future jobs for paintball?

[FreakBaller12]

Well. I've been thinking about the future, for my career and stuff. I'm only 15 so I still have the chance to change what I want to do, before it's too late. I was planning on trying to get into Penn State or some other college for buisness and Entrepreneurship. I realized I really want to try and stay with paintball in some way, and still be somewhat succesful with my career. I really don't want to try and go pro. If the oppurtunity presents itself, hell yea I am going to go for it, but right now I don't believe that will happen. I am just asking, what other kind of jobs are there besides starting your own store/field. And also any field/store owners, despite everybody saying don't go into buisness, is it worth it? Do you enjoy your job? What you do it all over again if you had the chance to?

[brtncstm160]

You could always start some paintball company. For example you could start a clothing company. A friend of mine is only 17 and has started his own clothing company, sunday paintball. Its a pretty cool idea and there is some money in it.

JJ

[Remington]

You could also design markers like Simon (manike) does for NPS.

[BeaverEater]

You could take some engineering classes and start to design and build your own markers.

[WingMan13]

How about you become a lawyer The way its been going in this industry you'll have plenty of work.

[FreakBaller12]

hmm engineering, not a bad idea, I would also like some feedback on store owners too.

[dyeguy65]

You could take some engineering classes and start to design and build your own markers.

im looking to go after that as well. lots of potential there. you could be the next doc!

DG

[LawnGnome7]

How about you become a lawyer The way its been going in this industry you'll have plenty of work.

sad, but true

[SeeK]

Do what you find yourself doing best. Working for paintball may make it less enjoyable and you'd probably make more money. You'd then have more than enough to do your paintball related activities like traveling to events.

[WenULiVeUdiE]

Maybe go into something like event coordination or something similar. You may want something 2 steps behind playing. Step 1 would be like a field or store owner. Maybe you want to be a machinest and actually mill stuff for people. That could include paintball, as well as other things.

[ProX9]

paintball is teh weak, the real shiz

[AGDlover]

i asked myself the same question and after discovering i was good with my hands and mechineary i decided i want to be a machinisht and lean how to use diffent tools such as C&C machines and Lathes and different things

[Number13]

Store/Field ownership

You've asked for some feedback from someone familiar with store and field operations. Though I am far from an expert, I have some experience in the area.

The worst part of owning an actual store is that everyone who walks in the door will ask you why your prices are higher than the internet. Most people will go to Walmart or Dick's Sporting Goods and pick up a spyder or VL Genesis to see if they like the sport. If they do, they'll proceed to internet stores for future purchases. Staying open 7 days a week for service, 8 hours a day at irregular business hours so that customers may come after they're done working, can add up to heavy payroll costs. Most stores attempt to offset this by paying their employees low wages but ordering at cost for them. The problem with that is you're selling at cost to those who would probably be your best customers. The best way I've seen for newcomers to start a store is to combine it as part of a field or as an add on to an already succesful business. Working in a store, our biggest sale was air and CO2 because we offered cheaper prices than surrounding fields. A store can't stay open on just airfills.

It requires a lot of work to start a field or a succesful store. You need to know your market (woods or tourney?) and their playing habits (every week, monthly?). What's your competition? Are you two miles away from BBT or SC Village?

You should not start a business such as a field or store because you love paintball - you must go into it because you love money and feel you can make a profit from it. If you go into it for the love of the game, you're going to end up giving away the shirt on your back and feeling obliged to give every player with some talent a discount. You have to run a business like a business if you expect it to last, and that is very difficult to adhere to if you're in love with the sport. If you start a field or store because you love the sport, you will grow discouraged as every other player attempts to exploit your love to their benefit.

If you're interested in business/entrepreneurship as well as paintball, I'd suggest listening to some of the earlier suggestions that relate to the promotions, hardware, software, clothing, distribution, etc. aspects of paintball. But if you do really want to start a field or store after all that, work your *** off and do it. Don't stop short though - either go the 50 or stay off the field. New stores and fields definately may become succesful, but I would not suggest it as your first business venture. Get employment at some stores and fields, work outside of the paintball industry for a broader perspective, and bring it all together to offer a service that can't be beat.

Hope this helped,
MC

[Odder]

Go to law school !!!
from the looks of things the sport of paintball will need more lawyers, if thing continues to go the way it has been.

[Athius]

Well about owning a field as far as i had seen it sucks. Since you will never be free on weekends(unless theres a holliday) and u wont be able to play that much paintball in the weekends.


But owning a store i think is less stressful than owning a field and plus u'll save allot of money on paintball equipment. If u like advertise allot or just give out flyers many people will come but that is was is like over here. Since wall mart is the only super store that sell paintball equipment but no one actually find the paintball part since it is like hidden in the sportin good section.