Verbatim: Brian Harrell
WHO? Brian Harrell
WHERE? A Cleaner World and Shores Fine Dry Cleaning (North Carolina and Virginia).
WHAT? After graduating from Wake Forest University with a degree in Health and Sports Science, he aspired to pursue a career as an athletic trainer. Instead, Harrell taught high school biology and anatomy for one year before switching to the garment care industry. “I got into dry cleaning and liked it a lot,” said Harrell. “I really enjoy working for the Edwards Family* and never left.”
The 49-year-old Harrell, who has been working in the garment care industry for the last 26 years, said, “As Vice President, I work with our operations, marketing and finance teams to develop, implement and maintain successful procedures that promote customer delight and profitability for the company.”
A father of three (two sons, ages 24 and 13, and one daughter, age 10), Harrell completed his MBA five years ago at UNC Greensboro.
MY MORNING ROUTINE IS…
Shower, coffee, singing in the car on the way to work.
THE ONE THING I TRY TO DO ON A DAILY BASIS IS…
Be responsive.
MY FAVORITE QUOTE IS…
“To merely satisfy the customer is not enough; you must strive for customer delight.” – Vidya Gargeya
“It’s always your favorite sins that do you in.” – Kenny Chesney
I AM CURRENTLY READING…
The book I’m reading is titled The 100x Leader and is authored by Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram. The book is about becoming someone worth following and is focused on the Sherpa life and how Sherpas lead people up the mountain. They don’t pull them up the mountain and they don’t push them up the mountain; they lead them. And becoming the type of leader people want to follow instead of the leader people must follow.
THE BEST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN IS…
I can’t pick just one, but I guarantee it’s from the 80s (Bull Durham, Top Gun, Rocky 4, Field of Dreams, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).
I OVERCOME ADVERSITY BY…
Staying positive and believing there is always a solution waiting to be found.
THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON I HAVE LEARNED IS…
Excellence is rarely easy. People aren’t born great. People are born talented, but people are not born great. There’s a lot of work that goes into becoming great. If you’re going to be great at anything or if you want excellence, you’re really going to have to work and outwork everybody.
THE BEST CAREER ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED IS…
Never be satisfied, always look for ways to improve yourself. I know the places I’m weak and I think that it’s important that we just don’t stay where we’re comfortable, which is obviously the places where we’re best at.
WHEN I RELAX, I LIKE TO…
Turn my phone off and play golf.
I AM MOST AT PEACE WHEN…
Sitting on the sand with my favorite drink, watching my kids having fun in the ocean.
THE BEST LIFE HACK I KNOW IS…
Write your plan for the next day down the evening before.
I HANDLE DISAPPOINTMENT BY…
Not dwelling on it.
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WANTED TO BE…
An athletic trainer for an NBA team. I love to be around sports.
A GO-TO BAND OR MUSICAL ARTIST ON MY PLAYLIST IS…
Kenny Chesney. He’s my go-to right now. It’s summertime man!
*Chris Edwards is the President of ACW Management which is the corporate umbrella over A Cleaner World and Shores Fine Dry Cleaning
