[Mac]

Has anyone become a CLP-exterior yet? I just recieved my study materials this afternoon and have began plowing through the pages. Im wondering, however, how well I should read the materials to prep myself for the test? I would really appreciate some words of advice from those who are certified.

On a side note, these study materials are great. Over the past 3 years, Ive spent over $3k on college texts and these materials are worth more to me than most my textbooks in the past.

[Mac]

Does this mean no one values the CLP designation or does no one have the time to take the test?

Has anyone thought about becoming a CLP or is it viewed as a waste of time and money?

[Lanelle]

I'm sorry, I missed this thread altogether! I have not sat for the CLP but I do know someone who has passed it. He told me that it took about a year to complete the whole process. He was also running a sizable company while he did that. It will bring you a certain amount of recognition within the industry.

[Bill Schwab]

I missed this one as well.

Along with college and any other education at my current place in the food chain, I always weigh what the return will be for the
sacrifice of time away from managing.

Lets face it, in todays world, if you are going corporate, you almost have to have a degree of some sort, or the business world will discriminate against you simply because you don't have the sheepskin. Been there, done that, training inept smidgeots who could not chew gum and walk at the same time to be my boss because they had the paper and I did not.perience accounts for 95% of how valuable a person would be at our company.

In our operation, we are putting a fair amount of food on the table with some back into the refrigerator at the same time without the certification. Taking time out to do a CLP would gain me knowledge, but, I always look at how our company would be looked at in the circles we operate.

90% of the time, that CLP certification probably would not mean much, matter of fact it would cost us work. For the other 10%, it would probably get us more work, not that we need it.

If I was you Mac, those are the things I would weigh out, but all in all, it is a good program and can only help you reach the next phase. You have one distinct advantage, in that you have down time in the winter, we don't. If you plan it right, you could obtain the cert without loosing work time. In theory anyway....

[GLAN]

I have been thinking of CLP and CLT for years.

I don't see how it can hurt in any way. That and knowing that knowledge is power.......I view it as a big +

I to have down time in the winter......Though the past few winters has kept me out plowing with days later trying to get back to normal sleep patterns.

I do plan on going for CLP certification at some time in the future.

Good luck to you

[Mac]

Thanks all. I was planning to sit for the test this fall at the Chicago conference. Maybe im being too ambitious but i want the designation prior to fall marketing. I will be sure to update this once I take the exam. As I am still a full time college student, I dont see a multi hour multiple choice exam as too threatening, however we shall see.

I was very pleased to see that I will be the 2nd person in my county to be a CLP.

[Mac]

Well, I am please to report that I have earned the designation of CPL exterior.

If there are any questions about what was on the test or whatnot, I would be glad to answer to the best of my memory.

If you are planning on taking the test, do get the study guides. There are some standard business concepts in there they have given different names to. Also, strategic planning module is a great resource.

The test was actually fairloy rushed. Between studying and rushing through the questions, the whole process took so much out of me. All I wanted to do the following week was vegetate. It was very mentally intense, at least with the way i prepared for it. lol.

[Bill Schwab]

Mac:

Congrats! I felt the same when I took the CSLB exam for landscape. Since I was living in Illernoyzz at the time, I holed up in a hotel in Long Beach crammed the materials, and walked down the street to enter the exam, nervous and sweating like a pig. After it was all over and the computers told me I passed, I could barely walk back to my hotel. I then checked out, drove the car down the coastline of my new home to my awesome soon to be wife where we celebrated.

So, tell me, did you learn anything you didn't already know, were there any methods taught through the test exam that were different than what you practice now, and did they throw any of those retorical lopsided questions at you that can be answered 2 different ways and be right, but only one answer was right?

How was it?

[Mac]

To be completely honest, I do not believe I learned anything that I previously did not know. I can say with certanty that I did not learn any new methods through this certification. This certification is more geared towards landscape owners and managers. For that reason they structured it to focus on business management topics instead of actual best production practices and horticultural techniques. I do believe I would learn a few things from the CLT designation which (as i understand it) focuses on the hands on aspect of installations, maintenance, etc., however that would not be as helpful in the current to me.

I purposely pursued this certification for the sole purpose of adding credibility to myself. I have to face the reality that few company executives will trust their landscapes to a 21 year old. It is my desire that CLP behind my name and an intelligent explination of what it conveys will help reverse some stereotypes of a young entrepreneur like myself. Thankfully in the past all my clients (predominantly residential) have been referalls and essentially pre sold.

I do remember a few questions that blew my top. First off, we were not allowed to use a calculator, which is not an issue with an accounting student such as myself. However, their were a series of 5 or 6 questions regarding an I/S and B/S from which they wanted us to pull ratios and the like. Well the numbers that were associated with the questions resulted in having us do long division every single time. I was so bothered that I wrote a note in the test book, asking if this exam was testing our math or business skills. Aside from that, all the test questions were very straightforward. As previously mentioned, there were some classic business concepts they oddly renamed, but that was all.

In hindsight, I dont think I needed to study as thoroughly, however I wanted to be certain to pass it the first time. If anyone is interested, I can post my study outline I drew up as I went through the material the 2nd time.

I want to close my thoughts be suggesting everyone become certified. While it is not a huge barrier currently, over time it can become a barrier to entry and highly respected. A number of years ago, the CPA designation was not highly regarded. However, with much work, the AICPA was able to promote the CPA certification so well that it became a sizable barrier to entry. Heck, im going to college to become one. While im not sure PLANET will do what it takes to raise the bar as much as AICPA did, they are begining to do the leg work. They mentioned that they are working with IFMA, BOMA, etc to potentially require CLP/CLT certification proof with bid documents. Time will tell what comes about, but certification can only help your company.

[GLAN]

Congrats Mac......WTG!!