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Photo by Jake Melara on Unsplash

Business Week recently featured an excellent feature detailing the tragedy of Kate Matrosova. But what does that have to do with filtration technology?

Well, let’s consider her story first. The 32-year-old trader with a love for adventure set out on an epic solo hike across New Hampshire’s mountains and encountered “the most hellish weather seen in many seasons.”

Friends remember her as a brave woman with a power within her who, although equipped, was beaten by the elements. “It was a contest she could not win,” we’re told. It’s too bad. She sounded like a woman with a great deal of promise and a strong inner drive.

Yet, what does this sad end have to do with solid-liquid filtration. Treating her tragedy as a cautionary tale, the article put me in mind of certain advice in my book.

  • We can’t be so eager to accomplish something that we fail to follow proper procedures.
  • Don’t rely on experience and intuition alone.
  • Safety matters, so prepare for the unexpected.

As Sherlock Holmes himself might note, there’s no replacement for combining experience with careful planning. I put this view to work daily in filtration technology, but it’s widely applicable. Let me know what you think!