Ronin Lite? · Royalty Ronin

Ronin Lite?

So this is the 3rd day of my Looksies Week if I'm counting right.

I've been hesitant to introduce myself because I didn't think I fit here, however, I love new ideas and I adore authenticity and I have never liked serving masters.

I create community/educational resources of various kinds. I've exchanged many hours of my time for intangible rewards. NO REGRETS. But I'm at a different part of my life and I'd like a few more tangible rewards, thank you very much. And I just had a Roninish idea in the middle of typing a Facebook message. Hmmmm...

My current project is a total makeover of a community resource I created in 2020. I was acquiring meat rabbits to breed and I used Google Maps to keep up with breeders. Rabbit breeders can be a skittish lot. Especially meat rabbit breeders. Rabbits burrow in the wild so maybe it makes sense that rabbit people tend to hide. There are organizations that will go after and shut down rabbitries because of cages and things. Not kidding. Anyhow that means that sourcing rabbits is not super easy. Loads of rabbit people communicate through Facebook groups because, well there are lots of people there even though Facebook hates people who breed animals for sale. The list of forbidden words is so long now that normal posts are frustrating to write.

Funny thing is that map took on a life of its own. It kept growing and helping people and built me a mountain of goodwill within the community. The new one will be mine, not dependent on the vagaries of Google, have functions we all wanted (searching by breed) and the pins will be added and maintained by the users, not me. HUGE. Dead pins are also an issue so every pin has an expiration date and free pins have the shortest, of course.

The premium pin idea was just to cover the costs when I got going. Then I hit a stubborn snag getting Stripe hooked up and I went searching for solutions and, oh, look over there, I could use that shopping cart solution and gently offer some treats along with the pin. Rabbit T-shirt, anyone? In the manner of the waiter just happening by your table towards the end of your meal with the dessert cart.

Then FACEPALM, I may not have made much money but I do know about email lists and how valuable they are even if it is mostly from the customer side. A subscriber invite is just about mandatory. So many things I could do with that list.

One more piece - I am designing a mobile game app centered around rabbit color genetics - like you choose the color of the dad and the color of the mom and voila! lots of cute baby rabbits whose colors are based on real genetics. Learning and fun - yes, the market is about as niche as it gets but it'll be my niche. That piece is probably 6 months down the road. I can't wait!

Oh the Roninish idea? I was chatting with a lady who creates and sells unique bunny toys and it occurred to me that when she would be a perfect partner for an ad spot in the game or a highlight in the newsletter and I'm all in for trading in kind and she has a FB page and an Etsy store at the least.

The current map - I should be able to multiply the number of pins easily since promotion will no longer be limited by my time to add them.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1nSBXu-oUOdNfU3yh0p1Umdo-8KHaZ3Oz&usp=sharing

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