Hello from Lansing, Michigan

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

I am curious to know what made you decide to go for this. Like, I (and probably a lot of other divers) have had the same idea at one point or another (usually during a late november dive in 40 degree air temps): "Wouldn't it be nice if we could do this inside." But the rest of us don't go out and start businesses about it. What made you decide to take this on, as a project, and what resources are you bringing to bear to ensure you'll succeed? Because, transparently, if you don't have a decent amount of seed capital already in hand, either by your own assets or by having good connections, I can't imagine venture capital being willing to take something like this on from square one.

That being said, that entrepreneurship course that came with my engineering degree was a long time ago, and a bad joke to boot, so I could be wrong about that.

 

[TritonNexus]

I am curious to know what made you decide to go for this. Like, I (and probably a lot of other divers) have had the same idea at one point or another (usually during a late november dive in 40 degree air temps): "Wouldn't it be nice if we could do this inside." But the rest of us don't go out and start businesses about it. What made you decide to take this on, as a project, and what resources are you bringing to bear to ensure you'll succeed? Because, transparently, if you don't have a decent amount of seed capital already in hand, either by your own assets or by having good connections, I can't imagine venture capital being willing to take something like this on from square one.

That being said, that entrepreneurship course that came with my engineering degree was a long time ago, and a bad joke to boot, so I could be wrong about that.

You're absolutely right—lots of divers have dreamed of something like this, especially during those freezing November dives. I’ve had that exact same thought: “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could do this indoors… but bigger, better, and more like the ocean?”

The difference is, I decided to actually go for it.

Not everyone can afford to fly overseas to places like Y-40 or Deep Dive Dubai. And around here, some local divers have told me our lakes are too murky to enjoy, and the ocean’s way too far. So they dive in pools—but let's be honest, most pools are small, square, and kind of boring.

One day I was talking with my close friend Sam, and he said something that really stuck with me: “Why not bring the ocean to them?” That hit deep. I kept thinking about it—and that was the spark that started everything. The truth is, I believe in pushing forward even when the odds seem impossible. One of my favorite Bible verses is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I may not have millions in seed capital or a wall full of investor plaques (yet), but I have something else—grit, a solid vision, and a powerful reason behind it. I'm not doing this alone either. Here’s a photo of me and some amazing friends who are helping make it real. We're signing “I love you” in American Sign Language, because I'm deaf—and this project means something not just for divers, but for accessibility, inclusion, and creating a new kind of experience for everyone.

Triton Nexus™ isn’t just a business plan. It’s a mission.

 

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

Y'know, I respect that. I agree with you on the Bible verse, and I like the attitude. I don't personally have that much entrepreneurial spirit in me, but it's good that you do, and I hope it works out for. If it does, well, by the time you get the facility finished I should be out of school and have some PTO accrued. Maybe I'll be due for a road trip to Lansing, Michigan.

 

[mrtechbench]

I would love to come for dives in the world's deepest pool in Lansing Michigan

 

[TritonNexus]

Y'know, I respect that. I agree with you on the Bible verse, and I like the attitude. I don't personally have that much entrepreneurial spirit in me, but it's good that you do, and I hope it works out for. If it does, well, by the time you get the facility finished I should be out of school and have some PTO accrued. Maybe I'll be due for a road trip to Lansing, Michigan.

Appreciate that a lot! Once you’re out of school and got some PTO stacked up, come on down to Lansing—we’ll have a dive spot waiting for you. First round of water’s on me!

With a little faith and a lot of grit, I believe we’ll make it happen. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13

Hope to see you at Triton Nexus™ someday! Until then, keep learning, diving, and enjoying the journey.

 

[tridacna]

You’ll need a lot more than a “little” faith here. Get a real estate/property firm to join you and fund this. You’re not getting any VC money. This is far from what they do.

Your budget is in the tens of millions of dollars if you do it right. There must be a hook for your investor: a hotel or real estate play. The pool is of little interest. Your expenses will be enormous. Forget the reco chamber. Your risk profile is off the chart. Have you tried to calculate what your insurance nut is going to be?

I consulted for a REIC for years; It’s a brutal business. This is why I’m emphasising your BP. We actually looked at a BP for a company looking to do something similar to this near NYC. It never got funding. You sound quite motivated which is a great positive.

 

[TritonNexus]

You’ll need a lot more than a “little” faith here. Get a real estate/property firm to join you and fund this. You’re not getting any VC money. This is far from what they do.

Your budget is in the tens of millions of dollars if you do it right. There must be a hook for your investor: a hotel or real estate play. The pool is of little interest. Your expenses will be enormous. Forget the reco chamber. Your risk profile is off the chart. Have you tried to calculate what your insurance nut is going to be?

I consulted for a REIC for years; It’s a brutal business. This is why I’m emphasising your BP. We actually looked at a BP for a company looking to do something similar to this near NYC. It never got funding. You sound quite motivated which is a great positive.

Thanks for the feedback, Tridacna—I appreciate the blunt honesty.

You're right, this isn’t a small dream. But I’ve spent months developing Triton Nexus™ as a serious, scalable project—not just a deep pool, but a multi-purpose dive, tourism, EMS, and educational facility with layered revenue streams and long-term potential.

You mentioned needing a real estate angle and a solid business plan. I’ve attached my Business Plan Summary here, including core details, markets, and initial funding approach.

My BP is in the attachment.

If you or anyone else in the space is open to development discussion or further guidance, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks again. I'm motivated because something like this hasn't been built in the U.S.—and I believe it should be.

 

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

A thought: I'm not 100% of how the process works, but I believe digging to 200 feet would be far more expensive than digging to say, 40-60 feet, yet it also stands to reason that, especially in the early days, most of your traffic would be divers limited to rec depths, who would probably be ok with 40-60 foot dives. Similarly, such shallow depths would make going into deco, either through carelessness or an "unearned hit" far less likely. Depending on how it prices out, have you considered starting out with a broad but shallower pool, and then using the revenue stream produced by that operation to finance the expansion?

Also I'm with @tridacna on the reco issue. Have oxygen on scene and a parking lot big enough to land a medivac chopper. Hyperbaric treatment would likely require an in-house doctor and a ton of insurance. Better to save the million a year that'll cost, at least in the early days.

 

[tridacna]

Earl, if you don’t have an MBA or finance background, hire someone with appropriate experience to help you write a basic business plan. You also better be prepared to inject some of your own capital into this else no one is going to be willing to inject any of their own.

Be prepared to answer some tough questions. This is a tough sell especially in mid-Michigan.

 

[onepointfivethumbs]

"Emergency Oxygen every 10 feet on the ladder"

Well hopefully not below 20 ffw...