October 15, 2020…four years ago…Kenney Slatten passed away.
That hardly seems possible.
In our 30 year friendship, I got to know him on many different levels…Trainer, Mentor, Industry Speaker, Writer and Musician, Kenney was in different bands where he played upright bass, fiddle, blues harp and guitar, Farm hand and Friend.
I attended probably over a dozen of his training classes, not to mention all the trade shows.
The lessons he taught…I still follow them today. I’d like to share some with you now…Kenney’s Life and Stain Removal Advice…
• Patience is a good tool to have…
• Learn as much about your trade as you can…Classes, seminars, association meetings, on-line classes, read everything you can, willingly take advice, ask someone that knows….
• A Good Spotter knows when to stop.
• Just over 5% of stains won’t come out no matter what you do…
• The stain belongs to the customer, don’t make it your problem by going too far.
• Sorry Tags…aren’t your friend. (Don’t get cozy with ‘em..)
• If you ‘re fixin’ to be a good Dry Cleaner…You better be a good Wet Cleaner as well…
• Don’t use the pointed, sharp edge of the bone!! Use the rounded end, to massage the chemical into the stain. Kenney lamented the time he saw some “good ol’ boy”…sharpening the pointed end of the spotting bone on the concrete sidewalk like a barbershop razor!!
• If you take care of the little things…There are no big things.
• Don’t be treating your dry cleaning machine like a toilet!! Don’t contaminate your machine with a bunch of spotters that won’t flush out…
• Your solvent is the lifeblood of your cleaning operation. Keep it clean, Chief…
• Keep poundage charts…
• If you ruin a garment, make it right with the customer, then keep that garment and practice, and practice some more…using that garment, so you don’t make the same mistakes twice. (I guarantee you will see that garment again.)
• Cherish your Friendships…
• Be the kind of person your dog thinks you are…
• Have fun every day.
• Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself…
My very favorite Kenney Slatten story (and there are many!! was the time we were going to do a seminar in Austin, Texas. We went to Goodwill to find clothes to “stain up” for the class. (after we had eaten Texas BBQ for lunch) we also bought a used wedding dress for $35.00…(we actually put mold and mildew this this dress, to show how to safely remove it…)
Upon check out, the gal behind the cash register (with snow cone colored hair and a ring in her nose) looked at Kenney, wearing his cowboy hat and boots, larger than life…then she looked at me and said…“I guess you’re gonna be wearing this, cuz it sure ain’t gonna fit him!!”
PS…The next time you go out for BBQ, buy yourself two banana puddings for dessert…one for you…one for Kenney…
I always eat Kenney’s first….
