Round tables meetings Scheduled October, 18 2003 POLL

Please Vote for frequency of round table events.

  • Roundtables should be held once a year.

    Votes: 6 9.2%

  • Roundtables should be held twice a year.

    Votes: 23 35.4%

  • Roundtables should be held every three months.

    Votes: 29 44.6%

  • Roundtables should be held once a month.

    Votes: 7 10.8%
  • Total voters
    65
Ron Musgraves

Ron Musgraves

Exterior Restoration Specialist
Staff member
Round tables meetings Scheduled October, 18 2003 POLL


I decided to post this as a pole. Some feel that we need round tables more often than twice a year.

I personally think that twice a year is enough. I wanted to post this pole to get the feel of what the contractors and the distributors would like.


When the round tables where started the premise was to meet and just discuss the current issues and share ideas. Some feel this can be expanded on. If we can have more lets just do it!!!!


Its will require that we all help the round tables to grow in the future whether they are once a year twice a year or every quarter.


I have enjoyed watching some people unite on something so simple. Attending round tables is something you should try if you have not.

Dates for October, 18 2003 & February, 20 2004 have been set. If others want to enjoy round tables more often we could expand the dates.


Please Vote for frequency of round table events.

Roundtables should be held once a year.

Roundtables should be held twice a year.

Roundtables should be held every three months.

Roundtables should be held once a month.
 
Rather than focusing on having the meetings on the same day everyehere I feel that more people could attend if they were scheduled on floating dates. That way everyone that wants to attend can scheduld the best time for those wanting to come. I am sure that way would allow everyone a chance to attend somewhere.
 
I second the twice a year routine. Also I like set dates better so people know way in advance so they can re-arrange there Schedule accordingly.

February and October should be perfect for most North Easteners. I was thinking that November might be better then October but the more I think about it October would be better because November is the beginning of the COLD weather and If a Roundtable meeting happens to fall on a warm November Day then some may be Powerwashing instead to make some more Money before they slow down all together. In October the weather is still very workable where Having a Sat. Roundtable Meeting won't really hurt the bottome line which is $$$$.
 
Steven,

dont you think that if you have dates set way in advance that people can make it. if everyone held there own meeting then we as a whole i dont believe would have had as good of a turn out.

the pricipal of meeting on the same or close days gives all and advantage.

I just think we should include more folks and have more meetings. if you want to host a round table on a different day I would support you.
 
I didn't say they shouldn't be in advance. I said they should be flexible for the people going to each meeting. I don't see that it matters if they are all on the same day or not. For me Oct. & Nov. are very busy times of the year. It all depends on where you live. I clean all twelve months of the year and I am sure a lot of other guys do also. A lot of people have accounts they can only do on the weekend so Sat. meetings leave them out. Anytime a few of the guys want to meet with me all they need to do is call and it can be arranged. We might have the meeting on a jobsite but I think more people like that better anyway, show and tell. You can learn more in 30 minutes on the job than 8 hours just talking.
 
At our meeting we were inclined to meet every 3 months or quarterly. We are striving to get better involvement but the "big names" still shun us. We are trying to improve this.

Reed
 
Steven, it your call. thats the beauty of this. if yuo want to have it on a different day theres no problem. if yuo schedule a different time of the year thats ok too.

Your right yuo can't please everyone. however if you can remain to stay on the same day as the rest it doesnt make marketing the meeting less confusing and easier to have. Together we push the meeting and i encouraged guys to go to other meetings. I cant help you if i dont know when or what your doing. the round tables are about helping each other and sharing ideas and thoughts.


I agree hands on is valuable, if you listen to my ideas for 4 hours and then apply them it will help you. if you just watch me all day your going to be lost. my job doesnt envolve pulling the trigger.


Reed, bigger and better things will happen if we remain together. I guarantee they are watching.
 
Most of the guys that go to the meetings ARE the ones that pull the trigger. When someone comes that does not pull a trigger they question why they are really there, they want to talk with people that actually clean themselves. When I show someone something I talk to them as I am doing it, however I did not talk much last Sat. because the guys that have been working with me did most of the talking for me.
 
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Speaking strictly for myself, I could care less whether someone is currently "pulling the trigger" a this point in their career. I'd certainly not think I have nothing to learn from someone who has been in the business for years and now spends their time running the company rather than doing the washing...They certainly know a hell of a lot about washing to build a company to the point where they don't have to pull the trigger anymore.
 
There are some running companys that have never washed anything themselves, but they want to teach you how. Does anyone think they could learn from someone that was fairly new (say less than three years) in a business (any business) that had never done the work themselves? I know some people that think they can read a book about a subject and know everything there is to know. I know a guy running a pressure washing company and the way he talks to people about how to clean certain things you would think he has been in the business for 30 years. He will tell someone he can do a job he has never done before and then he will call me and ask how to do it. Maybe I should have said in my last post " someone that never pulled a trigger in their life". There is a local parts store that has a nes owner that did not have a clue about auto parts before he bought the store but he bought it anyway. Would you rather get information from him about cars or the mechanic that has been working on them for years? Just because someone runs a business it does not mean they know what they are doing. Why do you think you see rigs for sale so often? I do think you can learn from someone that does not "pull the trigger" but I think for them to advise they at least need to be able to say they have "been there / done that"
 
I recently just met the guru of Grease Mr. Phil Akland. I doubt Phil has pulled the trigger any lately and maybe never did. (I’m not sure about if he did ever run his own business.) I also met Daryl from Ducts Unlimited. Ducts is one of the largest vent, hood & fire restoration company’s in the world. Daryl I’m certain doe’s not clean hoods. I met Mike from Steamaway and I think Mike also does not actively clean fleets. I sure all these gentleman would or will if it was necessary.

I feel that if I’m on the end of that wand then I’m not doing my job right. I’m not lazy in fact I’m sure I work harder than most. I just feel that I have hired people who can do the job right and that if I manage them correctly they do the trigger pulling and I insure they will have work tomorrow.


I believe we all want to stop pulling the trigger. I’m also sure some of us are happy pulling the trigger. Having employees is probably the most difficult thing I have ever done. There are some days when even I think I wish I was pulling the trigger instead of dealing with all the problems.

Back to the round tables: I just wanted to know if guys want more or if they think less is better. I stated my opinion and I wish others that attended would express there’s.

Steven, I thank you for expressing yours and I’ am sure all thank you for caring enough about the industry to support and I appreciate what you do.
 
These companies are "Adam's Power Shower" a "bunch of crews and trucks, I mean a bunch. The other one I contacted is Hot Shotz Mobil Power Wash. They won't return calls.

Reed
 
There was a time when I strictly beleived that "If you want something done right, do it yourself". I still beleive this to a certain degree. I would not have a problem with any of the few here on the boards in performing what I expect. But when it comes to hired help, I think it would take an extended period of one on one teaching the develop someone to the level I expect.

Most of what I do to a deck could be considered a "craftsman's touch". Just as if I was building it. We should consider ourselves professional craftsmen, ?craftsperson.( I don't want to exclude any of the Ladies who do as good a job if not better).


Reed
 
I may be wrong but I believe a lot of the guys that attend the meetings are fairly new. They come to learn about how to do the actual physical part of business first. Sure everyone needs to know how to pull the strings but you also have to crawl before you can walk or run. I just feel the person in charge needs to have done the job that they are telling someone else to do. I retired from a company where the management didn't have a clue how the job was done. They had it laid out on paper. I think I can explain the process of what a woman in labor experiences but I will never know exactly because I have never been the one in labor.
 
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