Lessons I Learned from a Bag of Fish Food

After a brief stint as a busboy, I landed my second job at a fish store five miles from home. I was 15. The owner, Ted—whose googly eyes resembled the goldfish he sold—quickly became a mentor. He taught me how to upsell fish food and supplies, and I was hooked. Within a month, I was spending more on my growing aquarist hobby than I was earning.

One day, for reasons I can’t recall, I took a bag of fish food without paying for it. The next morning, Ted confronted me. “Why did you take that 2lb bag of Tetra Flakes and not ring it up?” His voice carried disappointment, not anger. Embarrassed, I had no excuse, so I said nothing.

Then, instead of scolding or firing me—though he had every right to—Ted simply said, “Think like an owner, and you’ll eventually become one.”

At the time, the words didn’t sink in. But years later, passing by the now-closed fish store, I remembered. And I understood.

Owners think differently.

They see what’s at stake.

They hold themselves to a higher level of accountability, making decisions with long-term consequences in mind.

At Alchemy, I’ve noticed a defining trait of financially successful people: they think like owners—whether they are one or not.

Imagine if more people approached life this way. The mindset of an owner isn’t just about business—it’s about responsibility, stewardship, and understanding the bigger picture. And more often than not, it’s the mindset that separates those who struggle from those who thrive.