Good reputation and winter coats

A damaged reputation makes for a good headline, while a story about a hard-working business building its reputation typically does not. So, I thought I’d share a great story with you.

I run with Charles Anton, CEO of Anton’s Cleaners. Anton’s Cleaners is one of the top cleaners in the Northeast and has collected second-hand winter coats for charity in its 44 stores for many years. They clean the coats free of charge and donate them to charities such as The Salvation Army, Goodwill, church groups, homeless shelters and schools. The collection and distribution of these coats, over 600,000 of them, has taught many elementary school and middle school children about the importance of giving, charity and taking care of your fellow man.

As Charles told me, the children learn about giving something tangible and meaningful from an early age. What a wonderful life lesson to learn from a business. Of course, as a side benefit of creating a great reputation, the children’s parents get familiar with the Anton’s business and that connection translates into long-time customers. A perfect example of the value of a great reputation.