CHICAGO — Running a laundromat can be equal parts independence and intensity. Owners can enjoy the freedom of being their own boss but may find themselves tethered to their stores — working long shifts, answering after-hours calls, and worrying about everything from cash collections to clogged drains. Finding a true work-life balance often requires an intentional shift: learning to delegate.
Two veteran laundry operators — Sharon Brinks of Kansas’ The Laundry Station and Andy Merendino of New Jersey’s Suds Yer Duds — have discovered that effective delegation doesn’t just lighten the load. It safeguards their businesses, strengthens their staffs, and restores quality of life. Let’s conclude their tale:
LESSONS FROM THE FIELD
Both operators can point to tangible benefits of delegation:
- Reduced burnout. “It was exhausting mentally and physically,” Brinks recalls of her early years. Delegating has allowed her and her husband to reclaim weekends and travel.
- Improved morale. “Many hands make light work,” she says. Sharing duties has boosted team spirit and consistency.
- Better focus. Merendino’s shift of bookkeeping to his wife and technical backup to his nephew allows him to concentrate on strategy and equipment upgrades.
- Greater resilience. Both now have backup plans for illness or emergencies — something many owner-operators overlook until it’s too late.
ADVICE FOR RELUCTANT OWNERS
Asked what she’d tell owners hesitant to give up control, Brinks doesn’t mince words: “What are your goals? Where do you see yourself in five years? Do you want to be able to go on vacation?”
She stresses that every owner should think about succession — even if retirement feels distant. The same processes that make a laundromat easier to run also make it easier to sell.
Merendino’s advice is equally practical: build a bench of reliable help and invest in technology. “Try setting up guardrails to ensure the tasks are being performed properly,” he says. “Technology is going to be more and more useful for small operators like us.”
THE HUMAN ELEMENT
Delegation, at its core, is an act of trust — and teaching. Brinks has become more comfortable “being bossy without being mean.” She takes time to explain the why behind her instruction. “I’m not just giving you busy work; there’s a reason for it.”
That approach has turned her employees into stakeholders rather than placeholders. It’s also helped her find balance in the truest sense — continuing to love her business without being consumed by it.
“Laundry is life,” she quips. “The rest is just details.”
A SHARED LESSON
Brinks and Merendino represent two ends of the delegation spectrum — one running fully attended stores with a manager and growing hierarchy, the other managing self-service sites with limited staff and family assistance. Yet both have arrived at the same truth: independence doesn’t mean isolation.
Delegation is not surrender; it’s strategy. By building systems, empowering people, and learning to let go, laundromat owners can reclaim their time, protect their health, and keep their businesses thriving — without sacrificing the joy that drew them to ownership in the first place.
Miss an earlier part? You can read them here: Part 1 — Part 2
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].
