everyone whose still in existence in this market) all kept at it. Too many people failed in this business at something and then stopped. Quit. Got out of the coral game…Done…No one remembers these people, right? Don’t be one of them. Brush yourself off, own your mistakes, and get back in the game. You’re better than that.
What? You're gonna let a little adversity get you down? Really?
7)Be responsible. Pay your bills, and deliver on your promises. Yeah, that seems a bit obvious, but you’d be surprised just how many businesses in this trade are not responsible, financially and otherwise. It’s a small world of coral vendors. If you fail at an obligation, word travels quickly. Money talks, responsibility and integrity talk even louder
8)Be humble. Yes, I’m really saying this. Look, I’m a bit opinionated about some stuff, and perhaps a bit critical of my industry at times, but I appreciate those who came before me, and those who walk the walk every day in this industry. That being said, I’m proud of what my company does, and I am proud that we rocked the status quo in our market sector when we started, and that we continue to differentiate ourselves. But you know what? I’m grateful to many people, especially those in our industry who had the courage to forge new paths to create a market that never existed before. I’m grateful to the experienced people in the industry who took a few seconds and dispensed a few pearls of wisdom to Joe and I as we were getting started, seeing us as “brothers in armsâ€, rather than a threat to their existence. We all need to be humble, gracious, and understanding.
9)Talk WITH your customers. Huh? Yeah, the social media that you hear me rip on constantly do allow you to easily hit your target audience. The best marketing efforts are a conversation. Despite my extreme hatred (yea, hatred) of Twitter, Instagram, and some of those other platforms, we use them (or I should say, we have staff that use them-I refuse, lol) as an adjunct to our marketing efforts. The reality is that social media are great for having conversations, encouraging participation, etc. “One-way†dissemination of information and pics using one of these platforms (which is pretty much what everyone does with ’em) is simply a 21st century way of putting up a billboard or a TV commercial. Apparently, mankind has evolved to the point where he/she can only absorb 140 characters of information followed by a # nowadays. Wretched and brainless though they are, these platforms are actually useful for starting a conversation with potential customers if used intelligently. Hashtag THAT.
"OMG, he conveyed that in just 140 characters! #thisissoawesomewhybothertotalktopeopleanymore?
10)Learn to take feedback from customers and the market in general, and evolve your company as necessary to serve your best customers. Don’t try to be all things to all people. You can try offering corals at widely varying price ranges in an attempt to cover the whole market. Or, you can have just really cheap corals, and deal with the type of clientele that the discount market attracts. Or, you can price stuff in the stratosphere and use clever hyperbole and persuasion to convince the well-heeled consumer that your Acropora (or whatever) is THE absolute best one out there, totally worth $320 for a quarter inch fresh-cut nub. Or you can look at things differently and realize that what really separates you from the other guys is your ability to take care of your customers, communicate WITH them, offer value and fair prices on great quality “everythingâ€, and realize that some people will love everything that you do, some will hate you no matter what, and some people have know idea who you are. Who would you focus on?
Okay, so that about covers the very basics of what I feel are the key points about the traits and philosophies that you should develop in order to achieve your goals in the online coral trade. None of this is rocket science. None of it has “never been discussed before.†However, I would hazard a guess that no one in this market sector has given you this type of information before, for better or for worse..LOL
I believe very strongly in what I’m doing, as does everyone at Unique Corals. Our company works very hard, like so many other vendors here, to achieve its goals and take care of it’s customers. There is no escape from that. No easy road to success in the coral business. Work hard and believe.
I’m not giving away any proprietary secrets…well- perhaps. And I’m not afraid tha someone is going to take the scant information in this little piece and use it to “steal†my market share. Pu-leeze. I believe that: A) this blog does not contain the key to the universe, b) that most readers will not embrace all of my ideas, and that c) any new company who comes in and pushes hard to do better is good for all of us already in the industry.
So, to summarize…You CAN do this. The industry needs great new brands, new ideas, new philosophies…and new success stories. The industry needs YOU.
Be the success story, okay?
Until then,
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
As if I am some sort of mystic sage, and as if our company is the "bee’s knees", reefers seem to love to approach me about my thoughts of them starting an online aquatic-based business…I get questions on this almost daily…really. Crazy, right? Like I'm some great repository of knowledge? And, didn’t I just put up a post warning you about “experts?â€
Look, let’s be clear about one thing: My company, as good as WE feel it is, hasn’t come close to all of our intended goals yet. Mistakes happen often, perfection is elusive. It’s nowhere near the colossal success we intend it to ultimately be. We’re still on the steep upward climb. Happily, thanks in a large part to you guys and girls, we’ve gained a foothold in the market, and a loyal following of fans and customers, and we’ve moved towards our goals with great rapidity. Things are awesome. It’s been pretty satisfying, but there is so much more to do. We’d like to think that our initial success is the result of doing stuff right. The result of honesty, integrity, and plain old hard work.
And I think it’s pretty cool, because we’re only 2 years old in August, and, according to some pundits, are in that rare air of “successful†coral vendors. Okay, whatever…We don’t let this go to our heads. We can’t. Besides, some people despise us, and me in particular because I won’t shut up. Oh well. However, when I’m asked about how we got “here†(Wherever “here†is…), I don’t mind sharing my ideas…It helps ground me, and if it helps someone with ambition and the right attitude, cool. Mind you, there are many owners of businesses in this sector with long-duration track records, who are probably way more qualified than I to speak of how to create a successful coral business. Nonetheless, they don’t feel compelled to share their thoughts right now, and I don’t speak for them. I can’t.
We are...here.
I guess people approach me about their business ideas ‘cause they know that I’ll give you the straight skinny on this stuff… I’m not a grizzled old industry veteran, but I am a lifelong hobbyist, hold a marketing degree, and come with at least a fair share of industry experience. At the very least, I’ll give you my two cents worth about the gig. It will be based on my experiences and ideas…I warn you in advance that I may refer to things we’ve done here at UC- not to beat our chests or brag that we’re the shining model…but to illustrate the points I’m trying to make with real-world examples from my experiences. I can only speak of my own experience. As you expect, it will be filled with MY feelings on the subject…Some of it will confuse you. Some of it will be in line with your expectations. Some will probably tick you off.
Hey, you asked…
Here’s the deal: Lots of reefers entertain the idea of starting an online coral business…with dreams of making “a few bucks†to help offset hobby cost, and with hope against hope that they can parlay it into a full-time career. And you know what I say to that? YES! Go for it! You CAN do it…but you need to be realistic about some stuff.
First off, I can hear every coral vendor who’s reading this groaning, “Seriously, Fellman? You’re encouraging ANOTHER person to jump into this game?†To which I reply, “Sure. Why not?â€
If you’re good, and execute well, this industry, the hobby, the trade- can benefit. It forces us all to be better…to not be complacent. On the other hand, if you suck, well…you’ll get chewed up and spit out like a Berghia nudibranch tears into an Aiptasia.
Let’s be realistic about a few things:
Obviously, you need to have some experience, financial resources, and at least a rudimentary business plan before you get wet. This is not rocket science- it’s Business 101. You need to be realistic. Despite the seemingly easy proposition of buying a box of corals from a collector or farm in the South Pacific, slicing the corals up and growing them into little colonies in your basement for a sweet profit, it’s not that easy…There’s all sorts of stuff that comes into play before you park your car on Easy Street.
"Open the boxes, chop up the corals, repeat...What's so hard about that?" Yikes.
Oh, and as for the people who say “You can’t make a lot of money doing this..†I say, “N0, YOU can’t make a lot of money at this!†Rule one- Don’t ever, ever, ever believe ANYBODY when they tall you that, or anything else about what you CAN’T do…Because, if you do it right- if you figure out the way to make it happen- you CAN and WILL be able to make as much money as your talents, ambitions, and resources can allow you to. There is always, always, always a way to do something better, differently, or more profitably than has been done in the past.
Now, for purposes of this piece, I’m not gonna go into every detail of how to grow corals for profit, what the best lights are, etc…Mr. (Anthony) Calfo wrote the gold standard book on that a decade ago, and I’d refer you to his work. That being said, what I WILL touch on is the other side of the equation…the mindset, philosophy, marketing concepts, and psychology that you would want for this business. It’s not much different from other businesses…well, yeah it is..but…
MINDSET…the “big ideaâ€, revisited:
1)Try to be different…Do SOMETHING differently, or better, than every other guy in the market…You can…And it’s not just coming up with a better name, logo, cooler website, or catchy slogan…Create value, market separation, or, ahem…â€uniqueness†that sets you apart from the rest of the hype-mongering coral slingers out there. What makes your coral company better than mine? Why should hobbyists do business with YOU?
2)Believe in what you do…believe in your mission, your purpose for existence, and the fact that you CAN and WILL achieve your goals. If that means taking out a few competitors along the climb up…so be it. Sorry. No “Kumbaya†here. Success comes at a cost. This is business…not a frag swap or an excuse to have lots of cool tanks…Sure, you can have respect and be friends with other coral vendors, but you need to be more concerned about YOUR mission, your business, what you’re offering- than you do about theirs. Share some ideas, experiences, etc., but why give away the farm, literally? Some stuff is proprietary, and needs to stay that way…a bit different than the hobby approach, I know, but essential for survival.
3)Don’t waste time worrying about failing. Success favors the brave. Worry will simply do you in, help you buy into the naysayers, fall into the comfortable lap of mediocrity. Instead, worry about how you’re going to bring your best to the table, every day. Don’t accept “averageâ€, ‘cause your not. Create, innovate…move…put distance between yourself and the masses -quickly. If you’re going to worry about something, worry about not being like everyone else. In fact, here’s great advice on the subject: If you see all the other coral vendors doing something a certain way- take it as a message that you should do something else. Quickly.
4)Let the world know who you are and what your mission is…and execute. We shot out of the box with our “Conscientious. Sustainable. Responisble†manifesto right from day one. It ruffled feathers, ticked off the establishment in our industry…caught a few people off guard. We weren’t being arrogant. We were simply adopting a philosophy and sharing it with the world. Because no one ever spoke up in our industry about what they were all about in such a public way before, it gave us an aura of hubris, according to some. Oh well…at least people knew what we stood for right away. Leave people with no doubt about what you’re all about, and be courageous.
Let there be no doubt what you stand for.
5)Walk the walk. If you are going to publicly state that you’re different because your company does _____________, then do it, man! Nothing is more ridiculous than saying things like, “We only offer fully healed, completely encrusted frags at least 1.5†in size†and then delivering fresh-cut microchips to your customers…Hello, mediocrity. Don’t be mediocre. Be true to yourself and to your customers. Internal consistency is huge. Apologize when you screw up. And oh my god- OBSESS over customer service. Treat them like the VIP’s that they are. It’s the only way to succeed in this game.
6)Have vision. That means not just knowing what you’re gonna do..Rather, it means projecting your goals and holding yourself responsible for getting there. Accept the fact that you’re gonna fail once in a while..No- a LOT. You will…it’s part of the game. We’ve screwed up so much you can’t believe it. We still screw up- a lot less than we used to, but we still screw up. Everyone in this biz does. “We†(and that’s everyone whose still in existence in this market) all kept at it. Too many people failed in this business at something and then stopped. Quit. Got out of the coral game…Done…No one remembers these people, right? Don’t be one of them. Brush yourself off, own your mistakes, and get back in the game. You’re better than that.
What? You're gonna let a little adversity get you down? Really?
7)Be responsible. Pay your bills, and deliver on your promises. Yeah, that seems a bit obvious, but you’d be surprised just how many businesses in this trade are not responsible, financially and otherwise. It’s a small world of coral vendors. If you fail at an obligation, word travels quickly. Money talks, responsibility and integrity talk even louder
8)Be humble. Yes, I’m really saying this. Look, I’m a bit opinionated about some stuff, and perhaps a bit critical of my industry at times, but I appreciate those who came before me, and those who walk the walk every day in this industry. That being said, I’m proud of what my company does, and I am proud that we rocked the status quo in our market sector when we started, and that we continue to differentiate ourselves. But you know what? I’m grateful to many people, especially those in our industry who had the courage to forge new paths to create a market that never existed before. I’m grateful to the experienced people in the industry who took a few seconds and dispensed a few pearls of wisdom to Joe and I as we were getting started, seeing us as “brothers in armsâ€, rather than a threat to their existence. We all need to be humble, gracious, and understanding.
9)Talk WITH your customers. Huh? Yeah, the social media that you hear me rip on constantly do allow you to easily hit your target audience. The best marketing efforts are a conversation. Despite my extreme hatred (yea, hatred) of Twitter, Instagram, and some of those other platforms, we use them (or I should say, we have staff that use them-I refuse, lol) as an adjunct to our marketing efforts. The reality is that social media are great for having conversations, encouraging participation, etc. “One-way†dissemination of information and pics using one of these platforms (which is pretty much what everyone does with ’em) is simply a 21st century way of putting up a billboard or a TV commercial. Apparently, mankind has evolved to the point where he/she can only absorb 140 characters of information followed by a # nowadays. Wretched and brainless though they are, these platforms are actually useful for starting a conversation with potential customers if used intelligently. Hashtag THAT.
"OMG, he conveyed that in just 140 characters! #thisissoawesomewhybothertotalktopeopleanymore?
10)Learn to take feedback from customers and the market in general, and evolve your company as necessary to serve your best customers. Don’t try to be all things to all people. You can try offering corals at widely varying price ranges in an attempt to cover the whole market. Or, you can have just really cheap corals, and deal with the type of clientele that the discount market attracts. Or, you can price stuff in the stratosphere and use clever hyperbole and persuasion to convince the well-heeled consumer that your Acropora (or whatever) is THE absolute best one out there, totally worth $320 for a quarter inch fresh-cut nub. Or you can look at things differently and realize that what really separates you from the other guys is your ability to take care of your customers, communicate WITH them, offer value and fair prices on great quality “everythingâ€, and realize that some people will love everything that you do, some will hate you no matter what, and some people have know idea who you are. Who would you focus on?
Okay, so that about covers the very basics of what I feel are the key points about the traits and philosophies that you should develop in order to achieve your goals in the online coral trade. None of this is rocket science. None of it has “never been discussed before.†However, I would hazard a guess that no one in this market sector has given you this type of information before, for better or for worse..LOL
I believe very strongly in what I’m doing, as does everyone at Unique Corals. Our company works very hard, like so many other vendors here, to achieve its goals and take care of it’s customers. There is no escape from that. No easy road to success in the coral business. Work hard and believe.
I’m not giving away any proprietary secrets…well- perhaps. And I’m not afraid tha someone is going to take the scant information in this little piece and use it to “steal†my market share. Pu-leeze. I believe that: A) this blog does not contain the key to the universe, b) that most readers will not embrace all of my ideas, and that c) any new company who comes in and pushes hard to do better is good for all of us already in the industry.
So, to summarize…You CAN do this. The industry needs great new brands, new ideas, new philosophies…and new success stories. The industry needs YOU.
Be the success story, okay?
Until then,
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
Last edited:
