Career Reboot: From App Developer to Aquarium Ace - The Wall Street Journal
Career Reboot: From App Developer to Aquarium Ace - The Wall Street Journal |
| Career Reboot: From App Developer to Aquarium Ace - The Wall Street Journal Posted: 02 May 2021 09:00 AM PDT When Kenny Lin was a child growing up in southern China, his family didn't have much money. His entertainment came from nature: keeping pet chickens, climbing trees, chasing frogs. "I'd be that weird kid with some insect in my hand, scaring everyone. But to me, that was fun," he says. Even in New York City, where his family moved when he was young, he tried to tame pigeons and catch cicadas. His mother worked long hours sewing pockets on shirts at a local clothing factory, making 6 cents apiece. The family struggled financially, but nature was a familiar refuge. He never knew what he wanted to do professionally. At Stony Brook University he experimented with electrical engineering, computer science and business administration, but none of them stuck. He got a degree in economics. "I just needed to pick something," he says. In college, he'd started teaching himself to code, and after graduating in 2003 he worked to build his portfolio, finding website-building work on Craigslist and searching for technical advice online when he needed help. It was a lesson in resourcefulness. "I attribute a lot of my business-building [instincts] to that period of time," he says. He landed his first full-time job in 2006 at a digital-advertising company, building ad banners. The hours were punishing: He recalls leaving the company's Manhattan office once at 7 a.m. His girlfriend, Sid May Chan, bought him a small tank for his desk with neon tetra fish, so he'd at least have some nature to look at. "That was the fuse," Mr. Lin says.  A tank area where Mr. Lin grows corals in his store. Prior to opening the shop, he'd been growing coral in his parents' basement.Photo: Sasha Maslov for the Wall Street JournalHe installed a bigger tank at home and filled it with cichlids and a Bala shark. "After looking at a computer 12 hours a day, it was very soothing to go home and look at a fish tank," he says. A friend was giving away a 90-gallon tank, which Mr. Lin populated with saltwater fish and corals. While in natural sunlight, coral usually appears brown—or white, when dead—he discovered that when illuminated with special lights, living coral would light up in brilliant color, turning his aquariums into fluorescent wonderlands. He got a job at a digital agency, AKQA, in 2008 that offered more regular hours, taking a demotion to make the move. In his eight years there, he worked his way up to become a senior creative developer, making six figures. At the same time, his passion for saltwater life had taken off, too. He turned his dining room into an aquarium, including a 6-foot-long fish tank. He began growing his own coral and swapping specimens with other hobbyists. He was spending serious money: In one year alone, he estimates he spent at least $35,000 on coral and fish, including a rare wrasse that cost $1,000. That gave him an idea. "I'm thinking, I'm spending all this money. Who's making this money?" he wondered. Maybe there was an opportunity for him there, too.  A selection of cultured stony corals in photographs taken by Kenny Lin at Pieces of the Ocean.Photo: Kenny Lin A selection of corals and anemones in photographs taken by Mr. Lin.Photo: Kenny LinMr. Lin liked the work at AKQA, where he built digital mobile and web experiences for big-name clients. But his projects operated on short deadlines: a one-week project here, a two-week project there. Technology was constantly changing, and pressure to keep up was intense. "I was like, do I see myself as a 50-year-old still sitting in front of a computer still trying to figure this coding thing out?" he says. Mr. Lin started small, selling the coral he'd grown here and there online. In 2016, he quit his job. By then, he and Ms. Chan had married and had their first of two children. They had moved back in with his parents, who took care of their daughter while he tried to build out the business, growing corals in his parents' 400-square-foot basement. Share Your ThoughtsIf you could change your line of work completely, which industry would you shift to? Join the conversation below. In 2018, with $80,000 in investment from family members, he and a business partner opened a store selling saltwater fish and coral in Staten Island, N.Y., called Pieces of the Ocean. It was a difficult first two years: Mr. Lin had underbudgeted and had to take out more loans, and the store lost money. "Accounting was not my strong suit," he says. They grew more disciplined and learned which suppliers they could trust, how to manage their cash and price their wares. In 2020, as more homebound customers stepped up their purchases amid the pandemic, business boomed. Last year, the store grossed $650,000 in sales; this year it is on track to exceed that. Mr. Lin says that when he steps out onto the floor and sees the rows of glowing tanks, he has the same sense of delight nature kindled in him as a child. "I love it," he says. "It doesn't feel like it's a job."  Though Mr. Lin's hobby began with fish, he grew more fascinated by corals. Their fluorescent range of colors can be brought out with the help of special lights.Photo: Sasha Maslov for the Wall Street JournalCareer UpdateName: Kenny Lin Age: 40 Location: Staten Island, New York Education: B.A. in economics, Stony Brook University Former job: Digital application developer New job: CEO of Pieces of the Ocean, which sells coral and fish Aha moment: In his 30s, he asked himself if, at the end of his life, he'd regret not trying to turn his passion for saltwater aquariums into a career. The answer was yes. Write to Te-Ping Chen at te-ping.chen@wsj.com Copyright ©2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 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| Posted: 24 Apr 2021 07:31 AM PDT People use aquarium and aquarium accessories to keep fishes, invertebrates, amphibians, aquatic reptiles such as turtles and aquatic plants. Most of the aquariums are made of glass panes, however nowadays acrylic aquaria are a primary competitor for glass. Acrylic are stronger than glasses and also weigh less along with certain amount of temperature insulation. Aqua breeding, selling of aquarium fishes and aquarium accessories are becoming a huge business. Fishes should be kept in the type of water which they occupy in nature, due their sensitivity to rapid changes in temperature of the environment in which they are kept. If the fish tank gets too cold, fishes get stressed and get vulnerable to parasite infestations and if the aquarium gets too warm, the dissolved oxygen level drops rapidly and fishes suffocate inside the aquarium. Therefore proper temperature control systems should be installed and hence aquarium accessories play an important role. Get free sample copy before purchase this report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14113 North America aquarium accessories is expected to be one of the largest aquarium accessories market due to the high penetration rate in the region in 2016. In terms of pet fish ownership US and Canada aquarium accessories accounted for the largest share. More than 11 million reef fishes are taken from world's reef annually, to meet the demand of 700,000 aquarium hobbyists in the U.S aquarium accessories market. Moreover, there are increasing number of fish clubs and societies in the region spreading awareness about fish hobbies among consumers and are raising awareness concerning these rare species. Aquarium Accessories – Market Segmentation The aquarium accessories market can be further segmented into product types into:
The decorative items segment in aquarium accessories market is expected to account for the largest share during the forecast period, and is primarily driven by the increasing popularity of aquaspaces amongst the hobbyists. Hobbyists are re-creating aquarium accessories based on diverse themes and are incorporating a variety of plants, ornaments, backgrounds, substrates, and related decorative items, in the tanks. If Want to know what all technological upgradations lay in the Aquarium Accessories market? Have a look at the "Table Of Content" of Aquarium Accessories market report!https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14113 Aquarium Accessories – Market Dynamics and Restrains Normally an aquarium consists of filtration systems, artificial lighting along with a heater or chiller depending on the tanks inhabitants. Combined biological and mechanical aquarium filtration systems are common. Fishkeeping is gaining traction among the consumers as they are linked with providing therapeutic benefits and reducing the stress such as solution to Alzheimers disease and has helped to improve the eating habits of patients. Technological integrated products are driving the market for aquarium accessories. The equipment's used for recreating aquarium accessories are becoming smaller, smarter and effective which makes it easy to maintain and clean the aquarium. Aquariums are becoming compact and are designed according the house corals and delicate reef vertebrates. Product innovation in décor items is one of the major reasons surging the demand for aquarium accessories. For instance, underwater lighting using LED bulbs is one of the popular innovative aquarium accessories. These lights are waterproof and can be used as the main lighting bar. Another example is of NUVO aquarium accessories, they are multiple award winning rimless that offers modern style that will complement any décor. All the aquariums are constructed with high end clarity straight edged glasses along with customized filtration systems and environment that is tailored for aquatic plants and marine corals. If Want to know which technology/product drives the major portion of revenue to the Aquarium Accessories market? Prebook the Aquarium Accessories market report to get through the details! https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/14113 Increasing penetration of e-commerce and online sales in aquarium accessories market another major driver driving the aquarium accessories market. Online platforms enable consumers to access various new products 24/7 globally. Another advantage for aquarium accessories that information regarding products is more detailed and also offers consumers insights in the form of consumer reviews etc. This channel also offers significant benefits to small scale manufacturers who might face various entry barriers such as marketing costs etc. when offering their respective products in the general market. Online platforms also help in significantly reducing distribution costs and garnering consumer attention more efficiently in aquarium accessories market. About us: Persistence Market Research, as a 3rd-party research organization, does operate through an exclusive amalgamation of market research and data analytics for helping businesses ride high, irrespective of the turbulence faced on the account of financial/natural crunches. Contact us: Persistence Market Research |
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