In a recent episode of the Biz Bites podcast, hosted by Anthony Perl, director of CommTogether, our very own CEO, Susan Toft, shared her incredible journey as a businesswoman and mumpreneur. From humble beginnings to scaling The Laundry Lady into an award-winning business, Susan’s story is an inspiring testament to innovation and resilience.
From Corporate Career to Mumpreneur
Susan began by recounting her transition from a corporate career to becoming a mumpreneur. “A lot of people who join us really resonate with my story; why I started,” Susan shared. “Because I was a new mum, I left my corporate career. I just couldn’t, didn’t want to, be juggling that kind of work as well as being a new mum. Missing all of the things at school, not being able to go to my sons’ sports days, and all of those sorts of things.”
This pivotal decision was the catalyst for The Laundry Lady, which started as a small business and has now grown into a thriving enterprise with over 300 contractors across Australia, and in New Zealand.
The Early Days and Scaling Post-COVID
The Laundry Lady, founded more than 12 years ago, initially served a local community on the Gold Coast but saw significant growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, when Susan really had time to focus on growing her business working from home.
As Susan explained, the demand for reliable, hygienic laundry services increased during the pandemic, and The Laundry Lady was perfectly positioned to meet this need. This period of rapid growth underscored the importance of adaptability and innovation in business.
A Shark Tank Success Story
One of the highlights of Susan’s journey was her appearance on Shark Tank, where she was offered an investment of $1 million – the largest-ever on the Australian TV Show. This milestone provided the validation of her business model and an increasing brand awareness Australia-wide. Reflecting on this experience, Susan highlighted how pivotal it was in taking The Laundry Lady to new heights.
Technological Innovation and The Laundry Lady
A significant part of the podcast focused on the technological advancements that have driven The Laundry Lady’s success. Susan proudly highlighted the in-house system developed by her team, which has revolutionised how the business operates. “We now have our own technology platform that we’ve created with quite a lot of time and resources. It’s an online marketplace, but it’s also an enterprise resource planning system that manages every part of the contractor’s journey as well as the customer’s journey.”
The platform goes beyond just booking and scheduling. “It’s so much more than a booking and scheduling platform, but even the booking and scheduling part has incredibly advanced technology behind,” Susan explained. This sophisticated system ensures efficiency, reliability, and a high-quality service for both customers and contractors.
Embracing AI for Efficiency and Scalability
Susan also shared her thoughts on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations. “For us, AI it’s really about efficiently operating to be able to scale,” she said. The integration of AI has enabled The Laundry Lady to optimise processes, enhance customer experience, and support the company’s growth trajectory.
The Laundry Lady: More Than Just a Laundry Service
Throughout the podcast, Susan emphasised that The Laundry Lady is more than just a laundry service. “Obviously we are a laundry service, but we are a lot more than that. Some people compare us to being Uber for laundry, which is a nice simple way to explain it.” However, Susan pointed out the key differences between The Laundry Lady and gig economy models like Uber and Airtasker. “We are quite different from gig economies like Uber and rideshares and Airtasker, because we have a very recurring and sustainable model within our business: laundry never ends.”
This sustainable model has not only ensured consistent growth but has also built a loyal customer base that relies on The Laundry Lady for their laundry needs.
What’s next?
“How much is your time worth? How much do you spend on your laundry?” Susan asks. This question encapsulates the essence of The Laundry Lady’s mission – to provide a valuable service that saves people time, allowing them to focus on what truly matters.
We are incredibly proud of Susan’s achievements and grateful for the opportunity to share her story on Biz Bites. If you haven’t already, we highly recommend tuning into the podcast to hear more about Susan’s inspiring journey and the exciting future of The Laundry Lady.
