11/04/2021
One of the really wonderful things about launching a new business is that it has given me the opportunity to reconnect with people I have not talked to in years – and, in some cases, decades. Yesterday, I had a fantastic conversation with a friend who falls in the latter category, Becka Knaak , who owns OxyClean LLC.
OxyClean is a third-generation family business based in the Metro Milwaukee area. They clean all equipment that is destined to be used with pressurized oxygen, whether it is for industrial use, medical use, fire/rescue teams, or underwater scuba gear, in compliance with guidelines such as ANSI/ASME B40.1, Linde Praxair Class 2/GS-38, ASTM G93, and CGA G-4.1.
She gave me an absolute wealth of start-up advice, stemming from lessons she learned when she took over the business, all very much appreciated. One of the things she mentioned was that in the process of cleaning equipment, they use a solvent that is volatile and tends to evaporate very quickly, and which is also the most expensive component of total business costs. She learned early on, that once the solvent was opened, she had to ignore everything else until the equipment she was cleaning was done – no answering the phone, no checking email, no distractions – to prevent large unnecessary costs. This makes a good allegory for almost anyone’s business. There are things that all of us do that are mission-critical, core business activities that deserve our undivided focus. As Becka put it, “figure out what your ‘solvent’ is, and don’t waste it!”
I now have a Post-It note stuck to my laptop that says “don’t waste the solvent.” What’s the “solvent” in your business, how did you identify it, and what do you do to protect your mission-critical time?
(If you or anyone you know could use OxyClean’s services, please do reach out to Becka. I know she’d love to have a conversation about how she can help you.)