August 04, 2018

"Is brown the only color this comes in?"

As a growing company with a pretty unique little niche, I receive a lot of inquiries from hobbyists wanting to know why I don't carry "x" in our online store, or from manufacturers who tell me that we could increase sales dramatically if I carried their products.

It's kind of cool.

And after one of these conversations, I reflected on what I've created. How Tannin is positioned in the market. What we do. What I love. And where we operate. I might consider something if it makes sense for our niche...maybe. There are intangibles, brand considerations...keeping the vibe. And that can be a tough thing to calibrate.

Yet it's actually not.

I kind of know what I want. I know what I feel inside. Even as we become more visible and are approached by more and more people with new ideas and requests, it's shockingly "quiet" inside of my head. Focused. And in coming months you're going to see some additions to our inventory, some changes in our offerings and such that might make some of you sort of go, "Huh?"

But it will all make sense. see some thing and in my mind, I just know that it will fit. LOL "Cause I know my niche. I "stay in my lane." I've had an evolving vision for Tannin for years. And...it's evolving...according to plan, lol.

Leaves. Wood. Water. Life

We have a real perspective about what works for us, and we appreciate that so many of you have "gotten" that! I think you will continue to get it.

Some stuff will be in a simply logical direction.

Some might take us in seemingly new directions. Or will it?

And it's really funny to me how, when you are literally "knee deep" in something, your personal perspective changes, and you start thinking that everything else is a bit "different."

Like, for example, our tinted water.

I am so used to brown, earthy-looking aquariums that when I see a brightly-illuminated clear water aquarium, it's almost like it's this new discovery for me! Like, "Ohmigod, that's crazy! How can you handle it?"

I'm being totally f-ing serious here, too.

And, of course, I see the other side of the coin, too. I've had people ask why we don't sell that much stuff for "normal" aquariums. 😜

Perspective.

Like, I really adore the high-tech brightly-illuminated, artistically-scape planted tanks that are all the rage. I see how they are intoxicating, challenging, and utterly amazing in every way.

But then I look at one next to a well-executed blackwater, botanical-style aquarium and I'm like, "Hmm...nice. Maybe all try one...SOME TIME."

What the hell is wrong with me? I have seen some of the most beautifully executed "nature-style" tanks on the planet in person, and, whiclke I drool and exhale them- I have no desire whatsoever to tear down one of my tanks and go for it.

I mean, that's not an earth-shattering concept. We all have our testes. Just like in music or food. Like, I admire the idea of a good steak, but I think the last time I ate meat was in 2015. I appreciate the nuances of classical music, but I don't think I could ID more than one or two pieces. I love fine art, but I couldn't draw a stick figure if my life depended on it!

Now, why am I going down this road?

It's to kind of illustrate my point that tastes vary. Perspectives on what is attractive and interesting are different. Opinions are abundant. And you can appreciate, admire, and even embrace multiple perspectives. That's super cool.

But we all only have one real truth. One thing that motivates and inspires you. I really believe that. Because no matter what type of aquarium you executer, you'll pull in nuances from that perspective. You'll develop your own point of view. Your own style. You see it in every aquarist. Every aquascaper. Every fish breeder.

Yes, you can do all sorts of stuff. You should. Try all sorts of techniques, styles, and executions. But you'll know what really speaks to you.You'll always come back to it- subconsciously or not.

Really.

It's pretty cool.

I stopped fighting it a long time ago. Sure, occasionally, I'll get distracted by a shiny object or two-personally and in business, but for the most part, I have found that everything I do, aquatics-wise...seems to fall into a certain feel and style.

In are case, there are a LOT of shades of "brown", right?