Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Jim White is the creator of Fishnure, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Fishnure manufactures and markets organic fertilizer including both solid fertilizer and liquid.
Checkout more about Fishnure’s quality products and daily updates, please checkout their website and active twitter account, as listed below!
Website – https://www.fishnure.com/
Twitter – @fishnure
Show Notes
Agricultural Background: Beginning of Fishnure
Finding Our First Customers
Natural vs. Chemical Fertilizer
Different Types of Products We Offer
-
-
-
- Solid vs. Liquid Fertilizer
-
-
How COVID Impacted Our Business
Importance of Sustainability
Why Just Labeling Fertilizer As “Organic” Doesn’t Mean It’s Good
Fishnure’s Future: Heading In The Right Direction
Jim’s Business Advice to Those Starting A Business
Full Transcription
Jim: We had a pepper grower up in Minnesota who grew his entire crop with Fishnure. And then he set up a control between one of the biggest sellers, Miracle-Gro and Fishnure.
So we had one batch of plants that were fed Miracle-Gro the other batch was Fishnure. Miracle-Gro got two treatments during the year, Fishnure only one. Fishnure came out with 8% production.
Podcast Intro: If you’re someone who refuses to go along to get along, if you question whether the status quo was good enough for you and your family.
If you want to leave this world better off than you found it and you consider independence a sacred thing.
You may be a prepper, a gardener, a homesteader, a survivalist, or a farmer or rancher, an environmentalist or a rugged outdoorsman.
We are here to celebrate you whether you’re looking to improve your maverick business or to find out more about the latest products and services available to the weekend rebel.
From selling chicken eggs online, to building up your food storage or collecting handmade soap.This show is for those who choose the road less traveled the road to self-reliance for those that are living a daring adventure, life off the grid.
Brian: Jim White is the creator of Fishnure, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Fishnure manufactures and markets organic fertilizer including both solid fertilizer and liquid.
Fishnure is made by composting solid fish manure is filtered to get solid manure free from unwanted materials and combined with the carbon source clay inoculants and then decomposed to form a humus compost.
Jim is a serial entrepreneur who has created numerous computer software production management businesses. He also has a significant background in statistics and agriculture.
Jim White, welcome to The Off-the-Grid Biz Podcast.
Jim: Hey, thank you.
Brian: So how did you get into Fishnure, tell us that story?
Jim: Well, I created a company that monitors agricultural production. In other words, in the delta, catfish production is big and a farmer may have 100 ponds. And we developed a wireless solar power monitoring and control system that will control the environment and every pond.
So that’s how Fishnure came because I was interested in some of the customers were using the connection from the fish production to growing plants, which is what aquaponics is, and that’s what started it.
Brian: Oh, wow.
So how did you find your first customers?
Jim: We advertised I think it was on Craigslist. And that started then we sold a lot on our website, and then move to Amazon, which is the main seller right now.
Brian: How long ago was that, when did you first start the whole process?
Jim: It’s been seven years.
Brian: Excellent.
Where are you finding most of your customers right now or via Amazon?
Jim: Right.
Brian: Great.
Do you do any other sort of outreach or marketing to bring in?
Jim: Oh, yeah.
Yeah, we use Twitter. We tweet several 100 tweets a day.
The website, I write a lot of articles and publish those and email marketing the whole bit.
Amazon though is the major seller.
Brian: Excellent.
Who is the ideal customer for Fishnure?
Jim: People that are interested in survivability and who understand natural fertilization.
Fishnure is really the only natural fertilizer on Amazon. There is one of most of what you see is organic fertilizer is not natural can be harmful to the environment.
Additional nutrients have been added that may be too much, there’s is runoff. This is the same problem that you have with chemical fertilization. And, of course, I’m a conventional farmer I farm 1,800 acres, and I know that we’re not doing the right thing.
It’s not sustainable, too many chemicals. Fishnure is an answer to that.
But plant life evolved in the water initially millions of years ago, and it was sustainable, and then it moved to land but it couldn’t move until humerus was created in the soul because that’s where your microbes and your organic matter are and Fishnure provides that, it provides the humus.
If you have organic fertilizer, and somebody is added NPK, additional NPK and no microbes, that’s worse than doing nothing.
Brian: And why is that?
Jim: You have to have the microbes, the microbes form a bond between the plant and the environment, and they can create the exact amount of nutrients that the plant needs.
And there are no ways chemically you can add too many nutrients and burn up the plant. You can’t do that was natural fertilization, and natural fertilization needs those microbes. And those microbes live in the humerus component of Fishnure, that’s what creates the yields.
Brian: Oh, wow.
What are the different types of Fishnure that you offer?
Jim: You can buy an 8-pound quantity, 16 or 32?
Brian: Got it?
It’s the same no matter what you offer the liquid form also?
Jim: Yeah, it comes in a half-gallon.
Brian: Okay.
Is one better, the solid versus the liquid better or worse?
Does it matter the plants that you’re using it on or what would be the difference there?
Jim: Well, the liquid makes it easier to apply.
In some cases, for example, you can spray it on your lawn. The Fishnure solid is a colonial substance and it doesn’t spread to do either. So you put it out on your lawn, it’s best to convert it to a liquid and you can do that at home as well.
Take the sold and mix it with water and spray it with a hose and sprayer.
Brian: Do your customers come more from a residential sense and having organic gardens and lawns that they’re using this with? Or is it more conventional farmers and people with larger crops?
Jim: No, it’s primarily from individual homeowners and home gardeners and commercial cannabis production and some organic farmers, not large scale farmers.
Brian: How is your business gone over the past, for those people listening, we’re recording this at the end of July of 2021. So I wanted to ask you how has your business been affected by the covid-19 pandemic over the last year and a half or so?
Jim: Well, it helped.
Brian: Yeah.
Jim: I noticed a big increase last year, apparently when people were stuck in the house to have something to do so they gardened.
Brian: Yeah. Yeah.
Jim: I’ve seen a drop off this year.
Brian: Hmm. No, that makes sense. That makes sense. And that goes along with the trends of the industry.
Overall, what would you say that you like best about your business here and the industry as a whole?
Jim: I’m big on sustainability. I’m pushing on that quite hard.
There are 1,000s and 1,000s of producers of organic fertilizer. So the competition is pretty severe. But we have an advantage, it is sustainable.
We had a pepper grow up in Minnesota who grew his entire crop with Fishnure. And then he set up a control between one of the biggest Miracle-Gro and Fishnure.
So we had one batch of plants that were fed Miracle-Gro the other batch was Fishnure.
Miracle-Gro got two treatments during the year, Fishnure, only one. Fishnure came out with 8% more production.
And he’s been a big promoter and he’s using it again this year.
Brian: Oh, fabulous. That’s a great testimonial.
Jim: Yeah, we sold a lot off of that.
Brian: Yeah, I bet.
Being a serial entrepreneur. How do you compare this product this business to everything else that you’ve done?
Is it better or worse, how do you compare it?
Jim: Well, the first two companies created was based on some technical advantage that I had in computing and they were very successful.
This one, it’s all marketing.
It’s sort of like fishing, you know, what bait to use it every day. It’s a new adventure. So it’s really more interesting.
Brian: Absolutely.
Commercial Break: Okay, let’s take a break from that conversation. I wanted to bring up a question for you, during these crazy times, do you feel like your business is indestructible? Most people don’t?
And if not, the real question is why?
And what can you do to make it as indestructible as possible?
Well, that’s the basis of my new book, 9 Ways to Amazon-Proof Your Business.
Let me talk about what we discussed in the third chapter.
The third way for you to Amazon proof your business, which is be different.
In the third chapter, I go into, really, how do you put yourself out there and be seen as unique, where you really don’t even have competition. And there’s ways of doing this. In fact, I talk about two specific books that you should go out and get.
And these are difficult books to read.
These are fun books, books that will inspire you and give you creative juices necessary to be able to really stand out and be different, you don’t have to be wacky, you don’t have to be outrageous, but you do have to appear different. And if you can appear different from everyone else out there, not only will you not have the competition of amazon.com, you won’t have any competition.
But I also have eight other ways to Amazon proof your business, basically the idea of making it competition proof to even someone as big as Amazon.com.
So if you’d like to get your hands on a free copy of my book, go to AmazonProofBook.com sign up and you will get a free copy and get the chance to purchase a physical copy of it for a special price. And now let’s get back to our show.
Brian: It seems like it would be a good pairing and I know this hasn’t been around for the last year and a half, it would be a good pairing for trade shows, and organic gardening shows.
Have you done any type of live marketing like that one-on-one?
Jim: Not physical, internet seems to be the best route.
Brian: Oh, fabulous.
Well, that’s great, that will keep costs down.
The next question I had is if you could change one thing about this business or this industry as a whole, what would it be?
Jim: That’s a good question. I’m not sure.
If I could change one thing, which somehow want to create information that would indicate that just because it’s organic, does not mean it’s good or environmentally friendly.
You can take a substance and nutrients to it and call it organic, and it’ll be organic.
Brian: Yeah.
Jim: But unless it’s got the microbes, you’re wasting your money.
Brian: Well that makes sense, especially with your explanation of the difference between the ocean plant and the land plant. I mean, that’s really, that causes a picture that I’ve never really considered before or haven’t considered in a long time. Really cool.
Jim: Are you familiar with aquaponics?
Brian: Yes, a little.
Jim: Yeah. Okay. I mean, that’s a basic concept.
Brian: Yeah, of course. It’s just that the history, the evolutionary history behind it makes a whole lot of sense. And it explains so many issues that we’re dealing with right now, when it comes to minerals.
And like you said, microbes in the soil and the lack thereof.
If you and I were talking a year from now, and we were looking back over the past 12 months, what would have had to have happen for you to feel happy with your progress, both professionally and personally?
Jim: Well, of course, my main objective is in marketing on Amazon. So if we can increase our sales, three or four times, yeah, I’d say that’s progress. We’re headed in the right direction.
Brian: That’s good.
Are there any obstacles standing in your way of getting there?
Jim: Oh, yeah, I mean, fishmanure is scarce.
Brian: Hmm.
Jim: It’s difficult to get to it. The composting process is complex and it involves shifting tons of material around the country. So there are a lot of challenges as far as production and even more with marketing.
Brian: Yeah. Well, that makes sense.
You’ve been involved in business for many, many years.
In that situation, we have a lot of people that listen in this, Off-the-Grid Biz Podcast, so it’s, it very much comes at it from a business perspective.
What advice would you have for business owners out there?
Do you have any blanket advice for people either looking to get into business or looking to survive and build their business in today’s economy, any advice I would give if you’re an entrepreneur and starting out?
Jim: Create a situation and setting up your company where it’s financed primarily by the customer.
Don’t go out and borrow a lot of money gamble on it, you may lose if you create something where customers are involved initially, and even if you have a contract company.
Get the customer to put up some upfront money, just get the customer to finance your business that’s what I suggest. I’ve done it several times, both ways and I know which works.
Brian: That’s great advice. And that’s really important that makes it makes everything you’ve said today worth 10 times more to the listener because I’ve gone through several iterations myself with others and with other partners and seeing the same things true, so that’s gold right there.
What could a listener do who wants to find out more about Fishnure?
Jim: Well, I can go to the website, Fishnure.com.
Brian: Fabulous. Okay, good deal.
Are there any questions I didn’t ask you that you’d like to answer, Jim.
Jim: I think we’ve done pretty good.
Brian: Okay. good deal. Hey, I really appreciate your time.
Jim White, thank you so much for being on The Off-the-Grid Biz Podcast.
Jim: I enjoyed it.
Brian’s Closing Thoughts: Oh boy, it was really a kick getting to sit down and talk with Jim White. I had spoken with him years previous when I was researching the organic gardening marketplace and had a conversation with him on the phone and he hasn’t changed in the years that I’ve talked with him.
I love his no-nonsense straight to the point attitude about things, it’s refreshing.
And I wanted to point out a couple of things about what he said and what he kind of represents and things that I think any business owner can use in their business.
The first thing is, you’ll really know the knowledge and passion for the product, and the story behind the product, he has a very clear idea about what that is, and what that’s all about. And that’s refreshing.
It’s also one of those things that you you hope most business owners or the person in charge has that going for them if you really have a clear idea about what your product is what you’re trying to achieve, who the bad guy is in your industry, who are you against, that’s very important, and making yourself very clearly a different creation in the marketplace.
And it’s what he’s been able to do rather well.
The second thing is he knows where he’s going, you hear him talking about growing, you know, four times or so forth in the next year, he has a very clear idea of where he’s going.
He has the tools to get there and he also knows what obstacles are standing in the way that’s very, very important.
And the third thing is that point he made at the very end, and I want to put an even finer point about customers financing your growth.
So often in the mass media, we’re taught, you know, with Shark Tank and all these other things, to go after big money out there and get someone else financing you and get a loan and just everyone is trying to sell you free money as if it’s actually free.
Well, there’s always a price to that.
Whereas if you’ve got the customers financing your growth, you’re growing, while at the same time building a relationship with the people who are going to help you grow beyond this point when the financing isn’t even necessary.
It’s really making money where you’re going to continue making money as opposed to an artificial source, which I think is really important.
And you’re learning something in the process, especially if you’re just starting out.
You’re learning how to create that relationship with the customer, which is really what it is all about in the long run. Once again, I want to thank Jim White for coming on the show.
I can’t wait to see what Fishnure does in the future.
Outro: Join us again on the next Off The Grid Biz Podcast brought to you by the team at BrianJPombo.com, helping successful but overworked entrepreneurs, transform their companies into dream assets.
That’s BrianJPombo.com.
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on The Off The Grid Biz Podcast, offthegridbiz.com/contact.
Those who appear on the show do not necessarily endorse my beliefs, suggestions, or advice or any of the services provided by our sponsor.
Our theme music is Cold Sun by Dell. Our executive producer and head researcher is Sean E Douglas.
I’m Brian Pombo and until next time, I wish you peace, freedom, and success.