New Brand President brings fresh ideas

SERIES: Passing the Baton

By Becca Anderson

As we explore the transition of leadership within companies, we turn our focus to GreenEarth, a brand that has already navigated this shift. I sat down with Dan Chaon, the new Brand President, to discuss his vision and what this leadership change means for the company.

Given your experience, what led to GreenEarth making the decision to change leadership at this pivotal time?

Dan Chaon: I have over 25 years of experience growing both legacy and emerging brands within the hospitality industry. This has given me strong business acumen in franchising and licensing, and I have a proven track record of scaling companies by identifying top talent and empowering them with the autonomy to make decisions. I’m deeply focused on operational excellence, prioritizing strong training programs and continuous investment in his team.

Why has GreenEarth changed leadership at this time?

Leadership shifted as a result of GreenEarth’s exponential growth. The transition was carefully planned and aligned with the company’s long-term strategic vision—across both the dry cleaning and wet cleaning industries—along with key strategic partnerships with companies like NUULY. Because it was intentional and forward-looking, it allowed us to scale without losing direction.

For the outgoing and incoming leaders, what is the hardest part of transition—letting go of control, or stepping into it?

Stepping into it is clearly more difficult. Once a strong strategic plan is in place, new leadership not only has to commit to it, but also expand on it—and that depends heavily on having the right team. Stepping in means taking full ownership. One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is assuming everyone is aligned. Once you truly have alignment, that’s when you can press down on the accelerator and go.

What surprised you most during the transition process—something you didn’t anticipate going in?

What surprised me most is how robust the garment care industry still is, and the growing demand for environmentally safe solutions. There’s a real opportunity to bring a more positive light to this industry—helping cleaners adopt better, more modern ways of serving their customers.

How do you plan to balance maintaining the company’s legacy and culture while still allowing the next generation to make meaningful changes?

Protecting GreenEarth’s legacy and culture has been incredibly natural because of the foundation it was built on. We pride ourselves on “improving the fabric of life.” That goes beyond being the only environmentally safe solution in the dry cleaning industry—it’s about continuously finding long-term “green” and “clean” solutions for the entire garment care space.

We are relentless in our pursuit of protecting this industry, while equipping the next generation of cleaners with better solutions. Our goal is simple: leave the campsite better than we found it.

What is one piece of advice you would give to another company preparing for a leadership transition?

For any company preparing for a leadership transition, my advice is simple: listen carefully, ask tough questions, and look beyond your industry for leadership. There are incredibly creative and talented people out there—and they won’t always come from within your category. Don’t be afraid to be a disruptor.

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