Mrs. Robin Hammond

As southerners, we take a few things very seriously; college football (basketball is equally important in Kentucky), hosting beautiful gatherings, and most importantly, manners. Parents teach the value of handwritten thank-you's, yes ma'am, please and thank you at a young age. We understand the importance of every day manners and etiquette by the time we've entered middle school.

Holding the door open for the person behind you, meals when someone has experienced a tragedy, and the distinctive “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am” are simply a sign of respect that mean something in the south.

I must admit that I have turned away candidates for positions because the did not seem to possess those simple skill sets. It's true, even in the professional realm, manners reflect who we are, how we represent ourselves and the companies we work for.

Growing up in Lexington with a grandmother from Vicksburg, Mississippi, meant one thing….you better know how to sit at a dinner table and not embarrass yourself. She exuded southern hospitality in every way; from her strong southern accent to gifts like Emily Post’s Etiquette when I became engaged. It was a way of life for us really; I assumed everyone had Sunday night dinners to learn where your butter knife was placed. Those evenings could be long but one thing was for sure, by the time I reached puberty I could have shared company with the Queen herself. I am so thankful I had women in my life who valued such simple behaviors.

I have worked in marketing and management for 32 years, (WOW, I can’t believe I am admitting to that) in Lexington, Kentucky. My desire has always been to create positive office experiences for clients/patients, which in turn, was another factor that led me to form Southern Hospitality Etiquette. There is truly nothing like walking into a business and having a friendly smile greet you making you feel you are the most important client; even if for a short time.

Empowering children and adults through the use of everyday manners and etiquette is my passion. With life experiences, social media, iPhones, and video games taking up such a huge portion of our time, my hope is to bring back some of the “basics” to the youth and adults of Lexington Kentucky and surrounding Kentucky counties through etiquette classes on how to become confident, self-assured, and influential leaders in our community.

And remember, "Etiquette is a fancy word for kindness" -E. Maxwell

With Love,

Robin Hammond

"The biggest misconception about the word etiquette is snobby or uppity and that couldn't be further from the truth. Etiquette is just a fancy word for kindness and that's what I love teaching." -Robin