1. a way to provide affordable health care that offers more than just protection from catastrophic illness.(There's the insurance industry again)
2. an employee that qualifies for more than just a pilots license.(no subs or piece workers allowed)
3. an employee who could actually keep his title if he won the tour de france.
4. an employee who won't leave for reason #1 if I train them because they meet #2 & #3 standards.(I really can't blame them if they do.)
5. a way to make all of the above an industry standard.

I think I could handle #2, #3 & #4 if I could just figure out #1 and #5. Heck, it might even help take care of a few other problems out there.

I'm not sure about anything past #1, but Sams Club offers discount healthcare options, from standard programs like 80/20, with 350- 1000 deductibles and drug cards, also HSA accounts to its Small Business Members. If I misunderstood the question just ignore me. No need to make me feel stupid, don't know that you would ever do such a thing, but alot, alot I mean alot of people on this forum live for the opportunity to make others feel inferior or stupid.....Good Luck.

Trying to make someone look stupid or feel inferior would be counter productive to my life goal. I just think that the foundation of our industry has a big crack in it and we will never have a strong organization until we figure out and agree to what level our playing field should be. We don't seem to have a home field advantage, just a bunch of sandlots where we are drawing plays in the dirt. I would just like to see us have a regulation playing field. I don't care what the bleachers look like or how someone choses to coach their program as long as it is within the rules. I would like to see us set some standards for the business side that protects us and our employees just as we have set guidelines for safe installations for our customer's. I would like to see an outline for the minimum basics that should be incorporated into the cost of doing business that we can all agree on.

Sorry for all the athletic comparisons but I am so ready for football season to start. Hook-em.

In this "arena" your sports analogies make perfect sense, and so does your message. Heres hoping industry leaders, or enough of the little guys can get together on something, and soon because really small independents, especially the mom-n-pop shops are hanging on by a thread. We're considering getting out of AG all together and just putting all of our energy and marketing efforts into the flat glass division of the company. Right now sales are up, and the profit has always been there in FG. I know the housing boom has slowed in some major urban areas but it's booming in our little resort area, alot of people retiring to this area its beautiful country, low property taxes, great for the guy who wants to retire and spend his time fishing & hunting. To keep up with the residential, population growth there is also alot of commercial development in and around the county, so it seems like the perfect time to just change our entire business plan & model. Let the big guys have AG, they control it anyway! Hang in there 's will be flying before ya know it!

L W did that last expression have orange and white on it.

burnt orange and white

I'm not hanging by a thread but I will admit that my little kingdom is a heartbeat or mishap away from being extinct. It's amazing how the older you get the more you start paying attention to working safer & smarter.

I am a 2nd generation auto glass kind of guy. I have not allowed my 2 sons to learn this trade or work summers with me just helping out because I really don't want to get them involved in this mess that our industry has become. I'm not looking to get out but I would be willing to if any of you are interested enough in moving to Austin, Texas.

I'd love to move to Austin, too bad I can't afford to buy my own business.

I figure after 6 or 7 more years I'll seriously start looking to get out. I'm not sure I want to be tackling the bigger Caterpillars by myself once I hit 55. I stay as busy as I want and really don't have to deal with the general public. I consider myself very fortunate considering whats going on in the industry.