Welcome to Jackson Fish Market… a new software company. You might ask, why do we need another software startup, and why is it named for a fish market? I’ll answer the second question first. (You’ll have to wait until the next post to hear the answer to the first question.) There aren’t many people in my family who run their own businesses. My parents’ generation has seen plenty of doctors, lawyers, and professors. My generation has much of the same, with the obligatory high tech careers thrown in. But not a lot of people who have put their heart and soul into owning and running their own business. As I contemplated entering the business world I thought back to my grandparents’ generation as well as of their parents before them. These were all immigrants or children of immigrants. And almost all of them ran small businesses. A grocery. A clothing store. A furniture store. A butcher shop. And of course… a fish market.

The store sold a variety of fresh lake fish on ice for customers to buy. There were also pickled fish like herring, and smoked fish such as carp. A variety of dairy products were sold there as well. My grandfather’s homemade pickles occupied a spot near the front door (I still have the recipe.). Each of these small businesses was run by family, with everyone pitching in as best they could. I wasn’t born early enough to see them for myself. However, that hasn’t stopped me from listening to the stories, and piecing together a detailed mental image of a small and focused tight-knit group of folks working hard together to create and deliver fresh hand-crafted products to customers with a personal touch. Products that both address a core customer need, but also make them feel emotionally satisfied, content, and… happy.

So there it is – established in 1942 by my grandfather Harry Jackson, and now re-established in 2006, Jackson Fish Market. (I think we’ll call it Jackson Fish for short.) Thanks for visiting. More soon…