NOVEMBER SERIES: How Are You Doing?
All month we’ll be posting articles to help you think through the health of your company. Do you even know how you’re doing? If not, we’ll be helping you take stock of your company and its future.
Under the Magnifying Lens
Evaluate your company as if you were buying it
By Becca Anderson
A lot of business owners assume their business is fine if it is operating at a profit and has no major problems on the horizon. One of the best ways to test that is to pretend you are going to buy your company. What would convince you of its true value?
This article lays out the list of criteria a buyer would consider, and includes a checklist for you to review to be sure you’re in good position – to continue, to sell, or even to expand.
An Industry Giant Leaves Us
Ian Gibson
June 14, 1944 – November 2, 2025
A successful businessman, a trove of industry knowledge and insight, and a gentleman at all times. We will miss him.
(The following obituary was posted by Ian’s family.)
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Ian Gibson. He died peacefully in palliative care after living with cancer for the past few years…
PRODUCT NEWS
Arm & Hammer and OxiClean Commercial Use and Vended Products
Arm & Hammer and OxiClean aren’t just for home use. Check out the options for both commercial use and vended products from Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
NOVEMBER ARTICLES: How are You doing?
Bad Math Doesn’t Get Better at Scale
Facebook groups, industry people, and gurus keep repeating this advice. It’s destroying businesses. Here’s why.
Editor’s Note: This article is reprinted by permission from Wash Weekly.
By Waleed Cope
I need to tell you about one expensive mistake I made in this business.
Early on, I had the opportunity for commercial laundry work. A hotel approached me about doing their laundry. I was so focused on landing the account that I bid the work too low. But I figured it would be fine because of the volume. “Sure, the margins are thin,” I told myself, “but think about all those pounds we’ll be processing. We’ll make it up in volume.”
I was wrong.
OCTOBER ARTICLES
Five Stars for Laundry CEO Forum
By Becca Anderson
It would be impossible for me to convey all the information and experiences from the Laundry CEO Forum, held in Dallas, TX on October 5-7, 2025. There was so much knowledge shared among the participants and from the stage. If you are a laundromat owner and want to grow your business, get Laundry CEO Forum on your radar and make plans for next year. It will absolutely be worth the time and money you will invest.
Special reporting from the Laundry CEO Forum
Free Laundry Day Invasion
The CLA held one of its Free Laundry Day events in Dallas, TX on Sunday, October 5, 2025 in conjunction with the Laundry CEO Forum conference. The event lasted 2 hours, and dozens of customers were thrilled to come to the laundromat and find out there was no charge for the use of the washers and dryers that day.
You Are Not Alone
By Becca Anderson
I stopped in to chat with David Haick at Parker’s Cleaners in Oakville, ON the other day. I wanted to see how the average cleaner—the one-shop, family-owned, working day to day cleaner—was faring. That’s the bulk of the Canadian industry, so if it describes you, you are not alone in your struggles and victories.
Ask AI — Here’s How
By Becca Anderson
Do you get tired of people telling you to “just ask AI” if you have a problem? You might not trust AI, or (let’s admit it) you are just unsure how to even go about doing that and don’t want to say so.
This article is a how-to on asking AI questions pertinent to your business, and includes all the text of the answers the AI generated. I think it will both amaze and intrigue you.
Don’t hide from automation
By Kevin Marois
Some people are afraid of automation. “We have always done it this way”. Are you still using a Foot Stomper or a Belly Washer?
The fact is, you are already using automation. And if you want to stay in business, you need to study and embrace automation going forward.
Is GEO the Next SEO?
Here’s What You Need to Know
Linley McConnell
The way we search and shop is changing. This year, roughly 50% of Canadians used artificial intelligence (AI) tools for online purchases and product searches. In other words, AI is quickly replacing the traditional ‘Google Search’.
For years, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or ranking in the number one spot on Google was the cornerstone of digital visibility. But now, Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are reshaping the landscape and the way we find our information. Digital marketers are turning their attention to a new concept: GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization. Instead of optimizing content for Google’s search rankings, companies are now thinking about how to show up in AI-generated answers. And you should be, too.
Client Retention Is Not a Frontline Job
By Francis Flair
Not long ago, I sat across from the CEO of a company that was scaling its operations bigger. He told me, “Retention? That’s our customer service department’s responsibility.” He meant it sincerely.
But the numbers told a different story – clients were leaving faster than they could replace them, and the frontline team was burning out. This CEO made a classic mistake – treating retention as a departmental task instead of a leadership strategy.
