Good to meet you at MACNA
Bob, it was a pleasure to finally speak with you. I hear you are quite the networking type. 
<Yes... beats working, as the saying goes>
I need to start networking more. We have sold to wholesalers for the past seven years, and this last year we have slowly been switching over to supplying retail stores.
<A tough, but necessary step...>
Since we haven't done any real marketing, we could use any suggestions you might have. 
<Oh boy! Talk about letting the genie out of the bottle!>
Article, web site, etc.... We would like to start getting our name out there.
<Mmm, let's meet up at your place... and chat re at least me doing a "pro" (as in for the good) piece about you, your biz... have done these for a while for the hobby and trade mag.s here and abroad... You can see a few posted on our root web: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/>
We currently get all of our customers through referrals and are looking to expand our client base. 
<Referrals are best, period... I feel so strongly re this, that I'd suggest you put your efforts into calling existing customers and ask for more referrals... rather than any other effort...>
But not to the extent were we can't process a quality product humanely. We are not trying to be the biggest, but just known for having quality product. 
<Good for you, the trade, hobby, planet>
We are looking for key stores, which are concerned more with quality rather than price.
<There's a bunch>
If you have any leads, I would be very appreciative. If there is anything I can ever help or do for you, please don't hesitate to ask.
<Maybe a pic or two... like I say, will come by... am due to swing by Rob Miller's new digs (ERI) as they go up... and do make it past Dana about once, twice a month... When's good? Bob Fenner>
Sincerely,
Mark Lamont (Fish Heads)

About your articles
Dear Bob,
<Hello Wendy>
My name is Wendy Legeret and I live in Iron Mountain, Michigan.  In June, more likely July of this year, I am will be opening up a tropical fish store to hobbyists and businesses.  If I'm not mistaken, I saw on your website articles pertaining to stocking a business like mine.  However, when I went to click on the article, all that came up was the title.  Is there another way to read your articles or can I find them in a magazine of some sort?  
<Mmm, maybe not written (and the "article" page being used as a "place-marker"), but perhaps just not placed yet. Can you give me the exact location (the URL) of what you're looking for?>
I am really looking for both marine and fresh fish suppliers.  My competition in the past has told me that no fish supplier, especially marine, will go beyond Green Bay, Wisconsin, which is about two hours south of my location.  I need to have a supplier that will come further than Green Bay, obviously!!!
<Mmm, if your business volume warrants it, you are likely looking at ordering from marine livestock wholesalers (or "jobbers"... i.e. intermediates who hand-pick such and forward) who will ship to your nearest airport... and possibly a freight forwarding company in concert. These businesses are centered around major international airports (Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, New York...)>
If you can point me in the right direction or if you can help me out in any way, I would be most grateful.
<Please see our aquatics business links page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqBizSubWebIndex/bizlinkspg.htm
there are listed, linked a few of the major suppliers (in the middle row...)>
Thank you so much!
Wendy Legeret
Wendy's Blue Lagoon
http://www.wendysbluelagoon.com
<Congratulations on your new store and welcome to our trade. Bob Fenner>

Cherry Picker in LA?
Hi Bob,
   We spoke about two weeks ago at the Desert Marine Society in Phoenix.  You're presentation was excellent, and so was the beer, I think.
   You had mentioned the name of a cherry picker in LA that you recommended to some of the other LFS's but I must have missed it.  I'm looking for the best, and willing to pay a premium to get good inverts.
   I'd really appreciate it if you could give me a shove in the right direction.
  Thank you very much,
  Brian Mihlfeith
  Ocean Art Aquariums
  Phoenix, AZ
<Howdy, and sorry re the delay in responding (just back from a trip). Do try: AM4fish.com and chat with Erik, Oh, and the fine fellows at FishHead: Sales@fishheadsinc.com
Bob Fenner>

Re: starting up a store
<<Cheers, Matthew... Anthony Calfo below you in Pennsylvania following up with Bob's cc here>>
>  Also, we are located in Connecticut, and over the years I have become very friendly with some local shops, but still am not totally certain as to what method I want to go about stocking my tanks.  My concern is that I want to stock the tanks by reducing the stress on the fish as much as possible.  By any chance, would you know of any good local fisheries or markets in the Connecticut area that are easily accessible to a starting business?
> <Unfortunately no. But will ask Anthony here if he is familiar with any, and will post on WWM in the hope someone will respond>
<<several points to make here... briefly regarding your intent to reduce stress of initial stocking of tanks, do be sure to use a generous amount of cured live rock for invertebrate tagged marine systems...
and for fish only marine and freshwater filters, perhaps consider "supercharging" them in advance with Ammonium Chloride. Its inexpensive and easy to do...
easy to manipulate too - it will let you start a seeded biological filter and race it up to a strong colony just prior to stocking with fishes. I recall seeing Moe describe it in his classic Marine Aquarium References... and am sure recipes exist for it on the Net. It really is as simple as it (might) sound:
feeding a bunch of ammonia to a filter prior to putting it online for a fish load.
As to the regional suppliers... you have some challenges here. If you don't have direct flights (and I suspect not) to your nearest airport from Los Angeles, then you will be at least slightly compromised as to the quality and availability of livestock you can get. I would strongly suggest you get a jobber (fish picker) here to select your orders on site in LA from the best available stock. The other challenge is that there are no significant
distributors of wholesale marines in our region until you get down to New York and New Jersey. And frankly, they are not that good IMO. You would be better served by getting product first hand from the primary port of entry for most US marine tropicals: Los Angeles. With that said, you might also look into a Chicago supplier (there are several... like A-Pet) if you can get better flights to CT than from LA.
And has Bob has suggested... please start shopping the trade shows to get your feet wet and to network. We have the HH Backer Shows in Atlantic City and Chicago twice yearly. Also subscribe to a trade magazine like Pet Business or Pet Age to begin or finish your business plan. And last of all... be sure to write that business plan! Your chance at success will be greatly improved. Make your life easy and purchase some software like Business Plan Pro to do this. Some local business schools also often offer free counsel to local small business for start-up (classes and consultations... help writing biz plans, etc).
Best of luck, Anthony>
<Thank you Antoine. Bob>