Every month, the Monument Builders of North America publishes a glossy trade magazine with a "Consumer Advocacy Update" from Carolyn Jacobi.
Ms. Jacobi's writes in the conclusion of her column:
- "If this movement fails, it is because you elected to let it fail. Failure is an event and a person. There are many reasons for failures. Some of them are a lack of faith and motivation, limited self-image, complacency, insincerity, failure to plan and follow the plan, and trying to function as an individual rather than a part of a team."
With one pronouncement, Ms. Jacobi has expounded a lot of thoughts for MBNA's membership to reflect upon. MBNA, like most organizations, is often its own worst enemy, alienating now former members who decided to spend their money elsewhere.
Personally, I believe monument builders need an effective national trade association, and MBNA is, like-it-or-not, effectively that association.
MBNA needs to select folks as officers and district trustees who have a background of leadership and major accomplishments who actually know how to produce results if it wants to expand its membership and influence on a national scale.
Do I want to see the monument industry grow and prosper? Of course I do. MBNA has a lot of politics and it is ineffective in ways that it could be effective. For the sake of the industry, it needs to do more on the national and state levels to improve relationships with monument builders.
I invite you to reread Carolyn Jacobi's remarks and then think about your own contributions to the monument industry.
- "If this movement fails, it is because you elected to let it fail. Failure is an event and a person. There are many reasons for failures. Some of them are a lack of faith and motivation, limited self-image, complacency, insincerity, failure to plan and follow the plan, and trying to function as an individual rather than a part of a team."
Burton Fletcher
www.USAMonuments.com
Burton@USAMonuments.com
3 comments:
I have had a terrific experience dealing with Carolyn. Carolyn has always called me back and is always ready to hop on the next plane to come and help.
Carolyn Jacobi has helped numerous memorial retailers all over the US that have faced difficulty competiting with unfair and unreasonable cemetery regulations that made it difficult for families to purchases memorials from outside the cemetery. There are retailers that are now selling memorials in cemeteries they rarely if ever sold in before - all thanks to Carolyn and the MBNA. Carolyn's work has benefited memorial sellers, both web based and brick and mortar operations.
What trade association are you going to contact if you experience unfair cemetery regulations and/or high fees for 3rd party vendors (another trade association seems to like to call us as such)? Who is going to help you? MBNA, that's who.
The next time you write your membership check to another association besides MBNA, you may want to think if that particular association wearing the many hats really wants monument dealers in their membership or are you being used so they will gain more legislative clout by claiming to represent the entire death care industry???
Whether you like MBNA or not, they are the only national trade association representing the best interests of the memorial retailer.
Your remarks are well written, courteous, and thoughtful. Thanks for the contribution.
Okay, I'll bite. How could MBNA gain more legislative clout?
I have personally observed MBNA working against monument builders who do not fit the traditional mold. MBNA should cast a bigger net instead of a smaller net.
I would like to see a more cohesive and activist group of monument builders. I believe MBNA can work with and within other organizations too.
Now, back to my original question: How could MBNA gain more legislative clout? Membership participation is an excellent first step. Lobbying is important too. I would like to see the plan....
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