WHY JOIN A PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION?

No man is an island, or woman for that matter! (full credit to English poet John Donne). Please allow me to take that thought a step further and say that no business is an island either. In other words, you and your business can't succeed on your own. Everybody needs somebody sometime (queue, Dean Martin).

Friends, in the last 15 years I have seen a lot of tech repair companies rise and fall. I have seen honest hardworking people start high quality repair shops all over the country and I have seen cheats, scoundrels and opportunists try to do the same. I've seen good ideas and bad ideas tried over and over again. I have seen business after business enter the tech repair industry with so much excitement and passion only to see some of them fail, burnout or move on all too soon. Sound familiar? Not yet? It will be.

Why? Because up until this year the tech care industry has lacked a true professional trade association that was designed to help the industry thrive, again you can only go so far by yourself. This is a HUGE INDUSTRY that will grow even larger in the years to come and the next year or two will determine how that happens. Past efforts to organize had some levels of success and the annual Electronics Reuse Conference has helped many companies, but that's only a few days a year. Imagine for one second how much larger this industry can grow with a fulltime professional association helping to lead the way. 

So what now? Well...

Let me get right to my point, joining a professional association is critical to anyone and everyone's business! 

TECH CARE ASSOCIATION

The new TECH CARE ASSOCIATION wants to be that association for you!

Back to the main question, WHY JOIN A PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION?

  • Strength in Numbers: A group is more influential than one company.
  • Credibility: By becoming a member in a professional organization.
  • Knowledge: Is power! Collective knowledge is infinite.
  • Networking: Find vendors, customers, partners, ideas, inspiration.
  • Make New Friends: Meet lots of people just like you!
  • Expand Your Resume: Find career building opportunities. 
  • Be a Leader: Develop more skills personally & professionally.
  • Be a Mentor: Giving back helps growth & your network.
  • Give Back to Your Community: Discover ways to do more.
  • Stay Inspired/Motivated: Learn to truly love what you do!


STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Joining a professional association makes you and your business a part of something bigger than yourself. No one company in the tech care industry is big enough to influence the big tech companies that dominate the industry. BUT, a unified group of businesses fighting for the rights of the industry can make an impact. Plus when you combine financial resources you have much deeper pockets to push an agenda more than one company's budget.

A great example are the legislative issues surrounding the right to repair (R2R) movement. The movement has failed to organize a large coalition of deep pockets to fight some of the biggest corporations in the world. Everybody loves a good David and Goliath story but this is American politics. A sling and smooth rock won't challenge these giants. In this case you need to equip David with at least a rocket launcher.

The Google AdWords issue is a huge issue for companies in the tech care industry that will require a lot of fulltime work from an organization that is serious about solving the issue. Not just a group of people paying lip service to the industry to score some points.

CREDIBILITY

Membership in a relevant professional organization is one of things that
separates a professional company from their competition. It gives your company instant credibility in your community by demonstrating your commitment to your trade. Certifications are nice but not very valuable unless they are connected to an organization that is familiar to your community.

For instance, an Apple or Microsoft certification carries a lot of weight since most people know and trust those brands. Unfortunately, the WISE certification from CTIA is something that is not very familiar to anyone - including people within the tech repair community. Our organization is willing to work with potential partners to create certifications that stand out in the community and bring true value.

KNOWLEDGE

Membership in a professional association means that you can draw on the collective knowledge of people who have had many experiences in your industry. Staying informed of your industries trends will only help you in the long run and will put you one step ahead of your competition.

Professional associations produce webinars, hold live events and produce a lot of content for their members to help them keep up to date on industry innovations, research and trends. It helps the professional stay abreast of current issues and opportunities and will also help in personal advancement for the member that becomes involved.

Kuddos to industry stalwarts, like MobileSentrix and Injured Gadgets who have created Facebook groups and Discord channels to help repair shop owners network and communicate online. We want to build on those efforts.

NETWORKING

Networking is a critical part of any business large or small. Networking allows you
access to opportunities you might not be able to find on your own. 
Small business owners use networking as a means to form relationships with others, in like or related fields, that help to expand their business' ability to find new customers, partner and grow. A key element to effective networking is to make you known.

Expect to find virtual and live networking opportunities throughout the year to be included with your membership in the Tech Care Association. Sometimes that might mean traveling (when safe to do so) and an overnight stay to attend a regional or national event. 

The Tech Care Association is planning to hold multiple regional events that will be easy to travel to and from, for members to attend. These events will have lots of our sponsors showing off products and services for your business along with seminars to help you improve your business. All while meeting business owners just like you.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

As part of a professional association you can expect benefits that will make your investment payoff in many ways not measured on your profit & loss statement. 

When you get involved with lots of people like yourself you make friends for life. Friends that know the joys and understand the struggles of a business just like yours. A professional association, like the Tech Care Association, also allows you to expand your resume to help you build a stronger future for yourself.

Association membership also provides a lot of leadership opportunities to help you sharpen your skills as a leader both personally and professionally. Getting involved also helps you to find mentoring opportunities as either a mentor or mentee. Giving back to your community helps you to grow while establishing stronger networks to help you succeed. Your involvement also opens opportunities to serve others in and around your community which gives your new ways to give back.

In the end a simple but important way that membership benefits you is to help you stay inspired by what you see others doing to help you stay motivated in what you are trying to accomplish yourself. Hearing the ups and downs of business owners just like you can mean the difference between success and failure.


JOIN TODAY! DON'T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE

HERE ARE OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

Share our site with others www.TechCareAssociation.org

Add our URL to your website

Share this post or our website on social media

Let other people in the industry know about us

VOLUNTEER - JOIN A COMMITTEE - GET THE WORD OUT

Follow the TCA on LinkedIn

Follow the TCA on Twitter

Follow the TCA on Facebook

Thanks for the read! 
Please be sure to comment below, follow me here on the WiGoMan blog 
and on twitter @RobBobLink

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