Wow... You really know how to endear the SB members to your opinions... Keep up the good work! 
Al Hornsby Resigns
- Thread starter The Chairman
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I have made one decision today that will greatly improve the lives of all of you.
I've decided there is no hope in helping an industry run amuck with piddlers. In making such a decision, I am following through on my request to be removed from SB by doing it myself. I will only respond to PM's from this point forward. No more posting - because no one is listening.
DEMA will be dead this year. The concept is dead. The specials are being ignored by shops across the country because they can't afford to buy inventory regardless the price. The LDS's near me are void of equipment. Every one of them except us orders piece meal. This is generally the way it is across the US and will be for 3 - 5 more years.
The few who survive will have to offer something better... and by better I mean something different... as will the manufacturers. So you can berate me, degrade me, talk bad about me... but just remember who told you so first.
After the complete collapse of virtually everything in the industry, you'll be able - god willing - to find me kicking around my neck of the woods... and my ideas will still be valid - will still hold water - and will still work.
I leave you with this - look for youth in the industry and innovation in the industry and the industry will have a chance coming out of the economic depression to rise again.
I wish you all the best..
I've decided there is no hope in helping an industry run amuck with piddlers. In making such a decision, I am following through on my request to be removed from SB by doing it myself. I will only respond to PM's from this point forward. No more posting - because no one is listening.
DEMA will be dead this year. The concept is dead. The specials are being ignored by shops across the country because they can't afford to buy inventory regardless the price. The LDS's near me are void of equipment. Every one of them except us orders piece meal. This is generally the way it is across the US and will be for 3 - 5 more years.
The few who survive will have to offer something better... and by better I mean something different... as will the manufacturers. So you can berate me, degrade me, talk bad about me... but just remember who told you so first.
After the complete collapse of virtually everything in the industry, you'll be able - god willing - to find me kicking around my neck of the woods... and my ideas will still be valid - will still hold water - and will still work.
I leave you with this - look for youth in the industry and innovation in the industry and the industry will have a chance coming out of the economic depression to rise again.
I wish you all the best..
mike_s
Contributor
so let me ask you this....
why aren't the independent instructors coming to your store?
I mean, while most of them are independent, they are still somewhat associated with some shop. It might not be a "direct association", but most of them that dive often still use a local shop for something.... air fills, pool, purchase here and there....
So they are doing some amount of association/business at some store.... just not your store....
whoa, whoa, whoa.....wait a sec there offthewall.
although I disagree with several of your points of view and will argue with you about those points....I don't want to see you go anywhere
if everyone got along on this board it would be quite boring.
I never pegged you for a quitter
mike_s
Contributor
I personally don't disagree with everything you are saying.... some of it is good.
But just because everyone here is "not drinking your kool-aid" doesn't mean you need to pack up your baseball and leave the sandlot.
Scott L
Contributor
Not listening? They are listening. Not all are giving you credit for some of your good ideas and back to the basics business practices. Several are busy right now digging out former student's phone numbers. Besides, most threads are viewed only by members and vistors by a factor of 4 or more.
Your thought above is also spot-on IMO if you can make it work. Good luck motivating that generation though. Cell phones and computers don't work well underwater.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
I don't mean to be harsh... but there is no decision that you could make that would benefit or harm me much at all. Your overly dramatic exit stage left will not bring either a tear to my eye or laughter to my voice. You might see ScubaBoard as the Great Satan of the dive industry, but I and 135,000+ peeps simply don't agree. Actually, the number is much, much higher than that but let's not quibble over details. ScubaBoard is the only major player when it comes to diver retention. We provide more user organized dives than anywhere else, as well as provide a convenient method for divers to exchange information and excitement.
While I don't want to commit your error and assume that I am more important than I really am, I certainly feel that ScubaBoard has accomplished much more than you have in building the Scuba Industry. Manufacturers, shops and divers alike all benefit from being a part of the Largest Community of Divers in the World. Shutting us down would only benefit those who prey on people by keeping them in the dark.
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Ken,
You know I have chosen to remain quiet on this board as I do not see it as an asset to my everyday business, as do many of the other dive shops in the Baltimore/Maryland area . It is a forum that is better used, in my opinion, to discuss the many topics related to diving on a diver level, not on a business level. I feel business should be discussed in a business forum.
Quiet frankly, every time I see a topic on LDS ripping people off I turn to another topic, chuckle an continue with my day. As an owner of a LDS for over 19 years what I do know is that we have expenses, employees, insurance, rent, and a whole lot of everyday monetary commitments that must be paid each month. So if making profit is ripping people off then they need to look at any business plan of any industry and tell me they are not built on profit.
What I do ask Ken, is you please speak for youself and not implicate that all Dive Shops in Baltimore are going out of business, as Divers Den just celebrated 51 years in business and we have weathered alot of economic, finanical and industry changes.
We have carried an above adaquete inventory and have retained manufactures on their committment to us and us to them. When times are tuff we get help from them.
Our student base is supportative and a long time ago I realized we will never be able to plaese everyone, nor am I going to try! There just becomes a time when as a business owner you make a decision as wheter to walk away from a problem or do your best to handle it. I think our reputation speaks for itself!
As far as independent instructors we work with alot of them, many have later became store instructors, others have chosen to just work with us. They bring to the table what they can and when all their friends are certified if they still produce students they are still welcome, however I will add we do not just open our doors to all independents, as we have a reputation to uphold too.
As I ask ealier Ken, I would appreciate that when you discuss LDS in Baltimore that you speak for the one you own and operate and stop implicating mine!
Divers Den
8105 Harford Rd
Baltimore, MD 21234
410-668-6866
Divers Den, Maryland's First Dive Store, Scuba Diving Classes and Equipment
You know I have chosen to remain quiet on this board as I do not see it as an asset to my everyday business, as do many of the other dive shops in the Baltimore/Maryland area . It is a forum that is better used, in my opinion, to discuss the many topics related to diving on a diver level, not on a business level. I feel business should be discussed in a business forum.
Quiet frankly, every time I see a topic on LDS ripping people off I turn to another topic, chuckle an continue with my day. As an owner of a LDS for over 19 years what I do know is that we have expenses, employees, insurance, rent, and a whole lot of everyday monetary commitments that must be paid each month. So if making profit is ripping people off then they need to look at any business plan of any industry and tell me they are not built on profit.
What I do ask Ken, is you please speak for youself and not implicate that all Dive Shops in Baltimore are going out of business, as Divers Den just celebrated 51 years in business and we have weathered alot of economic, finanical and industry changes.
We have carried an above adaquete inventory and have retained manufactures on their committment to us and us to them. When times are tuff we get help from them.
Our student base is supportative and a long time ago I realized we will never be able to plaese everyone, nor am I going to try! There just becomes a time when as a business owner you make a decision as wheter to walk away from a problem or do your best to handle it. I think our reputation speaks for itself!
As far as independent instructors we work with alot of them, many have later became store instructors, others have chosen to just work with us. They bring to the table what they can and when all their friends are certified if they still produce students they are still welcome, however I will add we do not just open our doors to all independents, as we have a reputation to uphold too.
As I ask ealier Ken, I would appreciate that when you discuss LDS in Baltimore that you speak for the one you own and operate and stop implicating mine!
Divers Den
8105 Harford Rd
Baltimore, MD 21234
410-668-6866
Divers Den, Maryland's First Dive Store, Scuba Diving Classes and Equipment
Thanks Chaz for your post. And thanks for being careful when looking at independents. We also have a rep to uphold and when we do affiliate or work with a shop the best arrangement is when both parties have high standards. When that happens we all win. I hope to get down that way some day and would like to stop in and say, Howdy! I do have a 30 with one of your vis stickers on it though.
OTW, Independents really aren't your problem, thanks but no thanks for your blanket assumption on how everyone else is doing. Perhaps your view of the independents are on display at your presence which makes them uncomfortable sharing their customers with you. Take a deep breath and remember we all started somewhere, an independent today may be the store of tomorrow, best bet is to keep them as an independent raving about your store rather than another store scratching for market share and everything else that goes along with diving. You can only control one shops destiny and that is yours.
Schott
Schott
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