Formal Education

[Trisnake]

Just curious if any of you guys who breed and sell got any formal education before opening for business? As someone who is very interested in possibly breeding on a small scale in the future (like 6+ years from now), I'm curious if it would be wise to maybe take a few business classes before I graduate with my 4 year. Of course I can always go back to take these classes at any time, I guess I'm just curious about other people's opinions who are already operating a small breeding business. If y'all didn't take any business or other pertinent classes, do you wish it did?

Thanks guys

[Coluber42]

It's not breeding snakes, but I do operate a small business despite my entire education being in an especially esoteric area of classical music. You can learn a lot by starting small/slow if you're able, and growing with it. In fact, that's probably even better advice for breeding animals than it is for other kinds of small businesses. Some things don't work like that - for example, if you want to sell a product that needs to be injection molded, since that requires a certain minimum quantity before it becomes remotely economical. But you could start by selling one baby, then five, etc.

And some things are industry and community specific, which you won't learn a thing about in business school. There are also lots of books out there, and some community programs designed to foster start up business owners.

I'm not saying business classes wouldn't be helpful; but that education doesn't have to be what stops you.