I’m very comfortable with being part of this forum or any forum so that I can bring out the truth, encourage those who have been led astray and keep the discussion balanced for the good of the industry as well as the good of consumers. I have helped many, many people as a result and that’s a very good thing. Though you won’t admit it, I’ve even helped you.

So in return, Traci, I wish for you wisdom and better judgment going forward.

Good job, you showed me!

Good luck, Barbara!

I became successful without being certified by any one or any entity and resisted offering certification of any kind for several years. But students requested it. So I decided that were I to offer some kind of designation, I would do it the right way and insist on accountability and proof of professional performance. Otherwise it would be meaningless.

In an industry of any kind where a certain segment of those providing services claim to have one designation or another (irregardless of how it is labeled), it then forces a trainer to offer something so that their students can be competitive in the marketplace. That’s why I say it certainly can’t hurt to have a designation, if it is legitimate, but if you don’t have one you could be losing potential business and never even know it, much less why.

I therefore still say that to claim it is all “crap” on the internet (your words, not mine) is unfair, untrue and even defamatory and could open you up to a legal issue. I would therefore caution you to refrain from over generalizations of this nature out in the public forum. You’re welcome to your opinion, of course, but putting this type of declaration on the internet that defames the innocent could come back to cause you real legal problems.

If you think a particular company is poor and you feel you were victimized, then voice your opinion about that company and name the company specifically. But I would invite you to use extreme caution when it comes to making gross generalizations geared to preventing consumers from a fair and honest assessment of all other companies in the field.

I’m sure you wouldn’t want anyone posting claims that “all home stagers regardless of who they are or how they were trained” are phony and unprofessional and therefore full of “crap”, would you? Because a generalization like that would be totally biased, untrue and unfair. And it would invite anger and possible action from those who are victimized by the claim.

The internet is not an anonymous vacuum, Traci. To assume so is a mistake. When making an accusation one must have specific proof, such as a personal experience. Then one is entitled to share the experience and one’s feelings about the experience. That would fall under free speech. To make comments and bold statements in public of a general nature, however, one needs to be able to back up those statements with proof from several sets of experiences sufficient enough to form a consensus of opinion. You have provided no such proof or examples – just your general suppositions – and based on what? I don’t know and neither does anyone else reading these posts.

This is NOT protected as free speech. It is irresponsible speech and therefore actionable. By law you are not allowed to defame others in a general attempt to squelch their ability to freely represent and market their products and services to consumers.

Our ten year track record speaks for itself – but I’m sure you could understand (if the situation were reversed) why any reputable company with long years and considerable assets invested in developing an outstanding product line (including designations) would vigorously defend their reputation and the reputations of others in the industry that have been maligned by publicly posted statements that are gross exaggerations aimed at attacking ALL companies in the industry. A word of caution, “my friend”. You’re walking on the edge here.

Free speech is free only so long as it doesn’t infringe on the rights of the innocent and is supported with concrete proof to back up the claims being made. And even then, any claim made public can still be challenged in court and there is no such thing as anonymity on the internet.

Barbara Jennings, Director
The Academy of Staging and Redesign
Decorate-Redecorate.Com

P.S. Our company, by the way, has always enjoyed an A+ rating with the BBB and we’ve trained tens of thousands of satisfied students across the United States, Canada, Australia and other parts of the globe.