SCUBA and Entrepreneurship

[Dive Belle]

I recently completed my BS in biology and am on the hunt for a job. Currently I work at a dive shop where I do the average shop deal, as well as plan/lead trips. I'm an SSI Dive Master and eventually want to be an instructor.

I'm applying to a lot of jobs I think I would enjoy here in Florida, and I'm toying with the idea of grad school. But all the while, in the back of my mind, I keep thinking.. how can I make a career out of this? I'm curious if anyone has been able to work for themselves with similar qualifications. I want to work for myself someday.

 

[sheeper]

I'm an instructor and DM and work (part-time) for a major dive operation in Florida.
making a living in the dive industry is hard. for shops margins are thin and people look at stuff in the shop but buy cheap online.
industry members don't understand cooperation and cooperative marketing. When a dive op does something cool, innovative and successful, others work immediately to find fault and disparage it. There is rarely a concept of building a strong industry.
too many shops don't understand that we are a service business. it is about building a relationship with a customer first and building trust. It is about taking care of and valuing our customers.

 

[KevinNM]

My impression is that it's hard to make a full time living as an instructor. People do, don't get me wrong, but it's not easy. I was talking to someone who has been doing this a while in Fl and has licenses plates from a notoriously high tax state on their vehicle. They said they were still officially a resident and then said something along the lines that "You have to make a profit before you have to worry about their tax rate".

I suspect it comes down to what you want to do and what you are willing to put up with to do it. You can be the equivalent of the climbing bum or otherwise adopt a lifestyle that allows you to survive while diving a lot.

 

[Dive Belle]

My impression is that it's hard to make a full time living as an instructor. People do, don't get me wrong, but it's not easy. I was talking to someone who has been doing this a while in Fl and has licenses plates from a notoriously high tax state on their vehicle. They said they were still officially a resident and then said something along the lines that "You have to make a profit before you have to worry about their tax rate".

I suspect it comes down to what you want to do and what you are willing to put up with to do it. You can be the equivalent of the climbing bum or otherwise adopt a lifestyle that allows you to survive while diving a lot.

Thanks for the reply. You're so right about it being difficult to make a living as solely an instructor! That's why I want to incorporate it into something else. I enjoy leading trips, and I am toying with planning a dive/snorkel trip with some extra goodies for divers who are also active in other ways (IE, yoga - with the focus on controlling your breathing for better air control while diving).

 

[yle]

Think more about grad school. I teach scuba for fun, I teach bio students at a college to pay the bills. Grad school in biology would allow you the opportunity to combine your college education and your DM experience and make a real career out of it, especially in Florida. Do some homework, contact the marine bio departments at the universities you're considering and meet with some of the profs. Most of them would love to tell you all about their research, and I'm sure you'll find something you can get excited about.

You might also find that there are profs doing research who are looking for someone just like you: already finished with your BS, and you have a lot of practical experience in the water. Just by leading dives, you gain a lot of knowledge in animal behavior and environmental conditions (the stuff researchers need to keep track of) without even realizing it. The one thing profs look for in a research assistant is someone they don't have to train, i.e. someone that has enough experience to be useful from the start.

On the other hand, if you find grad school isn't for you, consider getting your captain's license. I was just in Key Largo last week and several of the dive guides were talking about how there's a shortage of available captains in south Florida.

 

[KevinNM]

Reputation is that marine biology is very hard to get a job with. So if the point is to get a job to sustain your diving hobby, choose carefully before investing a lot of money and time.

But getting credentials as a scientific diver seems worth looking into.

 

[rjack321]

Get an MS in an employable field in biology. Water management districts, game & fish and the national park service are all going only very rarely going to hire a biologist with a BS. Earn an actual living, save the diving for weekends and yourself.

 

[100days-a-year]

There are many ways to make a decent living diving outside the training/sales box.

Clean hulls or pools.Spearfish.Sell fossils or shells.
Go full on commercial diving by attending a commercial school.
Buy a boat(with the money that would been going to tuition) and start a charter business.

I started part time in 88 but made more money with my paint and wallpaper business.In 06 to 08(due to the economy) slid more into commercial spearfishing.With the economy flat still I split my time between the two and make a decent living.

 

[EricTheDood]

I subscribe less to "do what you love" and more to "love what you do".

A good job that pays decently while not consuming all your time and energy is a luxury that most don't have.

Being able to dive for (virtually) free by becoming a part time instructor is another luxury that isn't often seen in other sports/hobbies.

If you're forced to feed yourself on diving, you may end up hating it altogether.