Behind closed doors - What should remain a secret??

I do not advertise that I've got (limited) variety of fish available for sale (Mostly giveaway), - only by word of mouth, but I currently have strangers streaming in to buy (Mostly take) whatever I have in outside ponds... (Guppies, Mollies, Platies, Swords, Convicts and Blue Gouramies), with a thousand questions on "how" & "what" & "when" etc. etc. (I mean... my experience cost me a lot through trial and error)

I've only got 2 mediocre pet stores in town who occassionally takes fish from me, but recently I've been told that they have another guy supplying, and it is clear to see that these fish are from my stocks.....

I do not mind sharing hints on a forum like this, as no-one is really a threat to my hobby upkeep, but should I,... or will you, tell a local everything he needs to know and do to be on par with you????

 

If's it's to expand the hobby, then most definately yes. I want the guy to have as much knowledge as possble.

If it's to the detriment of my supply as a suppler to the LPS, then know. It's a fine line.

There's an old saying that says you should be working yourself out of a job... in other words, you should be PASSING on as much knowledge and information that you can to the people below you, that over time, they will have the knowledge and power to actually take over your job. You are then in a position to move onto higher things.

 

No only to those with exsperiance and we can give each other a opinion on a certain subject

 

These days with the internet as source, knowledge is relatively easy to come by. So I don't know if it will really make a huge difference.

 

Hah!! Max..... IMHO, I think personal experience is of much greater value than anything you could google or find on the internet...(or even a book). Don't you agree??....

I feel jittery by just allowing these "strangers" into my fishroom.... because apart from what you're telling them.... they also "steal" with the eyes.... I've seen exact replicas of my setups in other people's yards.....

 

I agree, but it does become less of an advantage you have.

What you have learned in 10 years could be learned in a quarter of the time since there is so many people able to help online.

I must say that you still have to sift the knowledge on the internet since there is so many uneducated guesses as well.

 

Possible for pepole to steal with eyes and duplicate a setup, but to get it to work as well as what it works for you will take alot of work. I would personally take it up with the petshop owners and find out why the change in supply.

 

Freedom of information.
If you want to give information freely,then feel free.
Hehehehe.


Seriously now,I will give information up to a point,and if i see the person is "greedy" for more i will give as much as i can.

BUT

Coming to my Bread and Butter(Work Related) ,I will not teach anyone unless he/she works for me or pay me.

 

Absolutely. I full agree, but then again, why shouuld one give any info at all. Todays times are cut throat, and people dont care anymore as to what the next has been doing, they always want to take away as much as they can for nothing.

 

Fish related, im open and happy to do so, its my passion not my job.

Work related....sometimes i get people coming in and asking a whole bunch of questions and use that information to solve their problem on their own.
I cant tell them i cant assist them, will make them wonder why i even work here!
That is one thing is dislike, is people taking chances and squeezing as much info out of you!

 

It is always good to pass ones skills down to others so that others can benefit in future. Ofcourse, if you are running a business it is understandable that you keep it to yourself due to monopoly reasons.

However, we should also bear in mind, that we need to impart whatever knowledge we have for the upliftment of others.; Those are the ones whom are usually remembered even long after they are gone.

Whatever is on the internet, is NOT knowledge; it is information. Information can be good or bad.
Knowledge on the other hand are skills acquired through experience, tuition or education.

So it all boils down to knowledge being greater than information ie Skills gained from personal experience, advice from peers, etc is far superior to information on the internet.

Remember, it is always best to double check information (even on TASA) with someone knowledgable before acting on it.