I built a laundry company worth millions; The founders need these skills

When most people think of entrepreneurship, they envisage coders dressed in hooded sweatshirts building the next Technological unicorn. My start -up story? It started with dirty socks and a delivery van.

My unusual passion started in my first year of college when I started directing a Linen collection and delivery service Called Wake Wash. The company was a success, but as the graduation, my partners wanted to continue the investment bank. Not wanting to be marked like the embarrassing “Laundry Guy”, I sold Wake Wash for $ 200,000 and I reluctantly joined the business world.

Management advice Happy my parents and offered me great colleagues, but it was a job that made the soul. At the end of 2015, I stopped launching 2ulundry, a company inspired by the wave of on -demand services such as Rover and Instacart. I thought: “Someone will revolutionize detergent and dry cleaning. Why not me?”

In less than a decade, 2ulundry has become a several million dollars company. We have obtained around $ 33 million in funding and established 29 Nationally laundromat.

Here’s what I think all entrepreneurs should know.

First of all, you must ignore brilliant object syndrome

I could never have imagined that my embarrassing college rush would become a new figure company. But by rejecting the path of the conventional business and bringing together the courage to forge mine, that did that exactly.

My advice to everything budding entrepreneurs is to ignore the “brilliant object syndrome” and to think independently. Your idea should not be the most revolutionary, but it must solve a real problem.

Sometimes the more “boring” companies that are not brilliant have more stability.

From there, consider what really motivates you. Does this develop new skills, creating a side jostling while maintaining your daytime, by achieving financial independence, being a Digital nomadOr build an inheritance for your family?

The entrepreneurial landscape offers many opportunities, from ownership of the franchise to real estate investment to the creation of digital products. The key is to find a balance between market opportunities, your personal passion and honesty regarding your time and your financial constraints.

Cultivate resilience and be adaptable

Entrepreneurship resembles the journey of a hero filled with nights, sacrifices and disappointments. However, I believe that people find greater development, learning opportunities and a societal impact like business owners only like employees.

Working for myself provided me with a goal and a fulfillment far beyond everything I experienced in the corporate world working for someone else. But success requires extraordinary resilience. Most aspiring entrepreneurs leave when things become difficult.

I call this state of mind “cockroach mode” – the ability to survive and persist when others leave. It is often the difference between failure and success. Entrepreneurs who succeed in the end are not always the most innovative or the brightest; They are the ones who refused to abandon their vision or leave when difficulties arise.

The desire to rotate is just as important. With 2ulundry, we pivoted three to four times. Which started as a market connecting customers with take a look Who collected their laundry ended up evolving towards a physical laundromat franchise with hundreds of delivery vehicles and places on a national scale.

Redefine success in your own words

Today’s culture loves entrepreneurial celebrities such as Warren Buffett, Mark Cuban, Elon MuskAnd Jeff Bezos for their wealth, influence and success. But the real price does not necessarily become a billionaire; It is to control your destiny and build something significant.

I am incredibly grateful to have tried my luck by leaving my unanswered office work to continue entrepreneurship.

The entrepreneurial path is not easy, but it offers unrivaled opportunities for growth and financial independence. Whether your business becomes a popular local business or a multinational society, the courage to bet on yourself and create a life according to your own conditions will serve you a lifetime.

Alex Smereczniak is the co -founder and former CEO of 2ulundry. He is now co-founder and CEO of Franzy, a franchise discovery and acquisition platform. Connect Liendin.