Meet Christopher Reed of R&R Marine in Dedham

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Reed.

Christopher, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I got my start diving as a hobby in 2001, back then it was just something to do with family but soon the experience quickly turned into a life passion. I was hooked, always seeking evermore challenging and fulfilling dive adventures which meant I needed more training.

After a while I realized that exploration of this underwater universe, that we so quickly take for granted, was largely unknown to the average person. At this point I had just become an instructor and wanted nothing more than to share this amazing place with anyone and everyone that wanted to experience a whole new world without ever leaving the planet. I also realized very quickly, the hard way that the dive industry tends to be one that likes to cater to a set demographic that was just simply unattainable by the everyday working person. This really bothered me because I don’t come from a particularly affluent family and I’m a firm believer that if you work hard and be honest things will work out just fine. With that in mind, I spent several years doing research and learning not only about diving and the dive industry but also about resale and business. While I was doing research in my down time, I was teaching S.C.U.B.A. as an independent instructor with the International Diving Educators Association (I.D.E.A). All of the time saving the majority if not all of what I was making and reinvesting it back into the business.

This all came to a head last year when we opened the doors as a dive shop. We’re very small but growing all the time and I would venture to say that anyone would be hard pressed to find better customer service anywhere else. My prices are not only aimed at but are based on being able to become a lifelong diver that has a safe, reliable, and quality set of equipment that they can trust, as well as direct access to staff and instructors that are incredibly knowledgeable whenever they need it. I make everybody that walks through my doors part of the R&R family and that doesn’t end at the end of the sale, that’s for life.

This may all seem like an incredible amount to bring to the table from such a small operation, but there’s a trick to how I do it. Simply put, I built the building that my store is in, I bought every single item that’s in my store, and I effectively have no overhead because I didn’t take lines of credit from any of my suppliers. Remember when I said that I taught scuba and saved every penny to reinvest, that’s exactly what I did. This translates to the customers by allowing me to charge less than any other dive shop as I don’t have M.A.P. pricing on anything because I purchased it out right so it’s mine to sell at what I see fit. I also know which companies will sell most items to me for the least markup and I pass that on as well. Here’s a big secret most companies will put their name on things that are already branded by someone else and manufactured by one central manufacturer so it really comes down to finding which brand sells there name the cheapest and going with them. This is the model I use to try to make this sport, previously only attainable by the elite, available to everyone. This is our planet and no one rich or poor deserves to be able to explore and enjoy it more than another.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Starting a business always has obstacles, R & R Marine has not been immune to that. Throughout the years there have been many struggles from permitting to time away from family, some more difficult to overcome than others. The business is located on a town line so permitting and licensure has always been difficult. Your typical insurance company does not offer professional underwater liability insurance, finding a trustworthy company to carry our insurance was also a task which took a decent amount of time. The most trying has been time away from family, this business has allowed me the flexibility in my schedule for family time, but it’s also not a 9-5. I don’t get to turn the lights off and go home. There are many a night where I work until all hours. Over the years I have found ways to include my family, from my little girls putting price tags on new inventory to helping set up the gear. With time these struggles have become easier and R & R Marine has helped me to grow as a person both in business and family.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about R&R Marine – what should we know?
R & R Marine is an S.C.U.B.A. academy and dive shop. We are most proud of the relationship that we have with all of our customers. The devotion to customer service and welcoming everyone to the diving world sets us apart from others in the industry.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My family deservers all of the credit for supporting this dream. The instructors I had have not only been great mentors and friends but a wealth of knowledge that I have drawn on from time to time, even after becoming an instructor myself.

Contact Info:

• Address: 54 Solaris Rd, Dedham, MA
• Website: www.diveRandR.com
• Phone: 857-719-5489
• Email: chris@diveRandR.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diverandr/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diveRandR/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RR_MarineDiving