Every now and then, a book comes along that quietly taps you on the shoulder, hands you a cup of coffee, and says, “Hey… remember why you started?” Mark Batterson’s newest release, Gradually Then Suddenly, is that kind of book. It isn’t flashy. It doesn’t promise overnight success. There’s no “five easy hacks to double your plant volume.” But it does remind you, gently but firmly, that the most meaningful, lasting change occurs the same way lint gathers in your trap: slowly, consistently, one tiny fiber at a time
If that doesn’t describe the garment-care industry, I don’t know what does.
Batterson’s book centers on a simple idea: life unfolds gradually, then suddenly. Anyone who’s run a dry cleaning operation knows this. Whether managing routes or juggling calls when short-staffed, progress often feels slow. But then momentum changes—and suddenly, things work.
Batterson takes ideas we know and gives us a new perspective. He uses illustrations from Scripture, history, and personal leadership, all of which reinforce one message: faithfulness compounds. Small things matter. Boring things matter. The thankless things matter. Over time, these “gradual” investments set the stage for a “sudden” breakthrough.
Sound familiar?
Consistently Showing Up
One of the recurring themes in the book is the importance of consistency. Batterson calls it “cathedral thinking”—the willingness to work on something that might not be finished in your lifetime. Now, I don’t know if Batterson has ever spent a Saturday afternoon sorting through 800 pieces of incoming laundry, but cathedral thinking is exactly what dry cleaners do. We work in the realm of the ordinary, the repetitive, the predictable. A pressed shirt today looks the same as one ten years ago.
And yet… customers keep coming back because we show up. Because we get it right. Because we make the ordinary excellent.
If that isn’t cathedral work, I don’t know what is.
Gradually Then Suddenly reminded me of something a mentor once said: “Success in this business isn’t complicated. It’s just exhausting.” Batterson would agree. He suggests that what feels small today shapes who you become tomorrow. The “gradually” feels slow, but it is never wasted.
When “Slow” Is Actually a Strategy
Batterson highlights the power of incremental decisions. In a world chasing instant results, he says the best leaders play the long game and make better—not just faster—decisions.
This is where the book practically begs to be applied to the garment-care business.
Think about the decisions we face:
• Do we invest in automation or keep running manually?
• Do we raise prices when everyone else is afraid to?
• Do we add pick-up & delivery or stay in-store only?
• Do we upgrade chemistry? Replace presses? Redesign workflow?
• Do we keep chasing that same customer who won’t pay their bill?
None of these decisions brings instant results. But they shape your business five years from now. They decide if your plant thrives or just survives. They define whether you become the go-to cleaner or fade into the background.
Batterson’s framework encourages owners to see these decisions as seeds. You plant them today. You water them tomorrow. You might not see fruit until next season, but growth is happening beneath the surface. Gradually. Then suddenly.
Momentum Works Both Ways
Batterson writes, “Momentum is never neutral. You’re either building it or losing it.” That line hit me like a surprise upcharge on a wedding gown.
We usually notice momentum only when it’s gone. One month is slow, the next is slower. Suddenly, your best presser took a job elsewhere. Batterson tells leaders not to panic in slow times. Momentum doesn’t die—it shifts direction. The right habits, choices and mindset can turn it around.
Anyone who lived through 2020 and 2021 doesn’t need a leadership seminar to understand this. We lived the “gradually.” We’re hoping for the “suddenly.”
This book won’t fix labor shortages or utility bills, but it reminds you that the long road is worthwhile.
Legacy Isn’t Loud—It’s Layered
I love the book’s focus on legacy. Batterson says the moments remembered are built on thousands of unseen choices.
In dry cleaning, legacy is built:
• One stubborn stain at a time
• One wedding gown restored before the big day
• One loyal customer who has trusted you since the Reagan administration
• One employee you mentored into becoming a manager
• One family business carried into the next generation
Other industries may chase headlines. Ours builds heritage and lasting customer trust through the slow, steady work that Batterson describes.
Gradually. Then suddenly.
A Book for Tired Owners Who Need a Quiet Push
Here’s my honest review: This book might not blow your mind, but it might restore your soul. It’s not a hype book or a “10X your revenue” guide. It’s a steady, thoughtful reminder that meaningful progress takes time.
If you’re tired…
If you’re overwhelmed…
If you’re wondering whether the slow grind is worth it…
This book will look you in the eyes and tell you, “Keep going. You’re closer to your ‘suddenly’ than you think.”
While Batterson didn’t write this specifically for our industry, his central message resonates powerfully with our work: faithfulness compounds.
Success, trust and excellence don’t happen overnight.
It happens gradually.
And then—if you don’t quit—suddenly.
