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United Assemblers Blog and News

What our network is all about…

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If you are still in the dark (a little) about the network; I hope to shed some light on why “we” are here. 

Your input on this Blog entry is valued and will be deeply appreciated. 

The UAN (United Assemblers Network) is here to do just that… network.  

The definition of a network is… the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business (in our case “business”). 

There have been many of you that pass jobs back and forth without expecting anything in return from one and other, except for the opportunity for the reciprocal… and I love that!

You can pass work back and forth as often as you can or wish too; however, I would like to discourage charging whomever you send work to because it will dilute and circumvent what we are all about and trying to do.

There will be a directory for the paying members of our network with the names, locations and phone numbers to all the techs in our network. This is PRIVATE information and not to be sold or used to recruit from; anyone caught doing so will be removed from the network. 

The directory is to be used to pass jobs back and forth among those in our network, to call on other members for advice or to hire technicians to work with you in your immediate area. 

This is an independents network, any use of the directory other than above, must be approved by our advisory committee.

The network is here to service all consumers… by networking.  

Happy customers will tell their friends and family about you if you ask them to and that is called networking. Some of those friends and family may be in another city way out of your area and if they pass along the UAN… you are networking. 

We need to make sure the consumer is taken care of… QUICKLY and with a high level of professionalism, they deserve it! 

The customers are reaching out to you at the time they need you and it doesn’t matter if the customer is from our network or your own website they will find someone else if you don’t get back to them quickly. If you cannot do the job, let the UAN or someone else (in our network) know ASAP. Never give a job to someone outside our network. 

The network is here to educate… by networking. 

We have a lot of video produced now… and a lot more on the way. If there is anyone who wants to contribute by producing their own videos, we can add them to our favorites on the UANs YouTube channel if you have your own channel with your own videos.

I also have a PDF document you can download about beyond the instructions to install an in-ground basketball system. Just click here to get it. 

Additionally, our certification options will be available soon. There will be a test.

The network is here to protect… by networking.  

As for protection, we are actually already there. You are a part of something that allows you to learn how to protect your job by making sure you do it correctly and have the backing to make sure you are not taken advantage of. 

We are not and never intend to be a union; but, we area an organization that with your skills and connections… you will be sought after and paid accordingly giving you the security you deserve if you are doing what you promised to do in the first place. 

The network is here to “help” you build a business… not do it for you. 

By taking advantage of your network, you will have the tools and resources needed to build a great business that can be recession proof if you are a self-starter and are willing to learn and grow from what you can get from, again “your” network.

The network is here as a resource… not a way of making a living. 

Sure there are jobs that come out of our listings (actually a lot of them in some areas); but that is secondary. The sooner everyone gets that, the sooner we will have a lot more work to do in the not so high volume areas… probably more than any one tech can handle by themselves from their listing through relationships we are building. 

If you are serious about success, it should not be so much… “What can this network do for me” as it should be… “What can I do for the network”? If you understand that concept, then you will understand that what “YOU” do for the network comes right back around and benefits you in a BIG way. 

The network is here for your image… to be a part of something bigger and better than just being a tech. 

If you are Joe’s Assembly Services you will have much more clout when you are Joe’s Assembly Services that is a part of our “professional” network. People have confidence in you when you are part of something bigger. 

The network is NOT here to grow your network or NAC.

There are a few people on our network that think it is easy to build a list and create a network of their own. The problem is they have nothing to offer other than an occasional lead and they want to pay you as much as the NAC pays you now for anything they send your way. They’re aspiring to become what they hate… So I guess they are thinking if you can’t beat them, join them, right? 

Be aware of the guy calling you that does not have deep pockets promising you work… He will take advantage of you and there have already been techs on this network that have done work for him that are not getting paid.

Ask anyone recruiting you for their website address and be sure to check it out… then if you want, call me, because I will probably have the inside scoop on whether they are worth contracting with or not. This includes any of the NACs as they are constantly on our network recruiting wanting the benefits of what we have to offer without actually being a part of it. That needs to stop!!! 

Go Configure is the worst when it comes to recruiting from our network. They have asked some of you to see if you could find someone in our network that would like to contract with them... Isn’t it funny how they hate the UAN but still want to use it?  

Helping the network to make sure you thrive in your business. 

I have never wanted to get more than what this network deserves by helping you build your own business for more success. I don’t care if it is on your own or as a contractor for any NAC or both; you can make money with “any” NAC if you know what your options are. 

We (the network) at one time had an annual fee… people complained about that. Then we came up with the referral program and very few people paid requiring me to call to ask where their fees are requiring me to chase the money. 

When I do call to find out where the fees are, it is almost always “oh, I forgot” or “I didn’t know where to make the payment” or my favorite “I am sorry... I don’t have enough money to pay for the referral”. 

What always amazes me… the tech makes 95% from any job given to them from the network (actually 100%) because they collect their own money; and then try to give me a sorry excuse they can’t make a 5% payment for something they would not have had in the first place.

And then… they make 60% from the NAC and are totally okay with that and the waiting two to four weeks to get their money. 

If you are one of those people not paying because you forgot or don’t know where to make the payment… try going here:


If you don’t owe anything… and want to help “you” grow through the network… you can always make donations of any amount at any time here:


It takes time and money to build something successful and most people don’t understand what it really takes. I do!!! I have been at this for almost ten years and I keep going… I will not stop helping those who see the vision we all should have. 

There is a lot more I could be doing including but not limited to sending out regular press releases… That costs more than you may think. Depending on how many and what source, that fee could go into the hundreds a month. 

I would also like to start paying for GoToWebinar (about $100 a month) which is a much better service than our current (FREE) AnyMeeting (you get what you pay for). I could be giving open webinars (classes) to teach you how to set up your own excel spread sheet, how to get the most out of your smart phone, we could talk to share ideas and much more. 

Our advisory board will be meeting for the first time next Thursday and after that meeting I will announce who the advisory committee is. 

One last thing… I am not here to get rich. If I were I would have attempted it a long time ago by setting up the network as an NAC… Funny thing is… MANY of you would have worked for an organization to make 60%... but are having issues paying 5% so you can make 95% … go figure that one… and when you have the answer… let me and everyone else know. 

To your success...
MikeM

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Posted by - MikeM - at 12/8/2011 7:28 PM | View Comments (12) | Add Comment

Laziness - Ignorance - Complacency - Domination

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On the other side of issues are solutions... Why can we not achieve them...?

Laziness? Ignorance? Complacency? Domination?

How much money does any one person need to make?

There are millions of starving children being taught that the free world is evil because of the 1% that the rest protect in hopes they will get some of that money.

I sit here shaking my head...

Our industry is a way of life, yet so many of you don’t take it serious. There is so much potential and yet it gets squandered by a few that tell the rest… it can’t be done!

The holidays are approaching (Christmas for me) and many of you are struggling. We have an opportunity to make things right and be prosperous; yet taking that goal is held back because of fear... Yes, I said "taking"! 

I believe in you; but I cannot convince you unless you are ready to believe in yourself.

I have people tell me I am special because I have made a good life out of nothing and truth be told, was homeless at one point in my life. If there is anything special about me, it is only that I do not take no for an answer especially when it comes to people telling me it cannot be done when I know full well it can.

Times are tuff… but they don’t have to be.

In the next year we are going to continue to make a mark; I have been here trying to form this industry in a positive way for almost ten years, and although there has been some help along the way… there have been even more telling me it is doomed for failure… I keep going.

Perseverance is only for those who chase it… Are you ready to chase it with me?

The UAN is here to stay and is paid up until the year 2019 (look it up on Who-is).

I look forward to your support to help you make it even better for you in the following years.

MikeM

Posted by - MikeM - at 12/3/2011 4:32 AM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

I don’t care!

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Thoughts about “I don’t care”? Well it is not me…because I do!

But for some reason the people in our industry, which is not quite organized... yet… don’t really care as long as “someone” is passing them work (for the tech) or for the retailers, providing great service to their stores.

After you read this Blog entry… I challenge you to leave a minimum of a one sentence comment… an “I agree" (or not) would do. But you know as well as I do, that two or even three or four words would be a pretty pathetic answer; however, at least it would be a start and "acceptable".

Why is it that a few of you do not see the value in what this network is trying to provide? And if you take “you” personally, then you are the problem. Sorry, but it is true!

Today there are electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics and many more skilled trades that have an organizational structure, are looked upon as professionals and because of those values… they get the better jobs, demand higher pay and get all of all of it; they also have a known place in our society.

SO… WHY NOT OUR INDUSTRY?

This network is here for many reasons and the main one is to actually “make it an industry”… or at least to be known as one.

The Network is here to:

  • Share concepts
  • Provide camaraderie
  • Build a non-existent industry
  • Guide techs in business development (not to do it for you)
  • And finally, but not any less important… provide jobs though the referral program

When I talk to business developers, attorneys and capitalists (all of whom I am connected with in my social networks); they all tell me the same thing… your network needs numbers…“participating numbers”.

We do have some participation; but it is behind the scenes. One guy standing up will not do it... it will take all of us, the techs, the NAC's and the retailers.

Unfortunately, most techs just want jobs and don’t feel a responsibility to pay for them monetarily or through participation and could really care less as to where those jobs come from… I mean the Internet is free… right?

Additionally, if you are one of those people that are holding back because of what you might think others will think about you… Get some backbone man!!! You are a professional and "I" believe in you; isn’t it about time you start believing in yourself? 

Our industry has been fragmented and it is about time we put that to rest; and that includes techs, NAC's, manufacturers and retailers.

When everyone understands what this network can do for them (and it is not just providing referrals to the techs) they will know their own value and start standing up for what they are worth and “I think”… it is a lot more than you realize.

For the tech.... there are other lead generation programs out there that are just there to make money from you. The network is here to help “YOU” make money. I mean 5%... what the...!

As for the national assembly companies (NAC’s) … there is only one that believes in you (and this network). That company is Urban Express Assembly. I have opened the doors to all NAC’s in the past and Urban is the only one to step in… because they believe if you are successful… you will stick around. Things would run much smoother for the corporate retailers if all NAC's believed in you as Urban does

I have been trying to build this network for almost ten years with very little to no help. I have put a lot of time and money into it without any profit (in fact it has been a complete loss for me) and it is definitely not where it needs to be; but, I will keep plugging away here; and knowing that… you should know, I believe in you and I am not a quitter. 

I don’t see anyone else standing up to “really” help the techs, NAC's, manufacturers and retailers; everyone else wants to build directories and soak you for nothing more than “giving” you a listing (r.r.r.right) on their website or as for a few of the NAC’s they just want numbers because you can be replaced… now there is a nice feeling.

So the million dollar question is… Do you care? Or... do you fear that standing up will cost you jobs from the other NAC's that don't care?

Comments? 


Posted by - MikeM - at 11/1/2011 10:43 AM | View Comments (24) | Add Comment

Introductions

Take a minute to introduce yourself. 

For example:
  • Who are you?
  • What do you do?
  • How long have you been doing it?
  • Do you have any special skills to bring to the rest of us?
If you have a website, make sure to put it in your signature of your post.

You can subscribe to this blog and get a notification as updates are made (very useful).

Mike Mehrle
Founder or the UAN

Posted by - MikeM - at 9/14/2011 10:29 AM | View Comments (11) | Add Comment
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