Hunnicutt
TreeHouser
I always wanted to get certified, but I never had any driving force to push me to spend the money. None of the homeowners in my area have ever heard of the ISA and at most I'll get one or two jobs a year because of my certification. The folks around here care 10% about my insurance 10% about my reputation, and 80% about my price. I finally met a CA from a nearby city and he convinced me to go to an aerial rescue class. I met a bunch of other CA's and companies from around my area. After that I decided to bite the bullet and I got certified a couple months later.
Now I've got a great relationship with a bunch of companies from around the state. The CEU opportunities are a great way to network and meet other guys who care about the profession. There's a great community of CA's in NW Arkansas and we mutually support each other. If someone calls me from outside of my area, I can easily refer them to someone in their area that I know and trust and I get a lot of referrals back towards me. Also, if I'm swamped with work, I can call a few friends and get some help. If I'm slow, I can work a few days out of town for another company. There really is no way to improve faster than to work with different crews and see what works and what doesn't. It's nice to work with the same guys over and over and get into a rhythm, but I like to expose myself to new ideas and different equipment that I'd never have access to on my own.
Is the arb certification a racket? Ehhh, maybe. Bottom line for me is that it led me down a path that improved my abilities, my business, and my personal relationships.
Now I've got a great relationship with a bunch of companies from around the state. The CEU opportunities are a great way to network and meet other guys who care about the profession. There's a great community of CA's in NW Arkansas and we mutually support each other. If someone calls me from outside of my area, I can easily refer them to someone in their area that I know and trust and I get a lot of referrals back towards me. Also, if I'm swamped with work, I can call a few friends and get some help. If I'm slow, I can work a few days out of town for another company. There really is no way to improve faster than to work with different crews and see what works and what doesn't. It's nice to work with the same guys over and over and get into a rhythm, but I like to expose myself to new ideas and different equipment that I'd never have access to on my own.
Is the arb certification a racket? Ehhh, maybe. Bottom line for me is that it led me down a path that improved my abilities, my business, and my personal relationships.
