National Clothesline

or more years than I care to remember, I have had the pleasure of writing and speaking to those cleaners and laundry operators smart enough (also, very successful) who attended every trade and business meeting. I might add they gave full attention, and sat right up front!

There they were “bright eyed and bushy tailed” and willing to challenge any statement that

could be confusing or needed further clarification. I seldom investigated or took the trouble to find how they became successful since their success was both enviable and admirable. They had all the problems of all the other operations, but somehow they managed to investigate them and stay with them till they were tolerable and possibly solvable.

The early days of drycleaning had enormous problems that occurred each and every day, including fierce competition. What did those survivors have? Did they inherit the business? Did they have the foresight to see the town’s expansion in their favor? Did they possess special manageable skills? Or were they just plain lucky?

In my many cases, I simply found that the harder someone worked, and the more they sacrificed for their business, the luckier they became!

I’m certain many of us have made mistakes and even disastrous errors. (If I knew then what I know now!) The difference between failure and success is that the successful ones will make mistakes, then dwell on the cause and the whys and hows so as not to make the same mistakes over and over again!

We all on occasion fall down, but the winners jump up, brush themselves off, start over again, and with more determination. How do you find the winners? How do you know this select group that has such a distinct membership that only those chosen few are permitted to apply and can be considered? The way to recognize this elite prestigious group of successful dry cleaning entrepreneurs, is to check their credentials. They never advertise their worth, but all are in the millions-plus volume category.

All have lavish cars and homes, belong to leading country clubs, and civic associations. They are also the spokesmen for many state fabric care groups, and know what’s new (good or bad) that they should take seriously.

Since they got where they are, they make it a point to meet once a year and to maintain that vital information.

There are the more hidden aspects of their lives and their business, but for all to see are their pristine locations with the latest in clean, attractive counters and all personnel in uniform, displaying smiles and name tags. All are knowledgeable in their jobs and the right price structure that can insure fair return on investment.

They were also wise enough to look at the value of being diversified and the advantage of having customers take full use and advantage of offering all their services. Drycleaning is the mainstay, but they may have added the business of shirt laundry, which could make up 20 percent of their volume, while keeping the anchor secured to the drycleaning. It goes back to the days of the local tailor who soon became the drycleaner.

So it is with carpet cleaning, drapery cleaning and re-hanging, route delivery, fire restoration, tuxedo rental — all profit makers and establishing the local drycleaner as an important service center.

More important, because they became complete experts in those chosen fields and have the ability to excel in being diversified, they now find they are beyond the wrath of being trapped in economic downturns. If one business was down, another could be on the rise.

Would you like to know, who those winners are? Attend the next local or state meeting or, better yet, look at who’s well dressed in the latest fashion, including their wives at the next national convention. Who is sitting up front and eagerly listening to the next speaker of the day? Maybe one day, if you can emulate that individual, you will be among those chosen few.

Ray Colucci, a consultant to the fabric care industry, has revised and made available three timely pamphlets: “Up Front Is Where It Counts” for counter training; “Pressed for Perfection” for finishing techniques; the popular “Route to Success To the Home of Office” for complete route training. The pamphlets are $20 each or all three for $50. Immediate delivery with all postage paid is promised. Send requests and payment to to R. Colucci, 410 Warren Ave., Mamaroneck, NY 10543.