Hello Valued customers and friends my name is Chuck Dundov the owner and manager of Reptile Finders.
I am now 30 and come from a very strong Croation and Chilean family. I speak both languages so if you ever need help feel free to reach out to me in Spanish.
Growing up in a very typical Croation household pets were dogs and only for protection and outdoors. I'll never forget i was 4, my brother Ante was 6 and our cousin came down to visit and brought Ante Iggy a green iguana. Ante was interested but afraid of it. I remember picking this thing up which my parents were very pissed off that we had it and looked at every toe nail, eye ball, joint, tail how it drank, how it ate after that game over.
I started volunteering at a shop, when I was 11 for every mean man who treated me so bad for many years until he left the hobby, when i was 15. That is a negative mindset and rude attitude and hatred for humans could run a shop so could I.
I vowed one thing to myself to never treat a costumer or an employee or a volunteer the way i was treated. Even though i shed a lot of tears got bit daily did the dirty work I look at it is as the most positive years of my life. Why you ask? The answer is that is why I have made Reptile Finders into a fun family type environment, where everyone is welcome no one is turned away.
Now to how i got to opening up the shop. Well at 15 I worked at this same location which went under and watched again how things can go downhill so quickly. Both organizations fell due to theft and drugs abuse which I don't tolerate at all. Back to my story I showed up to work at the reptiles shop my senior year in high school like I always did after after ditching 3rd period and there was something horribly wrong.
The manengers face said it all the owner was shutting it down another failed reptile shop damn where am i gonna work now!
I said to myself think fast there was no electricity everything was shut off these reptiles need help. I asked the manager how much did they want everything? To which they responded I don't even know Chuck your the expert what's it worth in your opinion? I had good business sense at a young age the words $5,000 came out of my mouth. It was more like $15,000! They said we need to sell everything for $5,000 then.
Here comes the funny part I say "give me one second I go outside dial my mom up and say hey mom I need $5,000," She said "what the hell is wrong with you get your ass back to school don't be messing with me!" I responded "mom I'm not at school, you know me I'm never going to college the reptile shop is for sale for $5,000 lend me the money please I'll pay you back in a month." She said "no" the phone hangs up. I told the the manager give me a few days to see if i could find "buyers" while I worked on my parents for a few days. 5 days go by, I'm in 1st period it is my mom calling. I walked out of class, "she says let's do it son!" I can't believe this. I left school went home made the deal paid her back in 5 days and here I am today sober, humble, honest and welcoming you all to partake in thus wonderful journey that Reptile Finders become
Thanks,
Chuck
I am now 30 and come from a very strong Croation and Chilean family. I speak both languages so if you ever need help feel free to reach out to me in Spanish.
Growing up in a very typical Croation household pets were dogs and only for protection and outdoors. I'll never forget i was 4, my brother Ante was 6 and our cousin came down to visit and brought Ante Iggy a green iguana. Ante was interested but afraid of it. I remember picking this thing up which my parents were very pissed off that we had it and looked at every toe nail, eye ball, joint, tail how it drank, how it ate after that game over.
I started volunteering at a shop, when I was 11 for every mean man who treated me so bad for many years until he left the hobby, when i was 15. That is a negative mindset and rude attitude and hatred for humans could run a shop so could I.
I vowed one thing to myself to never treat a costumer or an employee or a volunteer the way i was treated. Even though i shed a lot of tears got bit daily did the dirty work I look at it is as the most positive years of my life. Why you ask? The answer is that is why I have made Reptile Finders into a fun family type environment, where everyone is welcome no one is turned away.
Now to how i got to opening up the shop. Well at 15 I worked at this same location which went under and watched again how things can go downhill so quickly. Both organizations fell due to theft and drugs abuse which I don't tolerate at all. Back to my story I showed up to work at the reptiles shop my senior year in high school like I always did after after ditching 3rd period and there was something horribly wrong.
The manengers face said it all the owner was shutting it down another failed reptile shop damn where am i gonna work now!
I said to myself think fast there was no electricity everything was shut off these reptiles need help. I asked the manager how much did they want everything? To which they responded I don't even know Chuck your the expert what's it worth in your opinion? I had good business sense at a young age the words $5,000 came out of my mouth. It was more like $15,000! They said we need to sell everything for $5,000 then.
Here comes the funny part I say "give me one second I go outside dial my mom up and say hey mom I need $5,000," She said "what the hell is wrong with you get your ass back to school don't be messing with me!" I responded "mom I'm not at school, you know me I'm never going to college the reptile shop is for sale for $5,000 lend me the money please I'll pay you back in a month." She said "no" the phone hangs up. I told the the manager give me a few days to see if i could find "buyers" while I worked on my parents for a few days. 5 days go by, I'm in 1st period it is my mom calling. I walked out of class, "she says let's do it son!" I can't believe this. I left school went home made the deal paid her back in 5 days and here I am today sober, humble, honest and welcoming you all to partake in thus wonderful journey that Reptile Finders become
Thanks,
Chuck
