Success Stories

2001 - 2002

Dawn Paterson,
Fin-omenal Fish

Dawn's dream of breeding and selling tropical fish has been an interesting journey. It began with her first purchase of a pair of fish. Unbeknown to her, the pair was a male and female and soon after, much to her surprise and delight, she had a tank full of babies! She began to research, study and experiment with fish breeding and care. One tank grew to thirty, and in the process, she has developed her own line of siamese fighting fish called "Northern Ice" (see photo below).

	Two years ago, Dawn was notified that she would be "downsized" from her pharmaceutical job as a result of a corporate merger. Prior to her lay-off, the company provided a seminar on self-employment. Dawn began to consider the possibility of starting her own business.
Fin-omenal Fish's Unique Breed: Northern Ice

She enrolled in the three week Determining Self-Employment Feasibility Program through Toward Excellence Inc. This helped her to make the decision to move forward! Her hobby and passion was an idea about to take form!

She began the forty-eight week Self-Employment Equity Program in October of 2001 and by the fall of 2002, was turning the key to open her own retail outlet in Richmond , Fin-omenal Fish! Fin-omenal Fish is the only other shop in Richmond that also carries reptiles. The store is attractive, clean, and Dawn and her partner, Kathy, are committed to teaching their customers how to care for and get the maximum enjoyment from their fish or reptile. They understand that a pet has to fit the customer's life-style and temperament.

In Dawn's own words, "People are opting for something different than a furry four-legged creature. A chameleon or multi-coloured fish never get boring." Their commitment to spending time with their customers is one of their competitive advantages. One of the information gems a new customer receives is: "People don't realize that you can't just buy fish and throw them in the new tank. The tank has to be prepped for six weeks before the fish are brought home. Done properly, your tank won't get diseased and your fish die!"

To learn more about having your own aquariam, drop in and visit Dawn and Kathy at Fin-omental Fish unit 103, 5188 Westminster Highway, Richmond, V7C 5S7 or ...

Phone: 604-274-1602
Email: dawn@fin-ominalfish.com
Website: www.fin-omenalfish.com

Read her listing in the directory.