Page 4 - CMA PROfiles Spring 2016

president
message from the

Matt Krig, CMA President, 2016

Back to School again… portunities present post-graduation to the majority of students.
Both, students and parents listening to the college recruiters
graduated college in 2003. I said never again would I spend and administrators beat the hyped up drum of success and
this kind of time on school without a laser focus when I notoriety of a very small handful of alumni beginning in high
I learned how much money I could make working versus school and throughout college. This raises expectations to
doing school work. I told myself I’m through wasting my short unrealistic levels without maintaining focus on the true com-
time on earth doing anything I’m not passionate about with re- petitive nature of the situation as well as an honest assessment
gard to learning. I’ve forgotten thousands of dollars worth of general of one’s self. It takes a little bit to bounce back from the punch in the
classes of psychology classes and dozens of great pieces of literature gut when you realize you’re not getting recruited for the corner office
were ruined being analyzed to death, only to realize later in life the at Google or Apple, plus now you’re on the hook for a possible bad
author didn’t infer any of those things wacky professors dreamt up, investment as you’re spit out the other side and the loan payments
many writers were just great at their trade or enjoying themselves become due.
writing a great story and occasionally nuts, intoxicated or even faking Fortunately, in my case, I had an opportunity in my sights
it and somehow found success. from day one. The cabinet shop was booming along with new home
I really thought I committed myself to being through with any building. My Father and I had been talking a lot about fiscal respon-
type of formal higher education, having only stayed the undergrad sibility and succession plan throughout college. This was clearly the
course more or less out of a sense of finishing what I started. I was best long-term opportunity compared to my other part-time career
fortunate to make it through without debt, having a little help, and ventures as a beer delivery guy (YES, tap technician is a real job that
plenty of opportunity to work at home in the shop and doing projects includes tap beer quality assurance achieved through taste testing,
in the school shops and lab spaces to keep me solvent. Early on I hanging neon signs in bars, clubs, etc. as well as welcome hunters-
was feeling underwhelmed with opportunity and aware the fact that race fans- fisherman banners. Being the overachiever type, I took it
so many upperclassmen friends who had already graduated had been upon myself at every opportunity to employ varied methods of spot
relegated to being underutilized in random low paying positions that testing for quality assurance, evenings, weekends wee morning hours,
did not require a degree. Feeling had, I became embarrassed and I was committed to…what were we taking about?). I also spent some
remorseful of time I felt I squandered in so-called higher education. time as a server and dishwasher at the senior home and various sub-
My reality, similar to so many millennials, upon completing sidized campus jobs. Grateful to have gained those perspectives on
academia in the early 2000’s was a manufacturing and technology careers, I think I chose the right one.
recession, combined with a hangover from the dot com bubble, not The burning desire to learn that led me to attend college has
to mention soaring real estate and living costs. The overall lack of probably gotten stronger each year as I come to grips with how little
opportunities meant moving home for a time after school to save I’ll ever actually know in this world. As expensive and time consum-
money rather than accumulate debt, hunkering down knowing there ing as I thought college was then, I am floored at what it costs now,
were people with years of real world experience applying for the especially as I have looked into various business-oriented graduate
same entry to the industry jobs that would typically go to fresh col- programs. Ten years after I am no longer suffering from the stereo-
lege grads. Additionally, the pent up dreams of endless possibilities typical post college nightmares of being naked in class or missing
of the compensation of a full-time adult job such as pizzas with top- a big final exam running across an endless campus, signing up as a
pings, real sushi that didn’t come from a gas station, paid vacations, working adult with kids for some type of college coursework is a
spending money, one’s very own health insurance, and a savings much more imposing thing. Comparatively, if you’ve ever looked
account become the someday dreams without even the certainty of into the cost of hiring a professional business consultant, coach, or
the time-based goal as graduation. other similar professional, you might agree, it makes college seem
The reality check for so many who attend college, without a like a real DIY bargain.
game plan beyond simply obtaining a piece of paper with some Last Fall I completed the SBA’s emerging leaders program
words on it that you can frame, is an overall lack of promised op- (basically, a several month “crash MBA course” for business owners)
continued on page 21

4 PROFILES • Volume 16 • Issue 2, 2016 • www.cabinetmakers.org