Larry’s Letter - January 2017

On January 20, 2017, Donald J.Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Rather than what he IS, it may be even more important to point out what he is NOT. He is NOT a Senator. He is NOT a Congressman. He is NOT a Governor. He has never held an elected office. Rather, he has spent his entire life in running a private business, and has had to deal with every law that elected officials can come up with to regulate and tax business. You may not have thought of it this way; but . . . . . . . . . . . HE IS ONE OF US. How do WE deal with that?

Over the past eight years many rules, regulations and taxes that affect business have come down from Washington. If the new president keeps his promises, many of these will be modified or eliminated. I would wager that most business owners who read this letter don’t know all of those which affect your own business. Changes are likely to be FAST AND FURIOUS. The big question for you is, “How do I know when a new law or rule affects my business?” The answer is for you to belong to the association related to your business.

I was an insulation contractor. Since Carroll Insulation installed insulation in new homes, I belonged to HBAM (Home Builders Association of Maryland). When the organization printed their annual membership booklet, which went to every builder I wanted as a customer, my name, address and phone number was there. So, if a builder got upset with the insulator he was using, he opened the book and saw my name. To increase market penetration, I went to monthly organization meetings and ran for office, and was elected to the highest position a sub-contractor can hold. This put me in meetings where I could personally ask builders for their business.

In the 1980’s, because so many new laws were coming from Washington and the States, a national organization was started specifically for insulation contractors. ICAA Insulation Contractors Association of America. Being a member empowered us to actually meet in Washington and in State Capitals with the heads of departments that make the rules. I joined, became active, and was elected President in 1983 and in 1998.

So, knowing that so much is going to change in the next year that affects your business, I suggest that every SCBA member join the association that represents your business and become active. Simply joining and sending in a check doesn’t cut it. 1) Join 2) attend all the meetings 3) Become an officer.

Larry Helminiak