Facebook

[MinUph]

Ever notice the word Professional has a totally different meaning in some circles?

[SteveA]

I was thinking Gene would have been all over this one by now -

Anyway it makes me think about an association I belong to where you test and qualify for a status as either a member or a certified member.  The way they elevate you to certified member is by taking a 2 day course and handling in additional work product.
That's considered the top member although they can become certified with less than 5 years actual experience. 
Compare that to a guy in the trade working over 45 years but never joined the association - whose the real pro ?
SA

[kodydog]

Get a business license and hang your shingle. So easy anybody can do it.

[sofadoc]

There is a discussion currently going on the UK based upholstery FB group.

There is some disagreement as to the definition of "Professional". Some say that it simply means doing something that you get paid for. Others argue that a professional is also held to a higher set of standards. And still others include some type of formal training in their definition.

I think it's safe to say, that there are a lot of professional upholsterers, amateur upholsterers, professional amateurs, and amateur professionals. And there are some who can only be described as "Hacks". But some of those hacks make a pretty good living, while some professionals barely eke by.

I think that clears it all up.

[MinUph]

Perfectly clear Dennis. :)

[Mojo]

I remember running across professionals when I was in the Marine Corp. They had a lot of them in Mexico....Mainly Tijuana. We just called them Pro's. Many of my buddies were attended to by them and ended up at sick bay a few days later getting a shot of penicillin. Obviously their professionals in Tijuana were not certified.

  :)

Chris

[gene]

"Me love you long time" is probably not a good way for an upholsterer to start a conversation with a prospective client.

Here in the US of A, the word 'professional' is not regulated by the government, as 'Medical Doctor', 'Psychiatrist', or 'Psychologist' are. So, anyone can use 'Professional' any way they want.

Unions used to have more power than they do today over how titles were used. They might, for example, take exception to someone calling themselves a "master plumber' if they were not a union member.

When I was in sales, I had a VP of this multi billion dollar company that I was working for who told us sales people we could put "President" on our business cards if that would help us sell more products. The same goes for upholstery. If calling yourself a "Professional" helps you to get more business, I say "Go for it".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoYsfbq3vMc

gene

[kodydog]

President, huh. So my business card could say, Edwin Northuis. President of Ladd Upholstery Designs. That's kinda catchy.

[sofadoc]

President, huh. So my business card could say, Edwin Northuis. President of Ladd Upholstery Designs. That's kinda catchy.

You'd better clear that with the missus before you go printing up cards proclaiming yourself president.

[kodydog]

Yeah, thanks Sofa. She is standing here just laughing her ass off. Maybe I could be VP.

[byhammerandhand]

I always get a kick out of someone calling himself a "master carpenter" or "master cabinetmaker."   Since there is no formal qualification (at least in the US, in this era), I guess you can be one if you can bluff your way into it.   

So call yourself a "master upholsterer."

[gene]

When I go on charter fishing boats out into the Gulf of Mexico, the guys who put the bait on everyone's hooks all call themselves "Master". I guess that must have something to do with old fishing traditions.

gene