This story appears in the
August 2004 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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Description:
Distributor of fresh Hawaiian fish to high-end resorts and
restaurants across the country
Startup:
$6,000 in 1994
2004 projected
sales: $10 million
Reeling in
business: Wayne Samiere's business may seem fishy, but
there's good reason. Honolulu Fish Co., a fish distributor, profits
from Hawaii's ocean of high-quality, sashimi-grade fish and
from the state's uncommon system for selling them-as in Japan,
buyers are allowed to handpick each fish. Now the company has more
than 2,000 accounts, delivering more than 30 varieties of fresh
Hawaiian fish to clients across the mainland in less than 24
hours.
Hooked on
fish: Trained as a marine biologist, Samiere has a love for
fish that runs as deep as his respect for life under the sea. To
protect immature fish, he deals only with long-line fisheries that
use special hooks designed to catch fish of specific sizes. He is
also opposed to fishing with nets, which disrupt ocean habitats.
"I'm still a biologist at heart," he says. "A
net is devastating, because it captures everything in its
wake."
Biting the
bait: By operating his own business, Samiere is living his
father's dream. And like his father, who rallied help from
Samiere and his siblings to build bikes, make candles, even sell
metal polish to start a business, Samiere has turned his one-man
show into a family affair. Three-possibly soon to be four-of his
five brothers have jumped onboard. His father, who never did start
a business but lent Samiere startup capital, is extremely proud of
the result. Says Samiere, "[He] is absolutely tickled
pink."