March 12, 2018, was the day that we because proud owners of a laundromat.
We’ve owned our business for one year now. Looking back, it seems like the year has both flown by and not gone very quickly.
I think that I can say both my wife and I have learned a great deal this year. I can definitely say that it was a good decision. Our cash flow projections have tracked with our estimates, and even came in a little higher than projected.
We have had a couple maintenance issues. Our automatic car wash and some of the old washing machines have caused the most trouble. We also had some furnace work done and replaced a garage door opener in one of the car wash bays (it’s incredible how much a waterproof garage door opener costs!).
We have our regulars who come to do their laundry on a schedule. There is one lady to likes to sweep while she does her son’s laundry just so that she has something to do!
Our vending machine has been good for the kids. They manage the cash and the inventory to keep it going. They enjoy having the extra cash and are learning that not all income is based on time.
Our daughter helps with the wash & fold service, and in that way is also learning that time and income are not always directly related. She used to ask about working part-time at a local business this summer. Now she’s asking how to get more wash & fold customers.
For me, one of the biggest benefits of owning Stella’s Laundry and Car Wash is that we are starting to think like owners more than like employees. If we want the business to succeed, we must think about serving people. The better the experience is for them, the better our business will be.
We are fortunate that things lined up for us to own Stella’s. At the same time, when this opportunity presented itself, we were prepared and ready to take the leap.
In many ways there’s been a learning curve. I’m so glad that when the time came, we didn’t let fear or anxiety control us. Instead,we made the commitment and followed through.
Note: if you haven’t yet, go over and read about how we came to purchase our little laundromat here.
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay