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#51828
 Would you want to partner with or own part of DiveBuddy.com?
Greg - 11/12/2008 12:06 PM
Category: General
Replies: 6
I’m currently evaluating several business opportunities for DiveBuddy.com. As the creator and owner of this great scuba community, I have a strong interest in it’s future and success in the scuba industry. As I decide which direction to take, I’m constantly keeping in mind my ultimate objective...to provide a valuable resource for scuba divers, one that promotes diving, safety and fun! In order to make the right decision, I need to ask you, my dedicated members, to share your thoughts.

If you own a scuba business OR want to be part of a scuba business...would you be interested in partnering with OR owning part of DiveBuddy.com? Very serious inquiries only please. If interested in partnering, you would need to have a resource that is equally valuable to the scuba industry that compliments DiveBuddy.com. If interested in owning part of DiveBuddy.com, you would become a business partner and would be required to invest capital into the company.

If you are not interested in partnering with or owning part of DiveBuddy.com or do not have the resources or capital to do it...I still wish to hear your thoughts. What do you use DiveBuddy.com for? Do you value its neutrality in the scuba industry or does that not matter to you? What is your future vision for DiveBuddy.com?

I sincerely value and respect everyone’s opinion and I hope to get a great response from my members. Please forward a link to this forum to anyone that may be interested in replying.

Thanks for being so active and dedicated to this scuba community!

Sincerely,

Greg Davis
Owner and Member #1
DiveBuddy.com
#3477
ScouterJT - 11/12/2008 3:45 PM
I am not a business owner, nor am I interested in investing any capital. I am, however, a life member and I would be disappointed if this site became overly commercial.
#20
Subscribed
Dane-Ragz - 11/13/2008 6:02 PM
Dear Greg,

Thank you for creating a great site! We are an apparel company that would love an opportunity to partner up with your community and what you have created. We have been in business since 1985 and have been very successful in the Dive Industry. Please check us out at www.ragzpullovers.com. Please fell free to call me directly. Here’s my info:
Dane Stojanov
Ragz Incredibly Soft Pullovers - Warmtech
310-717-0500
dane [ at ] ragzpullovers.com
www.ragzpullovers.com
#3094
Subscribed
Magdalena - 11/14/2008 7:31 AM


The reason why I became member is that this was a small nice place with one owner I can contact anytime to say hallo, ask for help or give suggestions.


If you get more people into divebuddy.com more people will have something to say about it. I believe it will all be in parts, splitt, and something big where I become just a number.


I truly hope that divebuddy.com stay the wait it is today. Money is good, but a small and nice community where everybody gets heard os better.


Thanks for a great site Greg.


 


Maggie
#1322
Subscribed
Nigel - 11/15/2008 5:04 AM


Hi Greg


I am referring a few Australian divers to divebuddy.com and they all love it! You might notice a few more coming from Western Australia over the next few weeks as I am assisting on an open water course next weekend. Divebuddy.com is good because it is a global site. Whilst other sites like DiveOz.com concentrate at a national or local level and are excellent Divebuddy.com actually allows divers from Australia to connect with divers overseas and get the gossip on where to go what to do and see etc. I think that the site could be enhanced by being able to sort members by location and somehow allowing divers to foucs in on a local level ... Easier said than done I know.


As for taking equity what is the legal structure? Is it a company limited by shares? Would it be your intent to go for an IPO? or keep it limited to 20 shareholders? I am not sure what the laws are in the USA but more than 20 shareholders here in Aus requires you to lodge a prospectus etc etc... Even so if you are thinking of a company limited by shares you’d have to put together a convincing business plan showing a return on investment. Of course that approach is an antipathy to Maggies comments (Hi Maggie - Good to see you last week - when are we going diving again? Nick and I Caught our first cray today!)


Perhaps developing your options is a good way of stepping forward. This way you’ll know how much you need


Kind regards


Nigel 


 
#5802
Subscribed
csemenko - 11/29/2008 6:41 AM
A random thought/opportunity. Throughout Texas (and the US/World) I’ve noticed some great dives sites/resorts for sale. Threatened with being bought out by someone for a hotel, fine dining establishment, or other non-dive friendly replacement. Why not pool our resources, create a LLC, buy a few, and promote them/improve them until we have so many people diving there we have to keep buying up every dive site to make them "the place to dive?" I think a few bright ideas could really revolutionize some of the current "everybody knows about it/word of mouth" business models in use today. We can make it the place to go and attract worldwide attention to get divers, have on site food, dive shops, etc. Yes, a huge project, but just think...our only job would be diving and improving dive sites...I am willing to help out anyway I can and help with operations including be a full time consultant, divemaster/instructor, night manager, grounds keeper, etc. Keep blowing bubbles and I’ll keep blowing up terrorists. :)