Catch a Piece of Maine is a new company with a brilliant idea that allows anyone to make an investment in the lobster industry. For $2,995, you can lease a specific lobster trap off the coast of Maine for one year. A fisherman will harvest the lobsters that are caught in your trap during the 32-week season and FedEx them to you, relatives, customers or anyone you choose. Each package includes fresh mussels and clams, a home-baked dessert, bibs and cooking instructions. You are guaranteed a minimum of 40 lobsters of 1.5 pounds each, which comes to approximately $75 per lobster; this would drop to $60 a lobster if the trap catches 50, which the founders believe is a realistic goal. The idea is similar to a farming co-op where an individual can make a deposit to the farm owner in return for a share of the harvest. What makes this investment unique is the interactive experience. You can select your own fisherman by viewing their personal profile online and even check the statistics of your trap. It's actually similar to playing fantasy football. The company provides video updates of the fishermen and you can learn how your personal fisherman is faring and hear their thoughts and observations on lobstering. You can even take a trip to Maine and experience a day in the life of your chosen Maine fisherman.
Basically, you own a piece of the business, but unlike stock in Microsoft, you get an immediate return. If you buy stock in General Electric, you won’t be able to spend a day with an engineer. Catch a Piece of Maine takes fractional ownership of a business and adds an experiential element to it, making it much more personal and fun. It is a great business model that could be applied to other businesses to achieve a similar effect. Wouldn’t it be interesting if you could own a table at a restaurant? Your investment would provide the business owner with guaranteed cash flow and in return you would receive all the revenues of people who sit at that table.
Labels: fractional ownership
