wanting to start a lfs

[noobaquarists]

hey guys so i have a few questions for everyone but especially those who have their own lfs or work at an aquarium. i want to open up my own lfs, and i was wondering if theirs any special courses i can take to help me with that (i.e. biology and zoology) and if there's a course somewhere that i can learn about all the different aquarium fish both freshwater and tropical and anything else i would need to know. i also was considering being a breeder so any help in that field would be greatly helpfull as always any tips or comments are welcome

 

[ocean]

As far as livestock goes it would be nice to see some nano freshwater fish, calvus and other ciclids not all in a "assorted' tank. Rainbows would also be nice and some smaller plecos. And some shellies! But I quess it depends where you live and what people want.

 

[noobaquarists]

As far as livestock goes it would be nice to see some nano freshwater fish, calvus and other ciclids not all in a "assorted' tank. Rainbows would also be nice and some smaller plecos. And some shellies! But I quess it depends where you live and what people want.

lol yeah if i ever do get this up and running im going to have all species only tanks

 

[foster53]

Some courses in business management might be a good starting point. I wish I would have taken some when I opened my shop, years ago. It's a tough business to make go even in good economic times. with the way the economy is now it might be a tough go.I am not trying to dampen your spirit, just stating some observations. If you are very dedicated, and don't mind very long hours of work you can probably make it happen. Very good luck to you if you venture into it. I hope you are a great success. There are some very rewarding aspects to it

 

[noobaquarists]

i also want to become a breeder and make my own aquariums and sell alot of my own stock and this is a 15 year plan maybe 20

 

[BHead707]

you also have to think
are you going to ship livestock/equipment?
have a website?
a storefront or run from home?
marketing?
total population and number of fish stores around you?
you by yourself or have other employees?

just like others have said i dont want to make you feel overwhelmed or anything but its best to think of all the aspects

 

[noobaquarists]

you also have to think
are you going to ship livestock/equipment?
have a website?
a storefront or run from home?
marketing?
total population and number of fish stores around you?
you by yourself or have other employees?

just like others have said i dont want to make you feel overwhelmed or anything but its best to think of all the aspects

i want to eventually have a showroom with all the diff fish and a warehouse set up for breeding and raising the fish and building tanks but to start i will prolly be working from home

 

[pleechford]

Im a business management major from East Carolina University and there are many factors you should look at before making that final decision.

• Will you qualify for a small business loan?
• You would have to hire an accountant if you did not have the proper knowledge to do so yourself.
• Is there competition in your area?(competition is a good thing)
•Do you have proper knowledge on how to operate a store, deal with state laws, taxation etc?

The list could go on. Just a few more thought to consider. If you ever have any questions just PM me!! Hope you the best!!

 

[noobaquarists]

i'm currently going back to school to do my upgrading and get my ged and i found out today that i can sign up for a cpl classes and have them paid for by the program i'm in doing my upgrading so i was kind of wondering what some good choices for classes should be i'm already looking at small business management and accounting courses

 

[pleechford]

i'm currently going back to school to do my upgrading and get my ged and i found out today that i can sign up for a cpl classes and have them paid for by the program i'm in doing my upgrading so i was kind of wondering what some good choices for classes should be i'm already looking at small business management and accounting courses

That's perfect!! As far as selling your product you could just do research on your own and know how each product works etc

 

[awilson133]

see I wanna do this too as a fall back. im going to be porsche tech. so if I get hurt or decide to do something else then ill open a lfs.

 

[xander]

I used to think I wanted a LFS but decided to specialize in aquatics I love and breed those in my home(fish room). Then sell my excess live fry food and juvies direct to those who want them. I don't have time to do it right now but that's my plan. Much less frustrating than running a LFS.
I do wish there were more stores around so I hope it works out for you.

 

[Coryluv]

Best wishes to you. We certainly always need and appreciate a good lfs.

I could be of more help to you in the US since I know nothing of Canadian business practices.

In general, aside from all the fish concerns, I would recommend getting and reading a book on business law at some point. There should be some appropriate to your location that are written for small or mom/pop type entrepreneurs. At some point you will need to at least consult with lawyers and accountants, though you can do a lot of your bookkeeping yourself with something like QuickBooks or Peachtree and only use the accountant as a (paid) consultant. Keeping good books is essential to your success.

Many locales have agencies that help with small businesses, and there are often evening business school classes at what we call community (2 year) colleges here. I'm guessing you have something similar in Ontario. You can have all the knowledge and passion in a field and if you can't run the business end you will have a rough go.