Professionals are still undervalued, says entrepreneur Maarten Kippersluis (33). As owner of Gras van de Buren, he works daily with people who seamlessly glue pieces of artificial grass together. Work that requires a lot of experience and expertise, but that is not always appreciated. On LinkedIn, the entrepreneur stands up for professionals and working with your hands.
The entrepreneur kicks off his LinkedIn post with an anecdote about a customer who expressed his dissatisfaction with the hourly wage of the men who came to provide his garden with artificial grass. “The quotation was simply approved,” says Maarten. “But when I came up with the invoice, the customer in question said: I think I’m paying too much.”
Lawyer or gardener?
,,I referred to the offer, but he stuck to his position. ‘It seems as if a lawyer has been working in my garden’, he joked, after which I decided to start a discussion with him. I told him about the guys in this business, who have been working hard for ten years and doing an excellent job. Guys I’m willing to pay well because they’re worth it. I also showed him our bus, with 10,000 euros worth of stuff in it. “But you could have done it yourself, sir,” I confronted him.”
The discussion ended pleasantly and positively, Maarten emphasizes – “He hadn’t thought about it that way, he said, and I was right” – but at the same time, the altercation is the last straw for him. The entrepreneur decides to stand up for professionals in our country on LinkedIn, and to put working on the map with your hands.
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Craftsmanship first class
I’m not saying accountants don’t do useful work, but professionals deserve at least as much respect and appreciation
Whether it concerns installing artificial grass, repairing cars or making washing machines: professionals are indispensable in our society, is the message from Maarten. “Without professionals it is not possible to ‘just’ place a roof or realize an extension. That is first-class craftsmanship. These people cannot do the job of an accountant, but the other way around, an accountant can’t do their job either. The fact that they work with their hands and have received practical training does not mean that they deserve less appreciation,” says Maarten.
Yet society seems to be set up in such a way that people with an office job are ‘higher on the ladder’. Nonsense, Maarten emphasizes. “When young people no longer want to work with their hands – and we see that more and more – we have a very big problem as a society. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that accountants don’t do useful work, but professionals deserve at least as much respect and appreciation. And a fair compensation.”
Working with your hands
In the reactions to his post, Maarten sees ‘fortunately’ that most people agree with him. My post has already reached 700,000 people and received more than 6,000 likes. The fact that there are so many positive reactions to it says enough as far as I’m concerned.” The entrepreneur hopes that his message will also reach young people who are considering doing something with their hands in the future. “I would like to say to these young people that there is no shame in working with your hands. You only become a professional if you can’t learn well? No, practicing a craft is a choice.”
Moreover, Maarten emphasizes that you can earn good money with it. “Especially if you also have a bit of entrepreneurship in you.” The entrepreneur suspects that both young people and their parents underestimate this. “You often hear that parents want their child to do at least HBO. Mbo sometimes no longer seems to be enough. But you can also earn a very good living with craftsmanship. Rightly so.”
You only become a professional if you ‘cannot learn well’? No, practicing a craft is a choice
This article was produced in collaboration with The Best Social Media†
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