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Originally Posted by Rocket Doctor
What do you think the future of the hobby will be, maybe that would be a better approach. Will the market be there to support a new venture?
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The prospects for any new model rocket company depend on the growth the hobby is seeing. That may really be the first question to ask: Is this hobby growing, shrinking, or stagnant?
If it is growing, it means there is an increasing customer base to sell to. Find what a large enough fraction of the whole wants, but is not getting, from the established companies, and serve that need. As more people join the hobby, you'll likely have more customers over time.
If it is stagnant, then with each new company, you have smaller and smaller slices of a fixed-size pie. You have to do
what no one else wants to do to get a larger slice. This is also when you need to determine if starting a rocket company is worth the effort. Can you, as an individual, stimulate growth in the hobby when the "big box companies" cannot?
If it is shrinking, it may simply be time to cut bait. If the "big box companies" cannot hold on to an existing customer base, let alone generate new customers, you almost certainly won't, either.
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Originally Posted by sandman
...none of the niches in this hobby are large enough for you to make a decent living...
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Which makes the above question more important. Are we in a shrinking hobby, with fewer potential customers each month? Are we in a stagnant hobby, and would we be trying to fight for a smaller share of this pie instead of just offering something unique? Are we seeing growth in the numbers of first-timers?
Does anyone have good numbers to show?