DM Salary

[Divesherpa]

You can do it. I'm happy.

It can be done. So far, Kevin is the only one who has figured out the super-secret-double-dog-daring-handshake for making it work, but he proves it is possible.

 

[Guba]

Darn...you mean when I retire from teaching I CAN'T expect to move to Cozumel with my wife, lounge around the beach, dive when I want, and make a living supplementing my salary (that's a laugh...did I mention I was a TEXAS teacher?) with exhorbitant DM pay? Rats...and I had such high hopes.

 

[ScubaMike14]

I made the silly mistake of comming back for a WOMAN!!

I have actually been back in the states for 5 years and am planning on going BACK to the islands for another year. (same place). My wife is in the military and is being deployed for a year. I am finishing my BS through an online program, so there is no reason I can't do it in the islands. Rent will actually be cheaper for me there than in the US allowing my wife and I to save some $$.

Rotrunner: I landed the job this way.....When I first got certified I did my AOW at this shop in the islands. Went back and dove with them again about 3 times over the following year. One day I get an e-mail asking if I wanted to come work there for a while. I couldnt refuse an opportunity like this, so I jumped on it. Fun in the sun, chicks in bikinis (and less), coconut drinks...what was not to like about it?

Well...as I found out....

- Filling 50-80 tanks a day, EVERY DAY (4 hour job)
- Scrubbing the boat inside
- Scrubbing the boat outside
- Babysitting certified but not QUALIFIED adults 7 days a week
- Gear maintenance
- Various other duties

Daniel: Unfortunately I wasn't getting paid for those "classes", but I did have fun. This time however I am going as a married man and have to behave myself. I can look, just not touch.

Needless to say it was A LOT of work.

Mike Rushton

 

[daniel f aleman]

Actually DMing in the Bahamas IS as good as it gets.

 

[RonFrank]

I have seen a few shops up for sale in mexico and i think a few in the caribbean. I also think that is a good idea. To take over a shop that is already established and is known.

If you have to ask about how to get a Dive Shop up and running you are likely not in the position to start as of yet.

If you are wealthy, and don't need to actually make money in the industry, then you will likely do very well! However if that was the case, I doubt you would be posting.

Even buying a small business that is already established, unless you can afford to pay for everything out of pocket, you are going to need to do a HECK of a lot of research. You will need a business plan to start, and will need to obtain financing. That is actually the easy part. The hardest part is making decisions about location, wholesale connections, what lines to carry, how to handle payroll, personal, taxes, finances, liability, insurance, customer policies, mastercard/visa, bad checks, marketing, advertising, on and on.

It's a business, and if you have never had any experience running a small business, you also may need to pay someone to help set you up, and then hope to god you can actually pay the bills before you run out of $$$, and go bankrupt.

There is a big reason that so many Dive Shops go out of business, and it has little to do with the internet, or local ecnonmy, and more to do with the fact that you have to really know what you're doing to grow a business from the ground up.

The few business plans I've seen generally assume that the business will not profit within the first year, and make allowances for little profit even after two years.

 

[Linze1106]

No i do not know how to run a business just yet. Yet i know people who do, my in-laws own plenty of highly sucessful businesses, i don't see running the place being a problem.

As for profit within the first year, this is why i would be hoping to find a already established shop in the area. I think it would be easier than opening one from scratch.

but i can totally understand where you are coming from with the business side of it, and how most shops don't succeed. I know it is hard to run a business, but i believe myself as a confident person, and when i want something done, im gonna put forth the effort to get it done.

and hey, if it doesn't work out, i can say i tried. Live with no regrets.

 

[m_patts]

Except the regret of being bankrupt. But I guess bankrupt on the beach is better than bankrupt elsewhere.

 

[Linze1106]

damn straight its better being penny-less on the beach is ratherthan somewhere else. and i know i would be bankrupt with a certian person who would be doing this adventure with me and it would be worth it.

 

[Linze1106]

thanks everyone for your posts! talk to you tomorrow! over and out....

 

[rjack321]

Warning: If the hypothetical dive biz you're considering buying was making decent money to start with, its highly likely that it wouldn't be for sale.