This is the story (more of a tribute, actually) about my beloved father.
He was a tailor by trade who ran a small alterations and dry cleaning business. I used to visit his shop to watch him work on a treadle sewing machine surrounded by rainbows of thread neatly stacked on shelves. Sometimes I would also accompany him while he picked up and delivered his customers’ dry cleaning.
I learned a lot from my father amid the colored spools of thread and smells of dry cleaning solvent. I especially loved how customers loved him. Whenever customers came into the store, my father would warmly greet them, inquire about their family, and then get into the specifics of their clothing alteration needs. He took as much care with customers as he did with their clothes. And they kept coming back, while referring new customers to him.
My father was not only a craftsman when it came to sewing, he was a master of relationship marketing.
He had no formal business training; it was just an intuitive way of how he did business. I was blessed to be his daughter and learn from him.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad, and thanks for a wonderful legacy.
[Image courtesy of Pixabay.]