Do you realise the trade association model is dead?

Today I wrote a post on my assessment of the current state of the incumbent landscape associations - really, it's an assessment of the state of trade associations as a whole. It's a social thing. not a concious thing.

Social media is about how the herd reacts in a sub-concious way. Try to push a majority in a way it doesn't want to go and you have a problem. Or should I say those trying to push, have a problem.

There is strong evidence that the trade association model is folding...and the speed of its demise is only likely to increase. Despite the (misguided) intentions of others who are trying to save them.

Big (unexpected) personnel changes at the HTA and a reduction in staff at BALI are the clearest indicators that the downward momentum is picking up.

One thing is for sure, Landscape Juice won't be on the sinking ship when the rest hit the sea bed.

I'd like to tell you a little story.

In the late 1990s I invested in a technology company. That technology company was one of the pioneers in P2P. Ironically, this Ning platform we are using here is a P2P platform.

What I invested in at the time was very similar to what Dropbox is now.

I did my homework and took an initial investment. As the story grew (remember this was many years before the technology broke out in a commercial sense) I grew my investment.

My investment went from £20,000 to £85,000.

I was a member of an investment forum. It was supposedly pro investing but it became apparent that many were playing a game. Buy on the dips and talk the stock up and sell on the highs and talk the stock down...then repeat the process.

When the stock eventually reached its real technical limits - this is undeniably based on its technical - the bears set in big time.

I denied to myself and others that this was happening. I was convinced of the sorry and I tried to convince others too.

I was convinced everyone was wrong and that I'd soon bounce back and exceed the £85,000 I'd once reached.

Sadly I was wrong all along. I eventually lost the whole lot and I remained in denial until the bitter end. The company was forced into liquidation and another company bought the IP.

I've been analysing the landscape market since I sold my business. I can clearly see patterns in the landscape industry developing now, that were also apparent during my days trying to make my investment pay off.

The moral is: I tried to shout others down. I thought they were trolls and had no right to be in my domain...as I say, I was in complete denial. Ultimately |I was wrong and they were right

I used that experience ever since to assess everything I do. I don't get angry any more but I do stop and think.

Replies

PRO

Phil Voice April 5, 2013 at 9:32pm

I'd like to tell you a little story.

In the late 1990s I invested in a technology company. That technology company was one of the pioneers in P2P. Ironically, this Ning platform we are using here is a P2P platform.

What I invested in at the time was very similar to what Dropbox is now.

I did my homework and took an initial investment. As the story grew (remember this was many years before the technology broke out in a commercial sense) I grew my investment.

My investment went from £20,000 to £85,000.

I was a member of an investment forum. It was supposedly pro investing but it became apparent that many were playing a game. Buy on the dips and talk the stock up and sell on the highs and talk the stock down...then repeat the process.

When the stock eventually reached its real technical limits - this is undeniably based on its technical - the bears set in big time.

I denied to myself and others that this was happening. I was convinced of the sorry and I tried to convince others too.

I was convinced everyone was wrong and that I'd soon bounce back and exceed the £85,000 I'd once reached.

Sadly I was wrong all along. I eventually lost the whole lot and I remained in denial until the bitter end. The company was forced into liquidation and another company bought the IP.

I've been analysing the landscape market since I sold my business. I can clearly see patterns in the landscape industry developing now, that were also apparent during my days trying to make my investment pay off.

The moral is: I tried to shout others down. I thought they were trolls and had no right to be in my domain...as I say, I was in complete denial. Ultimately |I was wrong and they were right

I used that experience ever since to assess everything I do. I don't get angry any more but I do stop and think.