“In modern Japanese slang, an otaku refers to an overly obsessive fan of any one particular theme, topic, or hobby.” (wikipedia)

Many hobbyists decide, “hey, I like doing X, I should go into the X business”. It’d be easy for someone who likes biking to consider going into the bike business - but riding a bike has nothing to do with selling one, fixing one, or managing a bike repair crew.

As a surprise for my father, I recently brought his trusty racing bike in for a fix-up to the Cosmic Wheel, about 20 minutes outside of NYC. The bike was high-end in the late 80’s - most of the components have been reinvented a few times since.

So you wouldn’t expect the folks in the store to remember anything about the parts. Unless you met the owner, John Russo. John has bike otaku. Not just biking - bikes. Bring in a bike from 1985 and John will wax poetic about the three versions of shifters that came out back then, and how this one was the best. He’ll take each pit and ding personally and worry about metal fatigue. You can’t help but feel your bike will leave John’s hands in the best condition it’s ever been.
That’s why people with biking obessesions come to John.

If you’re starting a business, ask yourself, do you have that level of obsession?