Gino: I respectfully submit that I couldn’t disagree more with your opposition comments on this issue, and with the 11 who disapprove so far.
And I think this decision is very important.
I say let them in.
I feel that this forum has a growing pervasive “protective” and “mom and pop” mentality
that minimizes its potential and growth.
Often, If you don’t fit into a certain characterization or narrow base of sign makers-- you’re just not accepted here. I feel sometimes it is almost like being in high school.
I for one would be very interested to learn, understand, and to communicate more about internal, big industry sign making. I think that would tremendously enhance the discussion and information on this forum.
Working within the big sign making industry is NOT as hard as you think it is... there is NO magic formula and you don't need a Harvard MBA in management b0llocks.
What you need is a chance.... a lucky break which allows you to present you bona fides and your capabilities to a corporate buyer.
Any reputable sign business who knows what they are doing can deal with high end sign production; there are specialist sub contractors in the industry who's primary purpose is to allow you to punch above your weight.
What you cannot get, and will not have is the opportunity to even state your business case to a corporate buyer if said corporation has all the skills and capabilities you do. By educating the corporate buyer into the mysteries and inner workings of the sign industry all you are doing is rendering yourself redundant and irrelevant.
If large corporates and their in-house departments are allowed to wander through Signs101 cherry picking all the salient points and production fixes what advantage does that bring to the independent sign shop?
To say that you might as well let these corporates in because they'll do it anyway is utterly defeatest.... corporations can buy lots of machinery but from my perspective I want them to utterly fail. I want that expensive machinery to cause nothing but hassle, I want every project to be a cost over running. hideously expensive nightmare. At some stage I want an accountant from head office will notice the problem and give the in-house sign department the coup de gras.... thus immediately releasing a gushing spout of work which falls straight into the lap of independent sign companies.
If you think you'll never work for large corporations and act accordingly it becomes a self forfilling prophesy... you don't think you'll get the work so you merrily spout forth with helpful suggestions and production tips... the corporate shops devour your comments thus ensuring you NEVER will get that business changing break.
Since the advent of CAD CAM vinyl cutting this industry has both expanded hugely and splintered greatly. There are very few large sign companies left (at least in this country). Many really big sign projects are manufactured in their entirety in Eastern Europe or similar low cost country... in your case I should imagine Mexico is a prime candidate. The least we can do is protect what is left... squeezed by the low cost hobbiests at one end and the outsourcing mega corps at the other it's important to ensure that there is some tender, profitable meat on the bone with which to sustain us and our families.
Merchant members flogging machinery will love having corporate buyers with deep pockets but this is not, as far as I'm concerned in anyway positive for the professional independent shop.
Let corporates in by all means but this Turkey isn't going to be discussing Turkey based cookery tips anytime soon.
I'm leaning no.