When the bills come due you can get pretty desperate and jaded. Truths get shaded. Integrity takes a back seat. Ethics, morals, and scruples become less important. Cash flow and bill paying come to the fore. All I've got to say is, just make sure you're well capitalized and in it for the long haul.

Then again, some people just get off on making the deal, just as a used car salesman would. "I just screwed that sucker." and "Just hit a home run with that idiot." A whole lot of bait and switch. A whole lot of puffery. The novice is dazzled by expertise and authority. The herp is simply a come-on, a prop. That's pretty much the way it is in the commercial pet industry. The animal is nothing but a lost leader, a come on, the hook. The money is made with the ancillary supply items and accessories.

OK. That's just my cynical opinion. Now let me add this caveot -- there are plenty of good people and plenty of good outfits in the herp business. Keep this in mind, though. It's easy to get in. It's hard to make it. It's even harder to make it without sacrificing some integrity, going down that slippery slope, and becoming as snakey and crooked as the serpents you sell.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
jsc

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