Members Lounge

[Terry Roberts]

Just an observation. Do you think there may be a benefit?

General Forum Posts are 2,536 with 26,499 Replies, That's a lot, right?

Members Lounge Posts are 9,185 With 113,081 Replies

No brainer. Join as a member and the point of view from every size shop can be shared to answer your every need from tool choice to running a successful business.

[Steve A]

I would love in the members lounge..

I'm not a business owner however. At the end of the day I'm just a worker. I would prefer to have my presence here separate from the company I work for.

I'll just put this out there... Maybe you guys could consider a reduced membership fee for those like me whom are just workers?

[Joe Durfee]

I'm not a business owner either.

Have you spoke to your boss about joining to get in the members area? Tell him that if he joins and doesn't see the value we will refund his money. If he has questions, my cell is in my signature. Have him give me a call and I will answer his questions.

[Jonathan]

I'm not an owner either and the membership has definitely paid for it self.

[Omni Cubed Larry]

Steve A
It is cool if your boss wants to help you with a portion of the expense, or reimburse you for the total.

But it not... Invest in yourself and your own "ongoing" education.

It sounds like you want your SFA identity separate from the company anyway.

Building your personal valuable skills is your own responsibility and will help you for life. Yes, the people you work for will benefit also, but you will be the main benefactor of your own personal investment. The general rule of thumb is "the more you invest, the more valuable you become". Keep it in context... I'm talking marketable skills, trade skills, etc.

This may sound a little like a rant; it is not. Well maybe a little.
It is meant to be an encouragement to anyone reading this to invest in yourself.

Musicians call it "chops". For musicians, lots of practice builds your chops. Can anyone go out there and get a perfect top polish on different types of stone? No, it takes practice to build those chops. There are all kinds of physical chops and mental or knowledge chops you can build in the stone industry. Joining the SFA and being active is one component that will help you build those chops.

[Alex_Bores]

Look at it this way....

1. You pay the membership yourself
Benefit of the above, You take the knowledge you have learned in the forums and bring it to the shop as "your little secret" The boss will recognize your knowledge and possibly give you a raise and or when he asks you where are you getting this information, tell him! And he can reimburse you for your payment. He might even become a member

I regret not becoming a member when I first found this site I think 2005-2006 for some DXF files for our water-jet. (which i was able to get every file available to man kind). I lucked out and got with Helix to become a part of the SFA which has not only opened doors but also, new friends that have way more knowledge than I do!

You have all types of people here Fabricators, stone masons, tile guys, stone carvers, commercial fabricators. There is so much knowledge with just a click away. Guys with 30 plus years, guys with 3 years experience that are all trying to do the same thing! Learn and SHARE knowledge

[Dan R.]

check your private messages.

[Dwallace]

By far the best money I spend all year.....well there is the strip club, no never mind it's the sfa.

Join and learn

[Stonecuttter]

Dude. I started this way myself. Got the boss interested enough to join for a year, (he joined for the "discounts"), and he'd laud every day how "Oh they think they know so much. Oh they say this but mean that", kinda bullshit ALL the time. He didn't rejoin that next year. I did. I was his shop-manager. He was my boss, and the Owner. I attended his shop's IRS auction two years ago. I am so successful an employee at my day-job, and so successful at my own small-business I can barely handle both. The SFA, and knowledge imparted and absorbed and USED here, is THAT incredible. .....just saying. I'll shut up now.