So I don't know if you know, but I am sure if you read my blog you also read other blogs and have heard about the changes in the new Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator Agreement (IDA for short), we have to agree to it by the end of the month. I signed it right away, cause I had no problems with it.
Now you would not believe, or perhaps you would, things that have been said, horrible things about Stampin' Up! and the new IDA by some people in blog-land and it made my heart sick and made me want to cry. I am not going into details or where I heard them etc. Just believe it.
I was not even going to talk about it on my blog, I mean my gosh one Demonstrator even posted the whole Frequently asked Questions and all this other stuff off our Demonstrator side of the website, on her blog…I was very mad to see that, cause I feel she was wrong to do that. I mean you wouldn't get a memo from your boss (now don't send me notes yelling at me that Stampin' Up! is not our boss – we represent Stampin' Up! so I kinda put them in the boss-like-ish category) but anyway, I will re-word, if you got a memo from the company you represent through their website on a password protected (I mean come on as Demonstrators we have access to a whole other part of the SU! site…why wouldn't we?), what I am trying to say is, this should not have been posted on someones blog, to get people that are not really affected by this all mad, and they are only hearing half the story.
Now I am not trying to come across Holier then Thou either, cause last year I was doing Design Team work and posting stuff on my blog, that was last year, and my head was in a different mode. In the back of my mind, I knew that what I was doing probably was not right, since I was not getting paid for my DT work (other then free rubber) that was my way of justifying that what I was doing was ok. But when I had customers asking where I got this or that on my blog, and actually showing me stuff they had purchased elsewhere cause they saw me use it. That was, I like to call it "My V-8 moment" you know you smack your head and say "what the heck am I doing?" So I decided DT work was not for me, and I said no more to the companies I was making cards for. Now that being said, I appreciate and thank the companies that asked me
to do the DT work for them, I mean it was definitely fun, and a big
stroke to the ego to be asked. But I mean I get paid from Stampin' Up! so that is who I need to represent, and that is who I signed up to represent over 10 years ago. Doesn't that make sense? They pay my bills, so to me it makes perfect sense..
So when I see people commenting on blogs saying how awful they feel that Stampin' Up! is putting Demonstrators in a position to decide, I think really we put ourselves in that position once we decided to promote "other stamp companies". I understand if Demonstrators decide that the DT work is more important then Stampin' Up!, that is their perogative, and I will support their decision either way, as long as they are happy, then I am happy for them. But this chick is sticking with Stampin' Up! (added since original post, since someone asked – Stampin' Up! is not telling Demonstrators we can not do DT work, they are not telling Demonstrators we can't use other embellishments, cardstocks, tools etc. They are not making us ONLY use Stampin' Up!, they are not making us choose Stampin' Up! over other stamp companies, they just don't want us linking to other companies and to be more generic where we got the product from on our blogs, to me that is simple enough and it makes perfect sense…in my opinion.)
I am sorry I went on and on, I just kinda wanted to get that out there and off my mind, and hopefully I have not made anyone mad or offended anyone, and if you feel I have, then I apologize.
I do want to tell you that I think Feedblitz is fixed, my Googlereader updated, so I hope that is a good sign. I have to thank the great people at Typepad they were awesome at helping me. Really it "pays" to "pay" for your blog…
So how about I show you a cute card or something so you just didn't tune it today to hear me rant and rave.
Let me look in my little computer file and see what I have not shared with you yet…how be another 10/10/20 Christmas card? Ok? Cool! This one was inspired, almost copied from Jan Tink.
Stamp Set: Two Cool Dudes, Many Merry Messages
Paper: Kraft, Bashful Blue, Shimmery White
Ink: Bashful Blue, Basic Black Classic, Whisper White Craft
Misc: Snowflake punch, Word window punch, Silver brad, paper piercer, white gel pen
I love this, and I don't know if it is the clean look, the Kraft paper with the white or what? But it looks cool.
So Grey's Anatomy is on right now, I think they are working their way to the new season, and I need to figure out when that is, (they just said on the TV, it is the 24th of September) cause last year left us bawling, mad and confused, so I am excited to get it all figured out. Oh and Sunday is the season finale of TrueBlood and that looks good too.
I am gonna have some fun photos to share with you tomorrow…think Twilight. That is all I am gonna say!
Have a great Friday, and thanks so much for stopping in, and putting up with my gabfest today!
Well said Diana! I was away and missed most of the turmoil…but I am totally in agreement with you. I knew it would come. Can you imagine going into Ikea..and they say..over in the corner we sell Pottery Barn beds…
I heard Shelli was wonderful and firm on the chat…gotta love that lady…she has such an innate sense of doing the right thing for us and the company…and we need this company to succeed right? Their success is our success.
Anyway….well said my friend and love the card 🙂
Sue
Your comments are spot on! I couldn't agree with you more. Glad to see you're on the same side of the page as I am. I'd hate to see you leave!
So I got hooked on Grey's Anatomy last season – like the last 4 episodes….so we have been doing a Grey's Anatomy marathon to get all 5 seasons watched before it comes back on the 24th of September….my eyes are almost square now – and with all this talk about True Blood I am gonna watch that series next!
Luv ya
Jax
Yay! I finally got your blog in the usual Typepad way!! 🙂 I knew you'd stay with SU! but I'm glad you spoke up. You explained it perfectly. I have read lots of those 'angry' blogs and it makes me sad. I have been hooked on Grey's since the very beginning and am looking forward to this season. Love your snowflake card!
I couldn't agree with you more Diana.Thank you for speaking your mind! I hope more demos will speak up in support of SU's decision.
Ta Da! You said it! Hooray—-I am about to unsubscribe to all the blogs that have chosen to air their dirty laundry about SU. I feel it is completely un professional to do that, I mean if you can't abide and you want to go, then go. But you do not need to drag everyone else through the mud with you. Especially customers awho are not being told the whole story. You helped me understand, and now I hope those that read your blog will understand as well. You simply cannot claim "fame" as a stamper using SU products and then expect them not to care when you send business elsewhere. I stopped right away and I am proud of you for having the guts to go public!
Amen, sista! And by the way, it makes me so happy that you're back to SUO again! I have to admit, I kind of stopped following for awhile…
Well, I left SU!, but with the digi stuff – I was on the way out anyway. :0)
I did feel the trying to control email and things I use on a personal level was an over reach. As I stated in my resignation letter "employees are allowed time off, and independant contracters should be allowed time off also".
The internet is still "new" law wise, and until its actually mandated and regulated I suppose they can require whatever they like in their contracts.
I dont have hard feelings toward SU!, or toward anyone for how the they feel about the changes. To each his own I suppose, as it should be.
I do know, that even though Im no longer a demo, I know where an EXCELLENT one is… RIGHT HERE!
Luv you DI! And am very grateful for all you have done for me.
~B
Good morning Di, It is refreshing to hear your thoughts. I agree 110%. I also Love SU! I say about time. I've always felt this way I say YEAH to the new IDA, I signed without blinking. I say YEAH To all decisions that are best for OUR awesome company.
Beverlee
Diana you can vent to us and me anytime you want. That's the beauty of having your own blog. I am happy that you are now SUO. Although I enjoyed your work on the DT, I really enjoy knowing that everything I see you create I can also create because I have those products. SU is a WONDERFUL company and their products are second to none as far as I'm concerned. So good for you for staying where your bread's buttered as my momma always says.
Can't wait for the new season of Gray's!!!!
Jessica
WELL SAID… I also agree 110% and I also signed without blinking. I have been a Demo with SU since 1999 and I still love it as much as I did when I first signed up. Candice
I'm with you Sister! I LOVE Stampin' Up! and still have my demonstratorship – maybe someday I will decide to sell the stuff, but for right now, I love my DISCOUNT!
Thank you for posting this, Diana. I agree with you 100% and have thought this change was too long in coming. I am so disappointed that some disgruntled demos would choose to behave in such an undignified and graceless fashion. Some of it is outright lies–much is only half the truth–and all of it is only one side of the story. I hope customers keep that in mind. Best of luck to you and thank you for a really fun blog.
Diana, THANK YOU for saying this! And thank you for explaining your V-8 moment with your experience with DTs. SO glad you're staying SUO!!!
Susan, aka Soozie4Him on SCS
Cute card! It was great reading your opinion. TFS!
Hi Diana — thanks for the positive words about SU. Just doing online what we've always agreed to do in real-life workshops — and that's market SU. Love your work and hope you like eat, pray, love. I LOVED that book — I often find fact just as interesting as fiction. And they're now making this into a movie.
Thanks, Di, for saying what needed to be said. I think some of the demos that are leaving haven't even taken the time to review the changes and don't understand the new policy. I'm glad you are staying and I have enjoyed your work ever since I found your blog.
Di, Thanks for speaking your mind. I am in my 3y. w/SU and love every minute of it! I can't agree more with what you wrote today. I love all your posting. My upline can't always get together so I know I can always turn to your web page for some great ideas.
Thank you for speaking up for SU. It's sad to read about the sourgrapes from those who want their cake and eat it at the expense of SU. I'm soooo glad you're staying with SU! I just LOVE your work!!! 🙂
I couldn't agree more Diana! I cannot understand independents blasting the company they "joined" to be in partnership with. It boggles the mind! SUp! has been around 20 years, why would we NOT trust their decision making process? I am working hard to make this my main source of income…WHY would I advertise for the competition? Oh, well, just my humble opinion!
I wish all demos would see it from your point of view! I was very happy to see that SU! did that and signed my new IDA that day!
Aloha Di, thank you so very much for sharing your thoughts about the new IDA. I'm not an SU demo but I buy a lot of SU stamps/products. Yes, it was kinda tiring already (esp in SCS) about how some demos are blasting SU. Some of the blogs that I usually visits are SU demos but surprised that they are promoting competing companies. I always thought that this is wrong!
Diana
Wow! I am relieved now….so glad you feel the way you do. I had no problem signing the new IDA and know a while ago you made the decision to be SU only….so glad you did because I love your work and have a hard time seeing something and making it SU (now I can thank goodness I've improved!)
I wish more DEMOS would feel our way. I am afraid this is going to hurt SU. I love their products and Love everyone I meet at our events….
Thanks so much for sharing….
I too was disappointed with some of the reactions I saw from demonstrators. The day the announcement came out brought a lot of strong reactions on a Yahoo group I am on. I decided to post some positive things about my experiences as a demonstrator and a card share. At first when I read the IDA I was a little confused, but reserved my judgement until I read and heard some more from SU. I think a lot of people jumped to conclusions before they had the whole story. I think you have articulated this situation well and thank you for your support to SU. I too support them and wish all the demonstrators who stay and who decide to leave much success.
Diana,
I agree with you 100% and really appreciate the way you shared your thoughts.
I too feel it is awful to have to be put in the position to be explaining this on our blogs – reading your blog has truly encouraged me today.
Your blog ALWAYS inspires me!
What you said and an extra bag of chips… to alllll you said.. I have not posted on my blog but I hope by my actions that I have done on my blog and anywhere it shows that Stampin Up has my inky heart and I am so proud to be part of such an amazing company.My motto is and always shall be: It ROCKS to be a Demo 🙂
What a great, honest, from the heart way to say what so many of us have been thinking! Thank you for taking the time to post this!
Diana,
Thanks for sharing. I totally agree with you. You said it well!
You were spot on Di! I am a demo, and feel the same way about representing SU! as I did with At&t when I worked for them….if you work for the company it is only to YOUR OWN benefit if you are 'selling'(by way of endorsing them on our blogs) ONLY your company's products. Almost all companies have you sign a 'conflict of interest' contract when you work for them and I don't think this is any different.
Thanks for putting this out there for people to see the other side of things!
Hi Di,
Thanks for you post regarding SU. I too am a demo. I'm glad you're staying and put something positive out there for the rest of us. I am fairly new to stamping (2yrs) and was puzzled when I saw all the demos who regularly posted products for other companies. I just didn't seem right. Anwhoo…we'll see how it goes. I love your work, keep it up!
Bravo, Di! I'm with you…I had no trouble resigning from my DTs and putting SU only on my blog again. I was conflicted, too, and am not surprised that SU clarified their position. I am just very saddened by the hateful and spiteful comments some people are making who are against the new rules…certainly not a Christian attitude by any means. Thanks for speaking out!
Finally, the voice of reason about this whole thing!I completely agree with the new IDA and felt it was long overdue. I am so happy to hear that you signed it without hesitation! I will continue to follow your blog and all your wonderful work!
Nice to hear, Diana. TFS
Very interesting issue. I am not a SU demo but primarily use its products. I was disappointed in the original info coming out about the IDA as it seemed somewhat extreme about the linking to places such as Facebook (OMG seems like everyone is there these days) or SCS, but the updated clarification seemed to be more reasonable for most demos. I was really disappointed in the venomous posts on SCS. Just like in politics these days, can't we all just discuss like adults?? As you said, each SU demo has to decide for themselves what best suits their current status if they're involved with other companies. No matter what you decided Diane, I would still be here as a steady viewer!!!!
Thank you Diane for this post. I too, am a demo and agree with you wholeheartedly. I have been very disappointed with all the neg. comments out there. I love SU and can understand why this needed to happen. Thanks for being willing to share your thoughts on this subject.
Great perspective Di! I signed the IDA the first day. Of course, I run my Stampin' Up! business as a business that is SUO… so I had absolutely no conflicts. I felt saddened that some demos brought the private internal issues to a public circus. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and showing support for those of us who want to run and own our business as SU only!
Kudos to you Di! I agree with all of your comments (I am a hobby demo) and cannot imagine ever giving up SU! My hubby works for Schwans and if he was promoting other companies pizza or ice cream, I am pretty sure he wouldnt have a job anymore LOL. Thanks for all the inspiration on your blog!
Thanks everyone for your comments, I am glad we are staying with Stampin' Up!
Oh and JoyK, we get Schwan's every other week, we LOVE it!
Hugs,
Di