On a recent wine-tasting trip to Paso Robles with three of my closest girlfriends, we came up with the idyllic winery concept. I can’t share all of the details because we might just be able to pull it off someday! It involves fitness, food, friends… and, of course, wine! Upon returning home, we go back to family life, work and routine. The winery idea is occasionally discussed and then it is eventually forgotten. Putting a new business concept into motion is terrifying and overwhelming, which is why many amazing ideas never see the light of day.

One year ago, I took the plunge and wrote an offer on a laundromat in Inglewood. The Inglewood market really excited me because of SoFi Stadium and the revitalization of housing and businesses in the city.  Oh, and my boys really love Randy’s Donuts!

Admittedly, one of my weaknesses is acting before thinking.  I think, “I will find a way to get it done!” But on the flip side, one of my strengths is that I am not afraid to fail. I have failed on a few things in my life and that is okay. It is one of the most important things that I am trying to teach my children: if you fail at something, you reflect on what went right, what went wrong, and what you can do the same or differently next time.  But there will be a next time, another opportunity, a new adventure!

In May 2019 (five months prior to entering into escrow on the Inglewood laundromat), I separated from my husband of 10 years. We had started a business together in 2007 and worked side-by-side all of those years. We each thrived in our very specific roles, but he was definitely my “boss.” Finding myself without a job, I decided it was my time to pursue my interest in owning a laundromat. 

My first phone call was to Fred, a neighbor and friend who owned the laundromat on Naples Island in Long Beach. It was my “local” laundromat — small, clean, convenient, no frills. Fred and I met for coffee and he shared his pros and cons about the laundry business as a whole. My biggest takeaway was his emphasis on the importance of the lease.  I hadn’t really given that much thought. He opened my eyes to what an impact the lease can have on the success of any business.

Fred also put me in touch with Clay, the laundry broker that has come to be one of my biggest mentors. Clay took me around to visit a half dozen stores between LA and Orange counties. I walked into one in Orange County where I practically had to pick my jaw up off the ground! It was so beautiful — a complete rebuild after a fire with bright and shiny Dexter stainless steel washers and dryers, high ceilings with exposed wooden rafters, polished concrete floors, big front windows allowing a ton of natural light in. It was welcoming, clean and I wanted a store just like it. It was also about $800,000 more than I was able to spend! So, as we left that store, I took the owner’s name and number. He has been a valuable resource for me in sourcing vendors for equipment, providing tips for design and layout and making suggestions related to staffing, building customer loyalty and ways to help kids feel welcome.

As with many things in life (and business), it’s about the relationships you build with the people you meet along the way and the questions that you ask them. I feel so fortunate to have met Fred 10 years ago and to have experienced the domino effect that has occurred from that friendship. The people that I surround myself with — my tribe of family, friends and mentors — have helped me get over the hump of dreaming about something and actually going after it and turning it into a reality. And I haven’t even talked about Chrys yet! 

(to be continued…)