It is all up to us.  It starts now.  The story starts over from here and will unfold henceforth.   This time we are doing things differently, aggressively setting community goals and meeting them, while measuring impact.

But before I begin laying out what I have been working on, I first want to apologize for being seemingly missing for months.  Long story short, I had cancer and it was not fun getting rid of it.  However, what was fun has been what I have done with my time behind the scenes. I've realized a new path forward and as you'll see I've built close to a hundred new tools for land surveyors to use in the field.  We formed a company (A to Zenith) to manage the community. I have my lifelong friend and parner Chris (who has been helping with Facebook) and we have been working around the clock since March to pull the outdated crap out of this community and turn it into a Community with an impact.  We have a new For The Public initiative which aims to educate the public through inspiring stories about land surveying.  We started a new podcast called PlumbCast aimed at bringing all of the land surveyors of the world together to share experiences and recently had our first guests Tim Burch of NSPS and Deward Karl Bowles (introducing his new course). Land Surveyors United recently partnered with the NSPS to offer an entirely new kind of Continuing Education which brings the field into the classroom.  I've been building classrooms and virtual learning tools, not to mention we now have an arsenal of interesting conversation pieces for exciting the public about land surveying.  But to be honest, even with all of this exciting new stuff I found myself not knowing where to even start introducing it.  So here we are.

Moving forward, our 18 year old community is switching gears.  From this point forward, we are placing 100% of our attention on Futurists- those who believe in a future for land surveyors and those who are ready and willing to do what it takes to not only excite the next generation, but to educate the current generation.  This time next year, my goal is to see less young surveyors out there being told they do not know land surveying.  I want to see collaborative continuing education courses written to bring new surveyors up to speed quickly regarding what is expected of them.  I want to see experienced land surveyors writing and sharing at least 3 courses before retiring, in order to leave a legacy of footsteps that other surveyors can follow into the future. I look forward to seeing a more communicative profession in years to come.  As you'll see, I have incentivized sharing your experience so you no longer have an excuse- and you know who you are.  This is what I see for this community.

Today, I am going to begin providing for you a set of tools and ideas to work with and I want to gather feedback about your experiences during this journey.  Every tool that I drop from this point is a functional Version 1 tool and through your feedback, future versions will become our shared intellectual property.  Here are a couple of examples:

Visit the new  L.E.A.R.N website and explore the tools and concepts (look under Labs)

Visit PlumbCast and listen to Episode 1 to learn more about what we are doing with Futurists.

better yet...

Imagine this: You’re a land surveyor with years of experience, and you’re looking for a way to make that knowledge work for you—even after you’ve retired. With our Continuing Education Courses, you don’t just fulfill state requirements; you have the unique opportunity to create courses yourself, drawing on the expertise you’ve built over your career. If you believe you have valuable knowledge to share, you can turn it into an official course that benefits other surveyors and, in turn, gives back to you.

Here’s how it works: Once you create a course, we’ll submit it to the NSPS Education Committee for an initial review. If it meets their requirements, we then send it to all 49 other states for further approval. Each state will review your course, offering feedback on what additions or adjustments might be needed to meet their specific standards. After incorporating this feedback, your course becomes eligible for students across multiple states, expanding your reach and influence.

Think about it this way: If you’re planning to retire in a few years, why not write a few courses now? Through the L.E.A.R.N Program, you’ll have access to the tools you need to build, publish, track, and sell your courses. We provide an intuitive interface, video conferencing options, and all the resources necessary to make your course accessible to a broad audience. Even after retirement, your courses will continue to earn commissions for you.

This isn’t just about earning now; it’s about creating a legacy. Every month, for the rest of your life and beyond, you could receive a second paycheck—income generated from the knowledge and experience that originally supported your career. Your expertise will continue to benefit the next generation of surveyors, and as a result, your contributions will live on, both financially and professionally. The L.E.A.R.N Program turns your lifetime of experience into an enduring asset, supporting you and the surveying community long after you’ve left the field.

We will be discovering some pretty exciting new things together and eventually everything I am presenting to you will be yours.  In fact, the moment you become a Futurist, you will have the ability to not only instantly make the first version of any tool yours, you can suggest revisions and requests for the next version of the tool and I will credit you for your contribution of expertise by listing you and/or your company on the tool in recognition, making all tools collaborative in nature and functionality.

Introducing the Futurist Membership: Empowering Land Surveyors for the Future

This journey begins here. Right now, we have an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of our profession. Through the Futurist Membership, you’ll gain access to cutting-edge tools, exclusive educational resources, and a powerful community of like-minded surveyors committed to advancing the field.

Why Become a Futurist?

By joining as a Futurist, you don’t just gain tools; you gain influence. The moment you become a Futurist, the first version of each tool is yours to use and customize however you like.  As a matter of fact, I have many prototypes on the L.E.A.R.N subdomain, but the functional production versions are made available to those who who help sustain this community as Futurists through this hub (be sure to first follow, then subscribe as Futurist and you'll see more). More importantly, you’ll have the unique ability to shape future versions. Every suggestion, revision, and feature request you contribute will be credited to you or your company, building a collaborative network of surveyors advancing together.  Just think, your company website could get a lot of traffic simply by making helpful suggestions for future versions.  Let me show you an example:

Surveyor's Geographic Database: This is a prototype for a more advanced version available for Futurists

Digital Levelling Tool v55:  An ongoing experiment to build a level connected to device gyroscope

Virtual Point Logger Tool:  This is a simple way to log your points and embed them into posts

And here is what i mean by versions getting better with feedback.  This is what that looks like now:

Land Surveyor Calculator and Guide:  Learn functional and practical surveying math.

Drone Mapping Planner: Prototype for planning your route

Key Benefits of Futurist Membership

1. Access to Collaborative, Evolving Tools

Each tool we release is designed to support you in every aspect of your surveying career, from fieldwork to course creation. As a Futurist, you’ll be part of a collaborative development process, where tools evolve based on your feedback and expertise. Imagine new mapping tools that virtualize surveying, AI enhancements that streamline your workflows, and data-driven features that increase your precision—all created with input from surveyors like you.

2. Continuing Education and the LEARN Program

Our community recently partnered with the NSPS to launch the LEARN Program—a platform that allows surveyors to create and submit courses tailored to state requirements. Whether you’re helping others learn from your decades of experience or writing a new course for continuing education credit, LEARN makes it possible to earn from your entire surveying career. Even the lessons learned from early mistakes in the field can become valuable learning points for the next generation.

3. State-Specific Support

We know that state requirements for land surveying vary significantly, so we’re working to make those requirements work in your favor. With our resources, you’ll get brief, actionable information about your state’s regulations, plus guidance on writing and submitting courses for approval. Futurist Members will find ongoing support and resources to ensure their courses meet the standards for CE credits in each state.

4. New Tool Drops to Complement Course Creation

Creating a course should be straightforward and rewarding. New tool drops are on the horizon specifically designed to simplify the process of developing and submitting courses. As a Futurist, you’ll have early access to these tools, making it easier to organize course content, integrate assessments, and manage multimedia—all essential for making impactful courses.

5. The 30-Day Challenge: A Launchpad for Instructors

The 30-Day Challenge is an innovative program designed to help you generate a fully developed course in just 30 days. Each day includes a small, actionable step that adds up to a comprehensive course by the end of the month. Whether you’re a seasoned instructor or just getting started, the challenge provides structure and encouragement to turn your knowledge into valuable learning materials.

A Glimpse into the Future of Surveying

• Virtualizing Surveying with New Mapping Tools: Our new mapping tools will make it possible to bring your fieldwork to life in a virtual environment, allowing you to share insights, data, and visualizations with clients and colleagues remotely.

• Harnessing AI for Enhanced Efficiency: From data analysis to reporting, AI-driven tools will become an integral part of the surveyor’s toolkit. As a Futurist, you’ll be among the first to benefit from these advancements.

Here’s the Current Plan

1. Immediate Access to Tools and Collaborative Development: Once you join, dive right into the first versions of our tools and start contributing to their growth.
2. Engage with the LEARN Program: Begin exploring how you can turn your expertise into accredited courses, earning both recognition and financial rewards.
3. Participate in the 30-Day Challenge: Start building your first course with a structured guide and support from fellow surveyors.
4. Stay Updated with Tool Drops: Receive updates on new releases, especially those designed to support your journey as a course creator and mentor.
5. Leverage Mapping and AI Tools: Use these advanced tools to showcase your work, enhance your efficiency, and expand your business’s capabilities.

The TRYangle and Surveyor Legacy Development

As land surveyors, we are more than just professionals measuring boundaries, defining property lines, and creating maps. We are the custodians of a legacy, a profession steeped in history, precision, and dedication. The Land Surveyors United (LSU) community was built on this foundation, and now, as we look towards the future, we introduce a model that not only honors this legacy but also lifts it to new heights: The TRYangle and Surveyor Legacy Development.

This post is a comprehensive exploration of how this model works, why it’s unique, and how it benefits everyone involved—especially those who have dedicated their lives to the field of land surveying. This model is not meant to be copied but rather collaborated with, ensuring that each of us contributes to and benefits from its success. The TRYangle represents a new era of community-driven growth, support, and innovation in the land surveying profession.

A Collaborative Model, Not a Copy

The TRYangle model is built on the principle of collaboration. Unlike traditional models that are often rigid and hierarchical, the TRYangle thrives on the input, creativity, and engagement of every member of the LSU community. It’s not about copying what has been done before; it’s about working together to create something new and better—something that reflects the collective wisdom and experience of our community.

In this model, every member has a role to play, whether you’re a seasoned surveyor nearing retirement, a mid-career professional looking to expand your knowledge, or a young surveyor just starting in the field. The TRYangle is designed to be flexible, adaptable, and responsive to the needs of our community. It’s a living, breathing model that evolves through collaboration, and in doing so, it ensures that everyone involved benefits.

Legacy Development: Earning After Retirement

One of the key components of the TRYangle model is the focus on legacy development. For older surveyors who are preparing to leave the field, this model offers a unique opportunity to continue earning money after retirement. Many seasoned surveyors possess a wealth of knowledge and experience that is invaluable to the next generation of professionals. The TRYangle model leverages this expertise by creating avenues for retired surveyors to contribute to the community while also generating income.

Here’s how it works:

1. Course Development and Mentorship:

   • Retired surveyors can develop courses, workshops, and training materials that are hosted on the LSU platform. These educational resources can be sold to other members, providing a steady stream of income for the creators.
   • Mentorship opportunities are also available, where retired surveyors can guide and advise younger professionals, sharing their wisdom and expertise. These mentorship roles can be compensated, ensuring that the knowledge transfer is both rewarding and financially beneficial.

2. Content Contribution:

   • Retired surveyors can contribute articles, case studies, and insights to the LSU community. This content can be monetized through memberships or paid access, allowing contributors to earn from their decades of experience.
   • Additionally, retired surveyors can participate in webinars, virtual conferences, and panel discussions, providing valuable perspectives while also earning honorariums.

3. Tool Enhancement and Feedback:

   • The 45+ new tools in the Futurist Beta program offer another avenue for retired surveyors to contribute. By testing these tools, providing feedback, and suggesting enhancements, retired surveyors can play a critical role in shaping the future of the profession. In recognition of their contributions, those who provide valuable feedback will be credited in future iterations of the tools, and they may also receive compensation or royalties for their input.

This model ensures that even after retirement, surveyors can remain active, engaged, and financially secure, all while contributing to the ongoing development of the profession they helped to build.

The Power of Upgrading to Futurist Membership

The Futurist Membership is at the heart of the TRYangle model. By upgrading to Futurist, members gain access to a wealth of new tools, resources, and opportunities that are not available in the standard membership. But the benefits of becoming a Futurist extend far beyond personal gain; they uplift the entire LSU community.

Here’s how it works:

1. Access to Beta Tools:

   • Futurist members gain early access to over 45 new tools currently in Beta. These tools are designed to enhance your work, streamline processes, and introduce new capabilities to your surveying practice.
   • Each tool comes with a feedback form, allowing you to suggest enhancements, report bugs, and share your thoughts on how the tool can be improved. This feedback is crucial for the development of future versions of the tools, and members who provide valuable input will be credited for their contributions.

2. Lifting the Entire Community:

   • When more members upgrade to Futurist, it creates a ripple effect across the entire LSU community. The increased revenue from Futurist memberships allows us to reinvest in the platform, develop new tools, and offer more resources to all members.
   • Additionally, a portion of all Futurist memberships goes towards a scholarship fund that sends at least one land surveyor to school every year, covering their tuition and books. This ensures that the legacy of our profession is passed on to the next generation, with the support they need to succeed.

3. Recognition and Contribution:

   • Futurist members are recognized as leaders and contributors to the community. By actively participating in the development of new tools and resources, Futurists help shape the future of land surveying.
   • The TRYangle model emphasizes that by lifting others, we lift ourselves. As more members become Futurists, the overall quality, value, and strength of the LSU community increases, creating a virtuous cycle of growth and improvement.

Building a Lasting Legacy

At the core of the TRYangle model is the concept of legacy—building something that lasts beyond our individual careers and lives. For me, this model is deeply personal. It’s dedicated to my father, Skip Farrow, who left behind a legacy of dedication, integrity, and community in the field of land surveying. The Land Surveyors United community is part of that legacy, and the TRYangle model is a way to honor and extend it.

The Power of Community

Our community of surveyors is growing stronger every day, thanks to partnerships with organizations like the NSPS and dedicated members like you. Together, we’re building a legacy that honors the past while pioneering the future of land surveying. The Futurist Membership is more than a toolkit; it’s a movement. It’s a chance to give back to the profession that has shaped your life while ensuring that your knowledge benefits generations to come.

Join us, and let’s shape the future of surveying, one course, one tool, and one innovation at a time.