How did you guys learn your trade? Did you work under someone, grow up in a family run business, learn on your own?

Also, what are you doing now to continue your education?

trial and error...not good always but sometimes the best ...."school of hard knocks"

Lots of reading and just getting dirty and doing it.

Started 18 years ago doing kitchen exhaust cleaning while in college. Left the business for many years doing the corporate thing. Went back to KEC with a company..became a partner...sold out and started pressurepros... got Phil Ackland certified (though I already knew what I was doing very well, just wanted the certificate) ... landed some nice accounts but got very tired of commercial work and switched to residential several years ago... found message boards, learned chemistry and here I am.

Lots of internet research and asking questions, trial and error, etc.

looks like we have all paid our dues one way or another

Yep, most of us anyway.

hey mike ...i just got in .....good to see ya here in the good ole forum....gettin any rain your way....dry as a bone here


p.s. im trying to help ya get some post

Help me get some post?

No rain here.

just playing around about the post ...it seems like we are always all over running into each other....soon to bed for me i am way behind this week i have to double up tomorrow....no rain here either

How many of you guys have gained a lot of your knowledge from forums?

I know I learned painting in the field but I learned business through forums.

We started in industial cleaning for Nestle Foods and thought it would be great to go on our own tryed to get comm. jobs but couldn't find any so we started to go to new constuction site and started to get hits one after another great ever since lot of learning form the school of hard knocks.

Ditto

Worked for a franchise grout company.

Went off on on...went to the school of hard knocks for a bit...

Went to the Ceramic Tile Installation Foundation www.tileschool.org to learn basics of ceramics...

found internet website on grout cleaning/restoration www.dirtygrout.com met tons of contacts...asked TONS of questions...read virtually ALL of the archived topics (about 600-700+ threads) because active member of board, asked LOTS of questions....read read read some more on the internet...

Went to a training class with the The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification and got certified in Tile Stone and Masonry cleaning and restoration.

Made friends with people who know lots more than me.