Ethics or loyalty?

[MARAZONAGT]

We finished up that job today. That Maple won't be going in my portfolio either.:rolleyes2: The tops of all the top cuts were hollow and had big woodpecker holes in them. I think they were using them for nests. I suggested the HO remove them and plant something new. Me and the HO talked a lot and I know he was a lot more educated when I left. I was able to use his own trees as examples of what topping does. I know for a fact were getting a lot more work because of me. I am a talker and not shy to give advice on peoples trees. Most people are just ignorant and just don't know.
I am going to check to see if I could maybe write some thing about the trees and tree care in the local mountain paper. People are tree rich up there, if people in the flat lands had one of those beautiful trees in the yard they would cherish it. That is not to say they don't like their trees, I think they just take them for granted.
There are so many company's up there, lots of competition, but I'm seeing a niche that might prove profitable. Its working out ok. I just have to roll with the punches

Just awesome.

 

[kdslocum]

my "loyalty" went as far as to not go to the homeowner and explain topping and why it shouldnt be done
in hindsight thats a regret
my ethics dictated that i could not and would not top those trees while the homeowner was under the delusion it was good for them or the right thing to do
people care about their trees, if they didnt they wouldnt hire us to trim them
they expect and trust we are professionals who will do the right thing
i dont know how it is where you guys are, but around here i really dont have a problem finding work
in fact, ive never "looked" for it other then when i ran my own show
to say times were lean for me isnt exactly fair, it was true, but i didnt feel like working, so i didnt do a lot of it, i kept my bills paid and took care of projects around home that i had been putting off or too busy for
we have a skill most people dont have, i have customers shake my hand almost daily, "balls of steel", "amazing", "worth every penny"...
there are hundreds of tree companies in minnesota, even with all that competition i currently work full time and have more side work then i can keep up with
im glad i walked off the job that day, and as far as the guy i was working for at the time, ive worked for him since when he has been especially busy with storm work
its true he did replace me with a guy who will and does top trees, fine by me, he runs a good company, he gives a lot of guys who are otherwise unemployable second chances with a drug free work zone and a very understanding policy for needed time off for things like probation appointments, uas and treatment
he works closely with probation officers and drug councilors, if i hadnt known he would just climb himself till he replaced me i may not have left that whole crew hanging, idk
but im not ok with butchering a tree and then looking a customer in the eye like i did something good

right right but you spike a tree to prune it:msp_confused: